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.
Read More...
Read More...
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.
Read More...
Read More...
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...
Happy 200th Birthday, Stroudsburg!
The Borough of Stroudsburg’s history began in 1730 as Peter LaBar established his homestead, a log cabin, on the corner of present-day Main and Ninth Streets. Unfortunately, the log cabin is no longer standing. It was not until decades later, when Jacob Stroud purchased land in the area, that Stroudsburg emerged as a developed town. Read More...
Keeping warm - colonial style
January 01 , 2015 Filed in: Business | Stroud Mansion
Nowadays, when one walks into a chilly room, it’s easy to take for granted that with a simple push of a button or a turn of a dial on the thermostat, the room will warm in a matter of moments. Prior to 20th and 21st Century conveniences, all homes were kept warm by burning wood (or maybe coal) in fireplaces. Chopped and seasoned logs placed on a burning fire were the only source of heat for our ancestors. If you’ve ever cut firewood with a chainsaw and split it with a gas-powered splitter, you know how much work preparing for winter can be. Needless to say, it took quite a bit more time and energy to prepare firewood to heat a room 200+ years ago when hand saws and axes were an individual’s only tools. Read More...
John Summerfield Staples: In the Shadow of History | Joy and Sorrow
January 01 , 2015 Filed in: John Staples
John Summerfield Staples returned to Washington D.C. from a lengthy and stressful prisoner guarding sojourn to Ohio and found the Capitol celebrating the re-election of President Lincoln. He wondered how Stroudsburg would be marking the event. Parades and flag-waving were probably not on the agenda. Read More...