History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day was established to honor servicemen (and now service-women) who had enlisted or were drafted into the armed forces. The day, however, was not always called Veterans Day; its original name was Armistice Day, and it was created following World War I to honor those veterans who had served in the “War to End All Wars.” Read More...

Taking a trip through Stroudsburg history

If you didn't know that downtown Stroudsburg's architecture includes examples of Georgian, Federal, Second Empire, English Gothic Revival and Art Deco styles, you might want to stop by the borough Saturday. If you don't know who Daniel Brodhead, Jacob Stroud, Daniel Stroud, A. Mitchell Palmer, Thomas Kitson, Joseph Wallace or Amzi Wyckoff are, ditto. The Jacob Stroud Corporation and the Monroe County Historical Association will co-host the first Historic Stroudsburg Day beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday in Stroudsburg. Read More...

Tunnels under Stroudsburg’s Main Street

Sorting fact from fiction is common in the field of history. One legend often revived is that of the secret tunnels under Main Street in downtown Stroudsburg. Incorrect newspaper articles from the 1950s indicated these tunnels were used to “harbor refugees from the Wyoming Massacre in the French and Indian War.” According to popular belief, the tunnels served as a way for people to get from Fort Penn to McMichael’s Creek without being attacked by Indians. Read More...

Old Mill in Sciota

Along Business Route 209 in Hamilton Township stands a mill centuries old. Built by Jacob Brinker in 1730, this old mill was originally a log structure. By 1800, the mill had been replaced by the stone structure which stands today. Jacob Brinker and his mill played an early role in the shaping of America. Read More...

Once upon a time, 211 years ago ...

The door of George Yeisley's cabin was open to provide more light. Amy Leiser, dressed a bit formally in a long floral-print dress and bonnet, needed the light to read to the children gathered at her feet. They listened intently as she read them books about Paul Revere's midnight ride and George Washington's teeth. It was a beautiful day in a setting straight out of 1795, yet it was only last week. Read More...

History of the Appalachian Trail

From Delaware Water Gap through Totts Gap over Wolf Rocks and beyond Wind Gap and Smith Gap, Monroe County’s scenery and natural history can be viewed from high atop the Appalachian Mountains on the Appalachian Trail. Read More...

Pocono Mountain House & Springs

Since the turn of the 20th Century, the Poconos has become a well-known get-away for many. From the grand old hotels to the quaint boarding houses, this area has lured vacationers for years. One of the largest resorts that served visitors to these Mountains was located along Route 611 in present day Paradise Township and Mount Pocono Borough. Read More...

Historic church restoration takes big step

STROUDSBURG — The site on Third Street looks like just another construction eyesore. But Robert Hillman, 63, of East Stroudsburg has his own vision what the ground, freshly covered in bits of broken building, looks like. Read More...

USS Pocono

Although American Naval ships have been around since the late 1700s, it wasn’t until May 3, 1819 that Congress formally assigned the task of naming ships to the secretary of the Navy. The first names were after states, but as more ships were built, the secretary needed to expand the types of names used. Navy ships came in a variety of classifications and functions, and the names were expanded to reflect the diversity of ships. Read More...

The Marshalls Creek Mastodon

Twelve thousand years ago, Monroe County looked much different than it does today. With a glacier receding just to the north, many unusual, and unusually large animals wandered the land. From giant ground sloths and beavers the size of riding mowers to oversized bears and sabre-toothed cats, Monroe County’s landscape was dominated by creatures that were remarkably different than those found here today. One of the largest animals to wander what would eventually become Monroe County was the American mastodon. Read More...

Suffrage Movement has Local Ties

March has been designated Women’s History Month. A key piece of women’s history lies in the fight for the right to vote. For centuries, women have spoken out, voicing their beliefs that they should be allowed to vote, just like men. From Mary Wollstonecraft’s 1792 work about equality of the sexes to Susan B. Anthony’s 1872 arrest in Rochester, N.Y., for defiantly registering to vote, women have worked to raise awareness of gender inequality. Read More...

Stroudsburg’s ‘Sheep to Suit’ Record

Mr. Thomas Kitson was born in England on June 7, 1840. From a young age, Kitson worked in a number of woolen mills where he gained the knowledge and skills of his trade. At 19, Kitson immigrated to America and was employed in a small mill in the Catskills of New York. Read More...

The Wilkes-Barre & Eastern Railroad

During the late 1800s, anthracite coal was in high demand, and northeastern Pennsylvania boasted the largest concentrations of this natural resource in the entire country. At that time, this relatively clean-burning fossil fuel was used primarily to heat homes and businesses, and the greater Scranton and Wilkes-Barre area served as the central hub for coal mining.
Read More...