{{Short description|State park in Elk County, Pennsylvania}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Bendigo State Park | image = Bendigo State Park.jpg | image_caption = East Branch Clarion River | image_alt = River | image_size = 280 | location = [[Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania]], United States | coordinates = {{coord|41.53168|-78.6283|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = <ref name="bendigosp"/> | area = {{convert|100|acre|abbr=on}}<ref name="bendigosp"/> | elevation = {{convert|1493|ft|m|abbr=on}} | established = 1959 | administrator = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | free_label = Named for | free_data = William Thompson Bendigo | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | website = {{Official website}} | module = {{Infobox protected area | map = USA Pennsylvania#USA | label = Bendigo State Park | label_position = | map_caption = Location in Pennsylvania | relief = 1 | module = [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania State Parks]] }} }} '''Bendigo State Park''' is a {{convert|100.26|acre|adj=on}} [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania state park]] in [[Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania|Jones Township]], [[Elk County, Pennsylvania|Elk County]], [[Pennsylvania]] in the United States. The park is in a [[valley]] on the [[Clarion River|East Branch Clarion River]]. {{convert|20|acre}} of the park are developed. The other {{convert|80|acre}} are undeveloped woodlands of [[beech]], [[birch]], [[cherry]] and [[maple]].
==History== Bendigo State Park is named for an [[Ireland|Irish]] [[tavern]] keeper, who lived in [[England]], named [[William Thompson (boxer)|William Thompson]]. Thompson was also a [[prizefighter]] of some renown. [[Boxing]] for money was illegal at the time in England and Thompson was arrested 28 times for breaking the law. Legend holds that Thompson fled to America, to avoid prosecution, when an opponent died in the ring due to injuries sustained in the fight. He adopted the name Bendigo, a corruption of the [[Old Testament]] name Abed-nego and moved to the frontier of northwestern Pennsylvania. The newly named, Bendigo, began serving as a [[Methodist]] [[Evangelism|evangelist]] while also working on the [[Rail transport|railroads]]. He was a very tall and strong man and soon became a favorite of his [[Italian people|Italian]] co-workers. No records exist to support the claim that Thompson ever left the British Isles let alone lived in the area.<ref name="bendigosp"/> The [[lumber]] industry was beginning to boom in northwestern Pennsylvania as Bendigo was making his rounds as an evangelist and a mill town in Elk County was named Bendigo in his honor. The lumber era was not to last forever. The forests were largely chopped down by the early 20th century and many of the mill towns, like Bendigo, were abandoned.<ref name="bendigosp">{{cite web |url=https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/bendigo-state-park |title=Bendigo State Park |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |access-date=December 16, 2025}}</ref>
The [[borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] of Johnsonburg acquired the land that is currently Bendigo State Park in the 1920s and established a community park. The [[Works Progress Administration]] of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] made many improvements to the park during the [[Great Depression]]. [[Flood]]ing on the East Branch of the Clarion River destroyed most of the works of the WPA in the 1940s, but a stone wall and dam on the river are still standing. Ownership of the park was transferred to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1949 and over the course of ten years improvements were made. Bendigo State Park was formally opened to the public on August 15, 1959.<ref name="bendigosp"/> The park is at an elevation of {{convert|1493|ft}}.
==Recreation== Bendigo State Park attracts families interested in using the [[human swimming|swimming]] and picnicking facilities. The pool is opened daily from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm beginning [[Memorial Day]] weekend and ending [[Labor Day]] weekend. There are over 150 picnic tables in several [[picnic]] areas. The picnic areas have [[grilling|charcoal grills]], drinking water, [[Horseshoes (game)|horseshoe]] pits and restrooms.<ref name="bendigosp"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Bendigo State Park}} {{Portal|Pennsylvania}} *[https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/bendigo-state-park Bendigo State Park] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
{{Protected Areas of Pennsylvania}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:State parks of Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Works Progress Administration in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Parks in Elk County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Elk County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1959]] [[Category:1959 establishments in Pennsylvania]]