History | Pocono Township

1681

William Penn founded Pennsylvania with the unique intent that the land would be religiously free. Penn called this his “Holy Experiment.”

1737

The land of Monroe county is acquired in The Walking Purchase. Two of the three men that ran in the purchase died from exhaustion.

1750

The Village of Tannersville, where the local government buildings are located, was settled in approximately by John Larner and his family, originally under the name Pocono Point. Larner also built Learned’s Tavern in this time.

1779

Major General Sullivan lead a march north from Pennsylvania, using Learned’s Tavern as a way stop, to attack the Iroquois Indians. Sullivan’s Trail would later become PA Route 115.

1781

The Larner family are made victim to migrating Indians. All members of the family are lost to the Larner Family Massacre, except John Larner Jr., who continued the cycle of violence.

1816

Pocono Township was chartered, taking its name from the Indian word “Pocohanne,” meaning a stream between two mountains. and its first school was created.

1825

A second school was created, located at Bulger’s Run.

1830

Pocono Township’s population rose to 564. Many of the early settlers came from Germany through Bucks County, which lies to the south of Pocono Township.

1831

The first hotel in the area, Manasseh Miller’s Hotel, is built, signifying the beginning the tourism industry in Tannersville. Today the hotel is known as the Legendary Tannersville Inn.

1834

William Kresge opened the first post office, it began as an addition to a residential home, but grew with the population of Tannersville.

1836

Monroe county was officially created. Originally, the county of Northampton included Monroe, as well as modern Wayne, Pike, Lehigh, and Carbon counties.

1840

The town name was officially changed from Pocono Point to Tannersville, due to the significance of the tanning industry.

1868

The Tannersville Methodist Episcopal Church was built.

1875

Township officials attempt to have County officials classify Tannersville as a borough, however the request is denied.

1879

The two story, four room Bell School was created under the charge of M.S. Warner and Horace Keeler. The school was originally granted $202.75 by the state for operation.

1888

The first appearance of the Glenwood Hall Band, which played at parades, churches, and community events until it was disbanded in 1943.

1893

The Reformed Church is established. In 1935, it was renamed the Grace United Church of Christ, when the Reformed Church in the United States merged with the Evangelical Synod of North America to become the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

1909

The St. Paul Lutheran Church is relocated to where Route 611 will be built.

1918

In October, Tannersville resident and marine Robert Mader was killed in action in France during WWI.

1921

The new, concrete Lackawanna Trail was completed through town, replacing the century old Belmont Pike dirt road. Also, a new fire tower was built on Big Pocono and a new picnic grove on the Raish farm. The Emma Singer graduates, becoming the first high graduate of Tannersville, and Milo Kistler, a pillar of the community, passes away.

1925

Class of five students from the newly erected Pocono Consolidated School become the first graduating class of Tannersville. That school graduated students through 1961 and, during those 37 years, sent a total of 726 grads into the ‘real world’.

1928

Tannersville resident, Clara Adams, or the “Maiden of Maiden Flights,” becomes the first paying customer to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. The she rode aboard the Graf Zeppelin.

1940

The Pocono Township Fire Department is established.

1941

The three lane route 611 is completed.

1945

In March, Bartonsville resident Dick Beehler was killed-in-action in Germany during WWII.

1948

Our Lady of Victory Mission Church, on Route 611, is dedicated to Tannersville by Bishop Hafey. This is the first Catholic church in Tannersville.

1951

The first ski run on Big Pocono was built, this was only the second ski resort to be built in all of Pennsylvania. This resort has since become Camelback Ski Resort.

1955

The Flood of ‘55 dumped up to 22 inches on Mount Pocono, after hurricanes Connie and Diane struck North East Pennsylvania in the same week. Twenty bridges were destroyed and millions of dollars in property damage occured in Monroe county alone. Ultimately seventy local lives were lost.