Great Books – Lake Naomi & Pocono Mountain History Collection

First off, a very special thank you to Win Miller, Connie Waygood Borho and John Sling for helping me by providing me copies of their books about Lake Naomi history, as I looked everywhere to find these historical recollection booklets without luck. The olny place to find these books is the Pocono Pines Library reference section. This story is part of a series I began as an effort to rebuild my youthful memories of growing up on Lake Naomi in the Poconos back in the 1960s. As the stories came together, I wanted to start an oline dialog with others who might remember or are making their memories right now. We created an associated Facebook Group, called Lake Naomi Memories, for anyone to share their memories that help create a digital history footprint on the web. Oh, and they’ll certainly help me remember as well. Link below – enjoy the series!

The books showcased here are some of the best references to firsthand history in the Pocono Pines area. Two are written by members of the Miller family, whose parents were the founders of Lake Naomi, who had a major influence on the area. The other two are recollections and are great reads with stories and photos. The problem is, I think all four are no longer in print, so you’d have to trek to the Clymer Library in Pocono Pines or scour the internet for someone cleaning out their bookcase. Some day, I hope to return to the Pocono Pines area and hope there’s a local history section at the Clymer Library.

Lake Naomi Club Profiles and Reflections 1963-2013

Lake Naomi Club: Profiles and Reflections (1963–2013) was published to commemorate the club’s 50th anniversary. More than just a history book, it serves as a community keepsake—highlighting the evolution of Lake Naomi from its founding in 1963 into a nationally recognized recreational community. The volume blends archival photos, member profiles, and stories that capture five decades of sailing, tennis, swimming, and family traditions at the lake. Distributed primarily to members, the book preserves both the official milestones of the club and the personal reflections of the families who helped shape it.

Pocono Pines Then and Now by Frederick A. Lehre

Long before Lake Naomi was dotted with kayaks and cul-de-sacs, Pocono Pines was a sleepy mountain escape where Sunday meant hymns at the tabernacle and firewood was still king. In Pocono Pines Then and Now, Frederick A. Lehre takes readers on a charming ride from the horse-drawn simplicity of Lutherland to the tennis-shoed shuffle of modern-day summer homes. It’s a place where ice once arrived by rail and vacationers in high collars strolled dusty paths that are now paved driveways for SUVs hauling paddleboards. Lehre’s nostalgic lens reminds us that while the lake remains the heart of it all, the rhythm of life in Pocono Pines has changed — from hymnbooks to hot tubs, yet always with mountain air and memories in tow.

Naomi – A Jewel of the Poconos from 1882 by Irene Miller Gross

Irene Miller Gross is the daughter of Franklin C. Miller, co-founder of the Naomi Lake. Here’s a lively and nostalgic paragraph inspired by Naomi – A Jewel of the Poconos from 1882 by Irene Miller Gross (1891-1992)

In Naomi – A Jewel of the Poconos from 1882, Irene Miller Gross dusts off the pages of time to reveal a lakeside gem that once sparkled with steam whistles, straw hats, and the gentle clink of ice cream dishes at the Naomi Inn. Gross paints a portrait of Lake Naomi’s early days, when vacationers arrived by rail and dreams came true in rowboats, not real estate listings. It was a world of picnics on pine-scented shores, moonlit serenades, and the kind of quiet that only a mountain breeze could break. Today’s kayaks and condos may have replaced the carriages and corsets, but Gross’s tale reminds us that the true jewel of Naomi lies not just in its water, but in the memories still rippling beneath the surface.

Lutherland – a Dream Fulfilled and Memories by Ted Suttmeier

Lutherland: A Dream Fulfilled by Ted Suttmeier tells the story of Lutherland, a Lutheran retreat and resort community in the Pocono Mountains, from its founding in 1926 through the early 1980s. Conceived by church leaders in New York and New Jersey as a place where families and youth could escape city life to find spiritual renewal, fellowship, and rest in nature, Lutherland expanded to encompass over 1,300 acres, featuring cottages, youth camps, and recreational facilities. Over the decades, it became both a faith center and a vacation destination, remembered fondly by generations who attended retreats and summer programs. Yet financial and operational pressures forced it to broaden beyond its church roots, eventually adopting the name “Pocono Crest” in hopes of attracting a wider resort audience. The book reflects on how the dream of creating such a haven was both realized—in the memories, friendships, and faith it nurtured, and challenged by the economic realities of sustaining a large retreat community.

