Hungry Hill on the Sullivan Road
Hungry Hill is a Revolutionary War memorial and gravesite of an unknown soldier located in Tobyhanna Township. This encampment site was named by Maj. Gen. John Sullivan’s 1779 expedition, which built a road through the Pocono wilderness so troops could move north to avenge the Wyoming Massacre. They called the adjacent swamp Hell’s Kitchen. Army engineers built this first road on the Pocono Plateau, across the desolate area known as the Great Swamp. Meager provisions required the soldiers to live off the land, and one died here.. Read More...
Over the river and through the woods: Stagecoach travel in Monroe County
December 12 , 2016 Filed in: Monroe County | Transportation
It was a natural evolution from sharing rides and offering a little space in a wagon to charging customers for hauling freight or for passenger seats on a stagecoach. Read More...
1924: Motorcycle races come to Monroe County
May 05 , 2016 Filed in: Monroe County | Transportation
The weekend of June 6-8, 1924 was full of two-wheeled excitement for Monroe County residents when the borough of Stroudsburg hosted a weekend of professional and amateur motorcycle races at the Stroudsburg Fairgrounds.
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19th century banking in Monroe County
April 04 , 2016 Filed in: Monroe County | Business
In 1857, the Stroudsburg Bank became the first official bank in Monroe County. Before this time, there were no banking institutions in Monroe County, and local residents had to travel to Easton for their banking needs. Read More...
Local leap year happenings in history
February 02 , 2016 Filed in: Monroe County
The year 2016 is a leap year, and tomorrow, February 29th, is leap day. In reviewing some of the historical records, many local “leap day” happenings occurred over the years.
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Man’s best friend: Dog licensing in Monroe County
January 01 , 2016 Filed in: Monroe County
Many Monroe County citizens, myself included, are dog lovers. One of the responsibilities of dog ownership is ensuring that our pets are properly registered. Locally, licensing man’s best friend dates back to the late 1800s. Read More...
History of the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree
December 12 , 2015 Filed in: Holidays
The tradition of bringing evergreen boughs and even whole trees indoors during the winter solstice began in Europe well before there were reliable written records. These early indoor trees were not adorned with fanciful decorations as Christmas trees are today. Read More...
E. E. Norton: His story versus history
November 11 , 2015 Filed in: Civil War | Stroudsburg
Civil War veteran Emery E. Norton was a legend in his own time, and the tales he told about his own service were certainly exciting. His stories, however rousing they may have been and however embellished they may have become, do not altogether match the history presented by his service record. Read More...
Local man ran for vice president in 1948 election
October 10 , 2015 Filed in: Politics
Monroe County had one of its own citizens run for office at the national level. Dale Harold Learn ran as the vice presidential candidate under the Prohibition Party in the 1948 election.
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When ferries crossed the Delaware River
August 08 , 2015 Filed in: Transportation
The Delaware River is an important natural feature that delineates part of the border between New York and Pennsylvania and the entire border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This important waterway provides not only drinking water for many surrounding communities but also numerous recreational opportunities for local residents and visitors to the area.
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Keystone Shortway (Interstate 80) comes to Monroe County
July 07 , 2015 Filed in: Transportation | Monroe County
Every day, thousands of motorists travel Interstate 80 through Monroe County. Interstate 80 traverses the United States, beginning in the east in New Jersey and ending in the west in California, and 311 of the nearly 3,000 miles of the highway are located in Pennsylvania. Plans for what became known as the Keystone Shortway began in the early 1950s. Read More...
First Laurel Blossom Time Festival held in 1931
June 06 , 2015 Filed in: Arts
Every June in the Poconos, mountain laurel flowers bloom. A relative of the rhododendron, mountain laurel blossoms delicate pink and white flowers that can only be seen for a few short weeks in early summer in our area — deep in forests, along our mountain streams, and lining our many small country roads. In the early 1930s, a committee was formed to celebrate this flower and to bring visitors to the region, and in 1931, the first “Laurel Blossom Time in the Poconos” festival was held. Read More...
‘Julia’ honors those who served in World War I
Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, just three years following the Civil War. General John Logan proclaimed the day as an important opportunity to honor the graves of soldiers by decorating them with flowers. Read More...
John Summerfield Staples: In the Shadow of History | Legend and Legacy
April 04 , 2015 Filed in: John Staples
Many have risen to positions of power and glory only to end up as footnotes in seldom-read history books. John Summerfield Staples of Stroudsburg is different — he’s always been a footnote. His position as President Lincoln’s representative in the Union Army is certainly unique in military history, but attempts to recognize and honor him have not exactly ignited the public’s interest, although there have been some highlights. Read More...
1948: Pocono Mountains alive with the sound of music
March 03 , 2015 Filed in: Arts
On December 8, 1948, the Von Trapp Family Singers — whose story was made so famous in the movie “The Sound of Music” — performed in the auditorium at East Stroudsburg State Teachers College (now East Stroudsburg University) to a sold-out crowd. The Baroness Maria Von Trapp, two sons, and six daughters blended “their voices in beautiful harmony” while adorned in “colorful Bavarian costumes.” Read More...