Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Honesdale is a borough in and the county seat of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States.[14] The borough's population was 4,480 at the time of the 2010 census.[15]

Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Borough
Borough of Honesdale
The Wayne County Courthouse in Honesdale.
Nickname(s): 
Dyberry Forks[1]
Motto(s): 
"A great place to visit. A better place to live!"[2]
Location in Wayne County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Honesdale
Location of Honesdale in Pennsylvania
Honesdale
Honesdale (the United States)
Coordinates: 41°34′27″N 75°15′21″W
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
US Congressional DistrictPA-8
State Senatorial District20
State House of Representatives District139
CountyWayne
School DistrictWayne Highlands
Region II
Settled1826[3]
IncorporatedJanuary 28, 1831[2]
Named forPhilip Hone[2]
Government
 • TypeWeak mayor-council
 • MayorSarah Canfield
 • Borough Council[4][5]
 • US RepresentativeMatt Cartwright (D)
 • State SenatorLisa Baker (R)
 • State RepresentativeMichael Peifer (R)
Area
 • Total4.02 sq mi (10.42 km2)
 • Land3.88 sq mi (10.05 km2)
 • Water0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2)
Elevation
981[7] ft (299 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total4,480
 • Estimate 
(2019)[8]
4,281
 • Density1,102.78/sq mi (425.81/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight (EDT))
ZIP code
18431[9]
Area code(s)570 and 272
GNIS feature IDs1192628[7][10] (Place)
1192628[10] (Borough)
FIPS code42-35520[11]
Major Roads
WaterwaysBunnells Pond,[12] Carley Brook,[13] Dyberry Creek, Lackawaxen River
WebsiteHonesdale Borough

Honesdale is located 32 miles (51 km) northeast of Scranton in a rural area that provides many recreational opportunities, such as boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, biking, skateboarding, and rafting. Located in a coal mining region, during the nineteenth century it was the starting point of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, which provided for transport of coal to Kingston, New York, and then down the Hudson River to New York City. In the 19th century, the expansion of railroads eventually superseded regular use of the canal.

History
1890 panoramic map of Honesdale

The discovery of anthracite coal in northeastern Pennsylvania in the early 1800s and the need to transport this valuable fuel to New York City gave birth to the Delaware and Hudson Canal, the American Railroad, and the Borough of Honesdale.[16] Honesdale was named for Philip Hone, former Mayor of New York and president of Honesdale's Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal Company. Honesdale, originally called "Dyberry Forks," was laid out as a village in 1826 when the D & H Canal was created.[1] It was incorporated as a borough on January 28, 1831.[2]

The Honesdale Residential Historic District and the D&H Canal are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[17]

Birthplace of American railroading
Further information: Delaware and Hudson Gravity Railroad

Honesdale is home to the first commercial steam locomotive run on rails in the United States, the Stourbridge Lion. On August 8, 1829, the Stourbridge Lion started in Honesdale, ran three miles to Seelyville, and returned; Honesdale, therefore, is known as the birthplace of the American Railroad.[18]

The Stourbridge Lion, owned by the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal Company was regrettably considered too heavy for further use.[19] D&H transported anthracite coal from mines near Carbondale to New York City via Honesdale and Kingston, New York. Coal was moved by a unique gravity-railroad from the mines to Honesdale where it was transferred to barges and transported via a 108-mile canal to Kingston, New York, then shipped by river barges down the Hudson River to New York City.

What remained of the Stourbridge Lion passed into many hands over the coming years and was eventually acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1890. The main boiler is currently on loan at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.[19]

The Wayne County Historical Society Museum contains a full-scale replica of the Stourbridge Lion; the Society also displays many historical photographs, artifacts and other exhibits. The D&H Railroad Company built the replica using original blueprints for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. The replica was relocated to Honesdale in 1941.[19]

Passenger excursions run seasonally from Honesdale to Hawley along the historic Stourbridge Line. The railroad runs twenty-five miles along the Lackawaxen River. Excursions depart from the platform at the Wayne County Visitors Center.[20]

Geography

Honesdale is located at 41°34′27″N 75°15′21″W (41.574214, -75.255966).[21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.0 square miles (10 km2), of which 3.9 square miles (10 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (2.5%) is water of the Lackawaxen River, which flows through the heart of the town, and its confluence with Dyberry Creek. The waters contain fish and other aquatic life and attract hundreds of ducks, as well as eagles and other raptors.

800 Block of Main Street, Honesdale

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1830433—
18401,086150.8%
18502,263108.4%
18602,54412.4%
18702,6544.3%
18802,620−1.3%
18902,8167.5%
19002,8641.7%
19102,9452.8%
19202,756−6.4%
19305,49099.2%
19405,6873.6%
19505,662−0.4%
19605,569−1.6%
19705,224−6.2%
19805,128−1.8%
19904,972−3.0%
20004,874−2.0%
20104,480−8.1%
Est. 20194,281[8]−4.4%
Sources:[22][23][24]

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,480 people, 2,086 households, and 1,147 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,148.7 people per square mile (443.5/km2). There were 2,357 housing units at an average density of 604.4 per square mile (236.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.8% White, 0.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 2,086 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 58.8% from 18 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years.