Changing Times in the Poconos by Emma LeBarre Miller Waygood

Emma LeBarre Miller Waygood was the daughter of Rufus W. Miller, co-founder of Naomi Lake (1891-1977)

Changing Times in the Poconos, 1882-1972 by Emma LeBarre Miller Waygood is both a local history and a personal reflection on ninety years of transformation in the Pocono Mountains. Waygood, a member of the prominent Miller family, offers an insider’s account of how a largely rural and undeveloped landscape evolved into a region shaped by resorts, improved roads, electricity, and growing tourism. Her narrative captures the interplay between tradition and progress, recording the arrival of utilities such as the Naomi Pines Electric Company, the spread of automobiles and highways, and the cultural shifts that came with an influx of summer visitors. Because she lived these changes and inherited family memory, the book balances factual detail with anecdotal richness, preserving the voices and stories of people who might otherwise be absent from formal histories.

The Miller connection gives the book particular weight. Rev. Rufus W. Miller and other family members had been instrumental in shaping institutions around Pocono Pines, including religious, educational, and civic ventures. Waygood’s perspective highlights these contributions. Her account illustrates how families like the Millers both guided and adapted to the region’s modernization, emphasizing continuity while acknowledging loss. As a result, the book stands not just as a chronicle of infrastructure and economic development, but as a cultural testament to identity, community, and memory in a changing Pocono landscape.

The Revolutionary War Over the Pocono Plateau (Requested for Review)

The Revolutionary War over the Pocono Plateau: The Road to Battle by Rick Bodenschatz (Historical Association of Tobyhanna Township) tells the story of how Gen. John Sullivan’s 1779 expedition carved the first military road across the rugged Pocono Plateau. The 28-mile march cut through places like Hungry Hill and “Hell’s Kitchen,” linking the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers as Continental forces moved to confront the Iroquois allies of the British. The booklet combines maps, archaeology, and local lore to demonstrate how this little-known campaign has left a lasting imprint on the region’s history.

Bodenschatz is a Pennsylvania historian and author who has written or co-authored several works that preserve community memory, including Juniata Terrace… A Walk Back in Time, First at Arlington: The William Henry Christman Story, and When I Grow Up… the Ten Decades of Eugene Edgar Kerrick, Jr.. His work focuses on uncovering and documenting the stories of local people and places, blending biography, archaeology, and regional history to keep these narratives alive for future generations.

Pocono Lake Preserve – A Centennial History 1904-2004

Pocono Lake Preserve: A Centennial History, 1904–2004 is a commemorative volume published by the Preserve itself in 2004 to mark its 100th anniversary. Written by James Zug (with contributions from others, including Karen Jordan Gowen), the book spans 312 pages in hardcover format and carries the ISBN 0-9755733-0-6. It traces the origins of the community back to 1904, when Philadelphia Quaker families purchased land around Pocono Lake to create a retreat rooted in the principles of simplicity, sincerity, and service. Through narrative, photographs, and archival material, the history recounts the founding families, the development of the grounds and cottages, the balance between preservation and recreation, and the unique culture of stewardship that has guided the community for a century.

Author(s): zug, James, Karen Jordan Gowen, et al.
ISBN-13: 9780975573303
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Pocono Lake Preserve
Released: Dec 31, 2003
Format: Hardcover, 312 pages

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My Series Honoring the History of Lake Naomi & the Pocono Pines Area

About The Author

I decided to write these stories down because a friend of mine, with whom I grew up, now lives on Lake Naomi and still sends me photos of the Lake Naomi Club trophy case, where my name, along with my father’s and brothers’, lives on (Thanks, Sue). Thank you for allowing me to document this life experience for the record.

