A Two-Part Series on the Era of the Summer Boardinghouse:
On May 6 Bernadine Lennon shared her meticulous research on the hotels and boardinghouses that operated in Greene and Dreher Townships in the first half of the twentieth century. Her talk entitled “Farmhouse Boardinghouses—the Poconos’ First B&Bs” started with the earliest establishments in the early 1900s and traced their evolution up through the 1940s and 1950s. She shared postcards and photographs from the Historical Society’s extensive collection while discussing the history of each establishment, including information about proprietors, years of operation, amenities, rates charged, and other interesting facts.
She also gleaned a selection of humorous and informative messages from the postcards to personalize her talk and delight her audience. She let the photos and postcards tell their story. “…after a 168 mile drive, I will try and forget Brooklyn for a while,” wrote Mrs. H in 1920. She, like most of the city dwellers escaping the heat and pace of urban life, found welcome relief in the sylvan setting and delicious farmhouse cooking available in our local boardinghouses.
To view Bernadine’s presentation, please go to our YouTube channel.
…And memories from those who worked there
One June 1, a round-table discussion featured four Historical Society members who reminisced about their teen years working in local boardinghouses in the 1960s. “We were treated so well,” said Sandy Toy. But they admitted they worked hard! Janice Rohlf shared her memories, along with Diane Smith, who prepared the presentation. Their stories of working at Panther Lodge and Summit House were peppered with laughter and recollections of doing everything from waiting on tables, to helping in the kitchen, making beds and doing the laundry. “The Mangle Iron was my nemesis,” said Diane, as she narrated the slides featuring photos of the beloved area boardinghouses.
Terry Baughan talked about of his years at The Lancaster and gave a brief history of the boardinghouse, a local icon, owned by his family for three generations. Working in area boardinghouses was for many teens our first summer jobs,” said Terry. “It was a rite of passage for all of us.”
View “Panther Lodge—My First Summer Job” under Learn & Share>Telling Our Stories on the top menu bar.