The median income for a household in the borough was $32,644, and the median income for a family was $42,088. Males had a median income of $33,553 versus $30,179 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,122. About 19.1% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.4% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Media and publications

The daily newspaper, The Wayne Independent, was established at Honesdale in 1878, and emphasizes local stories. As of October 2019, The Wayne Independent is now The Tri-County Independent, its publisher having forced its merger with four former newspapers it owned.[25]

The local radio stations are WDNH 95.3 FM and WPSN 104.3FM, 101.9FM and 1590am. In addition to local news, events, and weather, WPSN broadcasts the Honesdale Hornets High School football games every Friday night during football season.

The children's magazine Highlights for Children, a monthly magazine for children ages 6 to 12, was founded in Honesdale in 1946. The magazine features fiction stories, nonfiction articles, brainteasers, and puzzles, including Hidden Pictures® puzzles. The publisher maintains its editorial headquarters on Church St. in Honesdale, while their business offices are in Columbus, Ohio. Highlights International's products are available in 40 countries and in 16 languages.[26]

Yoga International, based in Honesdale, publishes online content on yoga, meditation, and mindful living. In 2018 Yoga International was recognized as the 122nd fastest growing private companies in the United States on Inc.'s 500|5000 list.[27]

First Presbyterian Church

Places
  • The hospital serving Honesdale and the surrounding communities is Wayne Memorial Hospital. It is a successful and progressive nonprofit community hospital with approximately $75 million dollars of net revenue of business annually. The Hospital offers a wide array of advanced health services and is clinically affiliated with the Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers and The Commonwealth Medical College. A $40 million dollar expansion of the hospital was completed in 2019. The 85,000 square foot tower houses 50 private patient rooms and “smart” technology designed to reduce the risk for infection, enhance communication and decrease noise levels.[28]
  • Honesdale High School is part of the Wayne Highlands School District. The school's sports teams are called the Hornets. The school is located on the top of Terrace Street and overlooks the town.
  • Honesdale was home to the Roman Catholic St. Vincent's Elementary School, located on Cliff Street. The school closed at the end of the 2008-2009 school year after declining enrollment.[29] Nonetheless, two Catholic churches continue with vigorous participation, as do churches of other denominations and a synagogue.
  • Honesdale has hundreds of Victorian age structures, and features several tall church steeples, historically significant buildings of many kinds, and a memorial Central Park beside the Wayne County Courthouse. While current zoning laws do not require building remodelling to remain historically accurate, the vast majority of houses and structures remain architecturally as they were constructed, often more than a century past.
  • Irving Cliff, 300 feet high, named for Washington Irving who loved its prominence,[30] overlooks the town and offers a compelling view of the confluence of the Lackawaxen River and Dyberry Creek and virtually everything else in the valley. The cliff is surmounted by Gibbons Memorial Park[30] with a 50-foot electric framework for a Christmas Star and Easter Cross that are visible for miles during holiday nights. Fireworks are fired from the cliff for Independence Day festivities.
  • Many summer camps are located in and around Honesdale, including Bryn Mawr Camp, Camp Cayuga, Camp IHC, formally known as Indian Head Camp, Camp Lavi, Camp Morasha, Camp Moshava, Camp Nesher, Camp Ramah in the Poconos, Camp Raninu, Camp Seneca Lake, Summit Camp, Camp Towanda, Trail's End Camp, Tyler Hill Camp, Camp Watonka, Camp Wayne and Camp Weequahic. Many campers travel from the New York Metropolitan Area, New England, Philadelphia and further afield to attend camps in the area, as they have for many decades. The camps are the county's largest industry.
  • Cranker's Collection of Mechanical Marvels includes a private collection of classic cars mostly from the 1920s and 1930s. There are also several dance hall organs, Edison phonographs, and other music boxes from the 1800s.

Arts and culture

The Wayne County Arts Alliance is a non-profit organization of volunteers interested in the benefits of arts in the county. One of its initiatives is The Great Wall of Honesdale, a large public art display at the intersection of 4th Street and Main Street.[31][32] In addition, there are several murals along Honesdale’s Main Street and in its vicinity.[33]

Honesdale hosts the annual Wayne County Fair, starting on the first Friday in August and spans nine days. It features typical county-fair events, such as concession stands, harness racing, livestock contests, amusement rides, and concerts. Nearly 100,000 visitors attend the fair each year.[34]

The Honesdale Roots and Rhythm Music and Arts Festival is held throughout Honesdale on the third Saturday in June. The main stage is set up along Court Street playing to festival goers in Central Park. Artists and food vendors are lined along the park. Several other stages are set up throughout the town offering music all day.[35]

The Cooperage Project is housed in a restored barrel making factory. In 2019 the Cooperage Project held 350 events, including 65 musical and theater performances. Educational programs are also provided for all ages. The Main Street Farmers' Market, run from the facility, allows farmers to sell directly to the community.[36]

The Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy is a non-profit organization providing yoga, meditation, and spiritual programs. The organization was founded in 1971 by Swami Rama, and its world headquarters are located in Honesdale. The Himalayan Institute has a number of humanitarian projects underway in Cameroon, India, and Mexico. In additional, the Himalayan Institute also operates Yoga International magazine.[37]

Notable people

Film
  • Although the movie Playing for Keeps (1986) was filmed mainly in nearby Bethany, Pennsylvania, scenes were filmed at the old Miracle Market on 6th Street in Honesdale. Additional scenes were filmed in nearby Hawley, Pennsylvania, and a field along Pennsylvania State Route 191 near Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania. The movie was released on October 3, 1986, and starred Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn, Leon W. Grant, Mary B. Ward and Marisa Tomei.
  • The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) is an action thriller film which stars Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson. Davis plays a Honesdale schoolteacher-wife-mother who suffers from amnesia, and who eventually learns that she was a trained assassin before losing her memory. Although Honesdale is mentioned in the film, the film was not shot in Honesdale.
  • Wet Hot American Summer (2001) is a camp-set comedy directed by David Wain. The movie was shot mainly at Camp Towanda in Honesdale with some photography taking place in Honesdale's downtown.
  • Honesdale is mentioned in the opening scene of the movie The Ten (2007), starring Paul Rudd of Wet Hot American Summer.
  • Blue Valentine (2010), starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, started filming in Honesdale and the surrounding areas in spring 2009, and was released in the United States on December 26, 2010.
  • 44 Pages (2017) is a documentary film about the Highlights for Children editorial offices was filmed in Honesdale. The documentary focuses on the efforts of publishing a magazines each month, as well as the letters received and answered from children around the world.[41]

Television
  • Schrute Farms, the bed and breakfast beet farm belonging to Dwight Schrute on NBC's sitcom The Office, is listed as a Honesdale establishment on TripAdvisor.com.
  • In Season 4, Episode 5 of NBC's sitcom The Office (Heavy Competition), a card from Michael's Rolodex shows the address of Shrute Farms as "Rural Rt. 6, Honesdale, PA 18431."
  • The fifth episode of the Netflix documentary series Rotten features a Honesdale dairy farmer.[42]

See also

References
  1. Mathews, Alfred (1886). History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: R.T. Peck & Company. p. 489. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  2. "Welcome to Honesdale Borough". Honesdale Borough. Honesdale Borough. 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  3. "The Borough". HonesdalePA.net. HonesdalePA.net. 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-09-20. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  4. "Council Members". Honesdale Borough. Honesdale Borough. 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  5. Judith Poltanis (13 April 2015). Honesdale Borough Council --Approved Electronic Version Regular Meeting: April 13, 2015 (PDF) (Report). Honesdale Borough. p. 1. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  6. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  7. "Honesdale". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2 August 1979. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  9. "Look up a ZIP CodeTM". USPS.COM. USPS. 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  10. "Borough of Honesdale". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 30 August 1990. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000. "Census Demographic Profiles, Honesdale Borough" (PDF). CenStats Databases. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  12. "Bunnells Pond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2 August 1979. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  13. "Carley Brook". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2 August 1979. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  14. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  15. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search". Census.gov. U.S. Department of Commerce. 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  16. "About Us | Wayne County, PA". waynecountypa.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  17. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  18. "Stourbridge Lion". www.waynehistorypa.org. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  19. "Stourbridge Lion". American-Rails.com. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  20. "About the Stourbridge Line". THE STOURBRIDGE LINE. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  21. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  22. "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  23. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  24. "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  25. "Newspapers Merging in Wayne, Lackawanna, Pike Counties". WNEP.com. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  26. "About Us". Highlights for Children. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  27. GmbH, finanzen net. "Yoga International Named One of the 2018 Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies | Markets Insider". markets.businessinsider.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  28. "Wayne Memorial Ribbon Cutting for New Tower". Wayne Memorial Hospital. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  29. Archived January 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  30. "Wayne County Historical Society". Waynehistorypa.org. 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  31. kurteccp. "About". Wayne County Art Alliance. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  32. kurteccp. "The Great Wall of Honesdale". Wayne County Art Alliance. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  33. Lepro, Elizabeth. "Making of a mural". The River Reporter. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  34. "About". Wayne County Fair. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  35. Honesdale Roots and Rhythm
  36. "Annual Report 2019 The Cooperage Project". Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  37. himalayan2. "About". Himalayan Institute. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  38. Brice, Nakeyva. "Psyography: Florence L. Goodenough". Psyography: Florence L. Goodenough. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 14 February 2016. Florence L. Goodenough was born on August 6th, 1886 in Honesdale, Pennsylvania
  39. Cohen, Shawn (June 4, 2012). "Lauren Spierer mystery: New accounts say she staggered away after night of heavy drinking, drug use". The Journal News.
  40. "Friends of Lauren Spierer Reflect, Take Action". USA Today. November 10, 2011.
  41. Mattise, Nathan (2017-03-22). "Highlights doesn't kid around when it comes to science and tech". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  42. "Local Dairy Farm featured in New Netflix Documentary". waynepikenews.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
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