Brooks founded Mr. Local History and the Mr. Local History Project along with his wife, Jill. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and raised in Westfield, Brooks graduated from Westfield High School in 1980 and later from Bryant University. For over two decades, Brooks, along with his brother Brian and younger sister Cee Cee, spent their summers on Lake Naomi with their parents, Frank and Caryolyn Betz, who had lived on Canoe Brook Road since the mid-1960s.

He and his family owned the Pocono Boathouse (Pocono Pines, PA) and the Cranford Canoe Club in the 1960s through the 1990s.

There are likely many gaps in the history that I hope to fill, along with a return visit to Lake Naomi to reminisce and reflect on these stories. This story is part of a series dedicated to the history of Lake Naomi, Pocono Pines, and the memories of my family spending time together. Thanks for reading.

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Historical Businesses Directory of the Pocono Pines Area

Business Name	Town	Details	Owner(s)	Started	Street
All Pro Basketball Camp	Pocono Pines	Sport	Dave Biggs	1970s	Sullivan Trail
Baxters
Between the Pines Hotel	Pocono Pines	Hotel and Dining – 1958 Naomi Lake Hotel – Now Mountaintop			Route 940
Blakeslee Diner	Blakeslee
Blakeslee Inn	Blakeslee
Bonsor’s Store	Pocono Pines	General Store	Adam Bonsor Family		423 and Firehouse
Business	Town	Description	Owner(s)	Started	Location
Camp Owassia	Pocono Pines	Camp	Ned and Mike Skinner	1920s	Woodland Avenue
Distelfinks Bakery
Fireside Inn	Pocono Pines
Frisbee Lumber Company	Pocono Lake	Lumber Yard	Owned by the Frisbee family from Athens Pa. Harvey Keiper and his son Gerald Keiper ran it for a long time.
Gloria’s Candy Cane	Pocono Pines	Candy/Ice Cream Shoppe behind Central Garage	Owned by the Frisbee family from Athens, Pa., Harvey Keiper and his son Gerald Keiper ran it for a long time.	1972	Rt 423 Village Center
Grecos pharmacy	Pocono Pines				Old Route 940
Honey Bocks	Blakeslee
Hungry Ed	Pocono Lake	Gloria Carr and Gloria Denton	Ed Lewis	1965	Route 940
Jubilee Restaurant	Pocono Pines	Dining – 1968 Bill Van Gilder purchased the lodge	Harry Everhardt	1960	940 / Miller Drive
Ken’s Country Kitchen
Lake Naomi Clubhouse	Pocono Pines		Franklin Miller	1921
Lake Naomi Motor Lodge	Pocono Pines	Motel / Coffee Shop			Miller Drive
Lake Naomi Motor Lodge / Coffee Shop	Pocono Pines
Lakeside House	Pocono Pines	Dining	Frank and Carrie Smith	1918	Firehouse Road
Lewis Market	Pocono Lake	Retail Store	John Lewis	1969
M&Js Ranch	Pocono Pines	Bar/Food	Mary and Jim		Old 940
Matirko Hardware		Retail Store
Megargles Par 3 Golf Course	Pocono Lake	Sport	Vincent Megargel		3rd St. & Kipp Avenue, Pocono Lake
Memorytown, USA	Mt. Pocono	A throwback town representing the early 1900s	Paul and Mae Asure	1950s
Mom’s Deli		Food
Murphy’s Central Garage	Pocono Pines	Automobile Service	Jim and Orphelia Murphy	1950s	Rt. 940 and 423
Pioneer Diner	Mt. Pocono	Dining			Route 611
Pocono Boathouse	Pocono Pines	Sailboats, Bicycles	Frank Betz	1966	State Street
Pocono Crest Lounge	Pocono Pines
Pocono Lake Fruit Market (Lewis) Fountain	Pocono Lake	Retail – About 1969, John Lewis built a new grocery store	John Lewis		Old Route 940
Pocono Sport Shop	Pocono Pines	Fishing, Bait, SkiDoos, Laser sailboats	John Briggs and Hugh Lamberton		Old Route 940
Rudy’s Fountain	Pocono Lake	Retail	Rudy		3rd Street
The Village Squire
Villa Varilla