The First Park
 
In 2002, after more than 20 years, the original property was lost to county governments seeking to change the face of the park and move it into the "21 Century". These elected officials decided not to renew the lease of the Mason-Dixon Historical Society and attempted to upgrade the grounds. Sadly, since that time little more than the minimal groundskeeping has continued at that location.
 
During that 20 years nearly every improvement was completed by the sweat of the volunteers and their generosity. Government intervention was minimal, even financially. During the 2002 government take-over of the park it seemed history was repeating itself.  Reminiscent of Civil War days, volunteers were asked to "pick sides" by government officials. Friendships were often damaged, volunteers discouraged, and family members were sometimes at ends over the matter. Because of 2002 being an election year the park slowly fell into becoming a campaign issue.
 
Monongalia County Commissioners in West Virginia eventually gained control of the park, dismissed the caretaker, and replaced the park board. Since that time the festivals and events have moved to the new home of the Mason-Dixon Historical Park in Green County, Pennsylvania just south of Mount Morris.
 
A New Beginning The Mason-Dixon Historical Park
 
After 2002 many of the volunteers wanted to continue "Preserving the Past" and offer the same historical and traditional events that brought the community together. With the changes to the operation at the former location these events seemed to be impossible to plan with adequate time for approval. One volunteer had a solution: build a new park for the community.
 
Land was then located for the Mason-Dixon Park just a couple of miles away in Greene County, Pennsylvania. The volunteers wasted no time building on a tradition in a new home. Like the settlers of old in Spring of 2003 park members once again went to work building a place for the community to experience history.
 
A cabin was erected in 18th century style using logs from Washington County, Pennsylvania and Harrison County West Virginia. The Spring Ramp Festival continued as always and as the cabin was completed the Frontier Festival ushered out the Summer without missing a beat.
 
In recent years the Park has continued to grow with water and electric expansions, participants, volunteers, and the recent completion of a pavilion. All done with volunteer effort and caring supporter donations. In 2004 the Purple Martin Festival was added to the regular schedule of events with the help of Jacobs Birdhouse Company.
 
The Mason-Dixon Park is host to a variety of events throughout the year. From family events to Native American Sweats to Primitve Encampments and Civil War Re-enactments; Mason-Dixon Park has become a cornerstone in preserving American Heritage. Each and every Festival is growing larger and more successful than the previous; thanks to the hard work of volunteers.

The History surrounding Mason and Dixon, the evolution of our Park today and the history of America is a rich story to tell. Indeed it is not just a story rich in tradition written in trials or celebrations but one that belongs to us all. From that first stone marking the path of the most famous survey to the more recent homestead cabin at our Park the story grows. With each volunteer and visitor to the Park a piece of the American Spirit is preserved for future generations to experience.
 
We hope you enjoy this page as we strive to "Preserve the Past". We also hope to see you at one of our Festivals where you can discover the wealth of American Heritage Mason-Dixon Park has to offer.

The Mason and Dixon Line was marked by small stones every mile and large stones or ”Crownstones” every five miles. The stones were shipped from England. On the smaller stones an "M" marks the Maryland side  and the Delaware and Pennsylvania sides are bothed marked with a "P". Crownstones included the two coats-of-arms of Penn and Calvert. Today, many of the original stones are missing or buried. Above is a picture of a Crownstone. At right you can see a portion of an early map showing the end of the original Mason-Dixon Line.

 
In 1763, Frederick Calvert and William Penn found need to settle a dispute of their Royal Land Grants and determine the boundaries between their two large properties, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
 
Charles Mason, a noted astronomer of the Greenwich Observatory and Jeremiah Dixon a highly competent surveyor were hired to settle the dispute. The first boundary was surveyed four years (1763-67). It extended to present-day West Virginia in 1779.
 
Based on a 1732 agreement, the north/south boundary was to be 15 miles south of Philadelphia. After determining that the southern most point of Philadelphia was at 39 Degrees, 56.485 minutes, Mason and Dixon went due west for 31 miles (Delaware River was due south) and then measured due south for the prescribed 15 miles. At this point they erected the "Post mark'd West", which became the starting point for the famous Mason Dixon line.
 
Mason and Dixon surveyed due west from this point of their line to get to the east/west boundary between Maryland and a part of Pennsylvania that would later become the state of Delaware.
 
Even prior to the American Civil War it was designated as the boundary between the slave and free states as mentioned in the Missouri Compromise of 1820, and on occasion still used to distinguish the Northern and Southern States today.
 
At this point in American history Mason and Dixon were traversing and surveying  the rugged western frontier. The surveyors encountered a variety of  hazards; new rugged country, hostle indigenous people, food and water concerns, etc... The two used Native American guides to help navigate this new area.
 
However, at Dunkard Creek near Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, nearly 244 miles (392 km) west of the Delaware, a group of Native Americans forced them to end their survey. Upon encountering hostile natives the guides suggested the survey be ended. Their final marker still stands near the site of Mason-Dixon Historical Park.
 
In 1784 and 1785, other surveyors continued the line about 36 miles farther west, past the western border of Pennsylvania, to the Ohio River, to settle the border dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia. The section of the line between the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania and the river is the county line between Marshall and Wetzel counties, West Virginia.

Set up is FREE at all of our Festivals. It is on a first come first serve basis with preference given to those loyal participants. Space is limited so please contact us for details. We do our best not to duplicate products through vendors so the competition between participants is avoided to the best of our ability.
 
Your performance at our Festivals is not a paying gig unless otherwise stated. You are however welcome to bring any related merchandise for you or your group to be sold (CD's, T-Shirts, Buttons, etc...) These items are often requested by the public.