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THE FIRST 20 YEARS
The Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club Arboretum was formerly the property
of the Club's founding father Dr. Harry F. Rentschler.
The 34 acre tract on a high
vista above the
town of Bernville, where
Rentschler had lived as a child, was
purchased by the doctor and his wife in
1925 as a retreat from his busy medical practice in Reading.
These were the hills young
Harry had roamed as a boy when his father owned
the Bernville Hotel. In the 1930's he planted a grove of
pine trees on the sloping western
edge of his property and erected a simple one-room frame cabin
at the head of a path leading to the spring at the base of the western slope.
He wanted few improvements; they
hiked down the steep path
for water, and a wood stove
was used for heat and cooking. The
solitude of this place
was enough. He must have gazed often
at the panoramic view of the Blue Mountain from
the height of his land where he
could follow forty miles of the Blue Mountain ridge and know that his beloved
Appalachian Trail was there.
Rentschler's later life was so deeply devoted to the conservation and
hiking group he had inspired and led since 1916, that he wanted the
Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club to hold
and preserve this place of solitude when he was gone.
He therefore wrote in his will that the Club would
take ownership when his wife no longer used the property. He also willed
the Club a trust fund of $5000 for maintenance.
Rentschler died in 1942 and Mrs. Rentschler continued to use the cabin
retreat through the war
years and occasionally thereafter.
Because of an irregularity regarding the will, the title was not
transferred to the Club. President
Dan Hoch and the other officers hesitated
to challenge Sadie Rentschler or to attempt use of
the property. After 15 years an
agreement was reached and, on May
31, 1957, title to the 34.615 acres
was finally transferred to Blue Mountain
Wilderness Park Association, (an adjunct of the Climbing Club, now merged with
the Club.) As the widow was
still using the property, the Club
waited another year or two before proceeding with their plans for an arboretum
on the property. On October 18, 1959 the initial tree planting took place at the newly named Rentschler Arboretum. The first tree honored their revered founder, Dr. Harry F. Rentschler. A large crowd on this occasion included the Pennsylvania Secretary of Forests and Waters, who made the dedication speech. Work at needed cleaning of brush began under the leadership of Henry L. Kalbach, Club member and resident of Bernville. At least 40 workers turned out in January 1960 to begin the clearing. In the 1960's the arboretum was used for outings such as the Mother's Day picnic and occasionally a Spring outdoor meeting when more and more trees were planted and dedicated to deceased members of BMECC. A formal plan for the arboretum was drawn up. Teachers were invited to bring Bernville school children up to the new arboretum where they were led on walks by Henry Kalbach. Henry's devotion to the Arboretum continued for the next 17 years.
In 1968,
fire destroyed the quaint cabin, which
by now had been used often for scheduled daytime membership events. Vandalism was suspected.
The present block building
was erected the following year in 1969.
Later it was dedicated Kalbach
Pavilion to the memory of Henry L.
Kalbach who had guided the development of the arboretum for 18 years.
Members provided
much of the finish work such as exterior
painting and interior trim.
Extensive use of the property for Club sponsored programs began in the
1970's. Club members
organized backpacking seminars, where light-weight
tents, stoves and other new
equipment was demonstrated outdoors.
The Club's trail maintenance as well as the arboretum maintenance
equipment was stored here. The Club
director's meeting place changed from Court Street in
Reading to the Kalbach Pavilion.
The arboretum provided visiting Appalachian-Trail
work crews a place to stay when working in the region.
One significant occasion was the
day A. T. Conference officials met at
Rentschler Arboretum with local
clubs to designate the official route of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
through eastern Pennsylvania using aerial photographs of the marked
footpath.
Henry L. Kalbach died in 1975 and was honored for his long devotion to
the Climbing Club and to Rentschler Arboretum. His son Henry took over the reins of
leadership.
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