The East Coast of the United States is full of beautiful vacation spots. The region is known for everything from beaches and major cities to forests and mountains, all offering exciting places to relax and spend some time away from home. One of the oldest and most famous of these destinations is the Pocono Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania. The Poconos have a rich history, which has given it a unique character all its own.
The first settlers to the Pocono Mountains were the American Indians of the Delaware, Iroquois, Shawnee, Minisink, Lenape and Paupack tribes. After the English got a foothold on the continent, they made a treaty with the Minisink to acquire much of the land that is now the Poconos. The tribe felt cheated and began to terrorize the settlers until Benjamin Franklin ordered forts be built. This allowed more permanent settlements to be built and the region began to flourish.
During the American Revolution, the only major battle fought north of the Delaware River was fought at Minisink. Joseph Brant, a British captain and Mohawk war chief, was sent into eastern Pennsylvania for provisions and to disrupt the colonists. He moved through the state and eventually met the Americans on the hills of the Delaware River. The American soldiers were greatly outnumbered and, due to their inexperience, gave away their position and allowed the British and Iroquois troops to soundly beat them.
In 1829, the first boarding house was built in the Poconos mountains by Anthony Dutot. More hotels were built and, by 1857, the area was beginning to be known as a resort area. After the Civil War, more and more travelers looking to get away from cities such as Boston, New York, or Philadelphia came to the Poconos Mountains. This led to more growth and bigger resorts
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Pocono Mountains played host to some of the most well-known people of the day. Celebrities like DW Griffith, Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson and John Phillip Sousa gave the area a major boost in tourism as people wanted to be close to their idols. The first golf course was built in 1904. In the 1920s, the Pennsylvania Power and Light company brought a man-made lake and hydro-electric power to the area.
By WWII, the Poconos were known as a place for soldiers to bring their girlfriends when they were on leave. Many of them returned after they came home to celebrate their honeymoons. This mass exodus to the area gave it the moniker, "The Honeymoon Capital of the World."
While having a slight downturn in the middle of the 20th century, the Poconos mountains had a renaissance in the 1990s and began to focus on conservation as well as guest experience. Most of the resorts remodeled their facilities to compete with other tourist destinations and the investment paid off with a renewed interest in the area. Today, vacationers enjoy a the Poconos as a destination which can provide weeks of entertainment and relaxation all year-round.
