Text contributed by
John McKay with the cooperation of
Township Historians Helene Langhorst
and Clarence James.
Lackawaxen is the largest and northernmost township in Pike County.
It was designated Lackawaxen Township in 1798.
Named for the river that flows 12 miles through the Township,
Lackawaxen is the Indian word for "Swift Waters".
The Delaware River marks the eastern boundary of the township and
joins the Lackawaxen River at the village of Lackawaxen.
Less than three centuries ago, the
Leni-Lenape and Iroquois lived
among the beetling rock outcrops and flat lands bordering the banks
of these two rivers. Although the Indians never had any sizeable
villages established in the region, it would appear that the rugged
terrain provided a favorable hunting location for these earliest
inhabitants. Numerous rock shelters and camp sites have been
verified by the presence of various Indian relics, including; tools,
pot shards and extensive bone fragments.
The first recorded presence of
permanent settlers in the township were the homesteads of
Jonathan Conkling and John Barnes. In
1770, they located near the confluence of the two
rivers in what is today, the village of Lackawaxen. The presence of
marauding Indians incited by the English during the Revolution made
habitation by white settlers extremely perilous. An indication of
the hazards of life in the Lackawaxen frontier is the
Battle of Minisink in 1779.
Directly across the Delaware from the village of Lackawaxen,
approximately 45 settlers lost their lives to the superior forces of
the English Colonel Joseph Brant (1742-1807) and
his band of Indians and Tories.
During the early part of the 18th
century, logging was the principal commercial activity in the
township. Logs were fastened together and floated down the two
rivers, eventually reaching their destination of Easton or Trenton.
Because of the narrow channel of the Lackawaxen, smaller rafts,
called "colts" were necessary to navigate the "swift waters". It is
estimated that during this period, 50 million board feet of lumber
were taken down the Lackawaxen River annually.
In 1827, the
Delaware and Hudson Canal began operation between Honesdale,
Pennsylvania (on the Lackawaxen River) and Kingston, New York (on
the Hudson River). The canal company was the largest, private,
commercial undertaking of the time. Originally, there were 28 locks
in Lackawaxen Township which raised the elevation of the canal
waters 278 feet. Along route 590 west of Lackawaxen, and along State
road 51018 west of Rowlands, many of the old locks are still visible
and several lock houses are now used as private residences. These
two roads follow the same route that the mules pulling canal barges
used and together they are locally known as the "towpath".
The canal linked New York City with
the rich coal deposits of the Carbondale, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton
areas, and provided the fuel to feed the foundries and hearths of
that burgeoning city. Moreover, the canal sparked enterprise within
the township. The Honorable George H. Rowland built
a store in 1852 (at the present day site of the
Rowland's Corner Store), cleared a farm and engaged in the lumbering
business. In 1861, Rowland was elected to the
Pennsylvania State Legislature and served two terms. He won a seat
in the State Senate in 1872, serving for 3 years
and filled a vacancy in 1885.
Roebling's
Delaware Aqueduct, designated a National
Historic Landmark in 1968
and a National Civil Engineering Landmark,
was constructed in 1848 as part of the
Delaware and
Hudson Canal. Designed by the future architect of the
Brooklyn Bridge —
John A.
Roebling (June 12, 1806 - July 22, 1869)—
the Roebling Bridge, as it is now known, is
believed to be the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the
Western Hemisphere. NPS rangers and volunteers provide short talks
and tours of the former canal remnant; the Tollhouse contains
historic photos from the canal era (1825-1898).
In 1848, the whistle
of the New York and Erie railroad was first heard in Lackawaxen
Township signaling the eventual end of canal transport. The speed of
rail conveyance and the ability to operate year round (during winter
months the canal would frees stopping all barge traffic) gave rail
service a significant advantage to the languid, sleepy pace of canal
service. The last load of coal to be hauled by barge left Honesdale
on November 5, 1898.
With the introduction of the
railroad, bluestone quarrying became a major enterprise in the
township as well as throughout the county. Cut bluestone was used
extensively in the construction of nineteenth century buildings and
city sidewalks.
While raw materials extracted from
the area wended their way to the cities, trains bound in the
opposite direction brought a new source of prosperity to the area:
tourism. The rugged charms of the Delaware Valley became
increasingly popular with urban excursionists seeking a summer
retreat. Within the township, stations were constructed at
Lackawaxen, West Colang and Mast Hope. Each of these stations was
near the river and elaborate hotels were established nearby to
accommodate the Erie passengers.
Tragedy also accompanied rail service
to the township. On July 14, 1869, near the Mast
Hope station, a passenger train collided with a freight that had
pulled away from the siding prematurely. Nine persons were killed in
this collision. Ironically, the engineer of the freight was later
rehired and became one of the "oldest and most fearless engineers in
the Erie employ". In 1899, just east of the
Lackawaxen station, an express passenger train roaring at 50 miles
per hour, rammed into a derailed freight of 60 loaded cars.
Miraculously, only the engineer, fireman and a passenger were
killed.
In 1905 to
1918, the prolific western author
Zane Grey
(1872 - 1939) lived in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. He
began his career relating stories of his experiences fishing along
the Upper Delaware River. Lackawaxen always held a special place in
his memories, and was chosen as the site of his final resting place.
Today, Grey's home from 1914-18 is preserved by the
National Park
Service as part of Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
as a museum, available to the public.
Nowadays, passenger trains no longer
run through the township and there remains only one station at
Lackawaxen (the original station has been replaced twice). With the
decline of passenger service, the magnificent hotels have also
disappeared.
Visitors to the area today are still
attracted by the same natural splendor and outdoor activities that
were prevalent a century ago. The Lackawaxen River is renowned among
anglers and each spring, it is well stocked by the Pennsylvania Fish
Commission. Canoeing and fishing are also popular pastimes upon the
less rapidly flowing Delaware River. The Upper Delaware River has
been designated a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
which included all of Lackawaxen's frontage on the river. In the
winter months, downhill and cross country skiing are available near
the village of Mast Hope.
Finally, Lackawaxen's scenic appeal
and it's reminders of days-gone-by provide an enjoyable excursion
for the sightseer.
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