Monroe County Historical Association

Name: Monroe County Historical Association
Address: 900 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA, 18360, US
Telephone: +15704217703
Price range: $

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Monroe County Historical Association

A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving Monroe County history.

Please visit our Web site for additional information including old photos; historical articles; calendar of events; upcoming fundraisers, workshops, and programs; photos from previous events; helpful links; membership; museum store and so much more!

05/31/2026

George Ransberry of East Strousdburg sits behind the wheel of his automobile in this c.1913 photo from our collection.

Born in 1865, George Ransberry owned a significant amount of land in the county and was widely known as a great lover of the outdoors. He worked as a woodsman and guide before joining the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. After his return to Monroe County, Ransberry developed a hunting and fishing camp at Lake Lenape in Barrett Township and lived on a boat on the lake.

Not only was he known for his outdoor pursuits, but Ransberry also earned a reputation as "one of the best cooks in Monroe County." In fact, he became the personal chef for heavyweight champion Gene Tunney during his training periods at the Glen Brook Country Club. The two developed a lasting friendship, and Tunney was a frequent guest of Ransberry at Lake Lenape.

Ransberry's love of adventure extended to the sea as well. He made several crossings of the Atlantic as a personnel member on American steamships after WWI. George Ransberry died in 1935 at age 69.

05/30/2026

Employees of Dr. F. Wilson Hurd's Wesley Water Cure gather for a staff photo in this c.1875 image from our collection. Dr. Hurd is seated in the back row, 4th from the left.

Intrigued with the "water cure" treatment practices popular in the mid to late 19th century, F. Wilson Hurd earned his medical degree and established his sanitarium in 1873 at the intersection of present-day Routes 209 and 447. Known by various names through the years - Wesley's Water Cure, F. Wilson Hurd’s Highland Hygiene Home, and the Water Gap Sanitarium - the practice provided hydrotherapeutic treatments along with a healthy diet and exercise to aid in "dissolving the impurities and morbid humors of the body."

The sanitarium was destroyed by fire in 1911.

05/29/2026

In honor of , let's appreciate the many advantages a lady might enjoy by riding her bicycle. As vividly illustrated in this 1895 supplement to The Daily Times of Stroudsburg, possibilities include:

🚲 She can run down her enemies without talking.
🚲 She can beg away from the mashers.
🚲 She doesn't have to ride in the deadly trolley.
🚲 She can pedal along a quiet lane on a bicycle built for two.

05/28/2026

If you look closely in our research library, you might just spot Monroe Mouse catching up on some reading. 📚 Today he's learning about early education from a recent addition to our collection: "One-Room School: History & Memorabilia of Monroe County's The West End & Adjacent Townships" by Norman A. Burger, a gift of the author.

05/27/2026

A car passes by the stone manor now known as the Fenner/Snyder/Robacker Homestead at the corner of Neola Road and Business Route 209 in Sciota in this c.1947 photo from our collection.

The Fenner/Snyder/Robacker Homestead was originally the centerpiece of 120 acres of farmland owned by the Fenner family of Hamilton Township. Constructed in 1805 for John Heinrich Fenner, the home was inhabited by generations of Fenner and Snyder family members throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

While the amount of acreage attached to the property decreased gradually over the years, the homestead remained an active farmhouse into the 20th century. In the mid-20th century, local antique collectors Earl F. and Ada Robacker purchased the estate, furnishing and decorating the home with their celebrated collection of Pennsylvania antiques.

When Ada Robacker died in 1988, she willed the home and remaining five acres to Hamilton Township for cultural, educational, or historical purposes.

05/26/2026

On May 12, 1939, the A. B. Wyckoff Department Store in Stroudsburg organized an excursion for Monroe County Day at the New York World's Fair. For just $3.00, guests received roundtrip railroad transportation, a 3-hour cruise of New York Harbor to view the U. S. Fleet, all bus and ferry transportation within the city, and a World's Fair souvenir button. General admission tickets to the Fair were an additional $0.75 for adults and free for students.

The excursion was promoted by Wyckoff's to "make it possible for the people of this section to economically visit the New York World's Fair on Monroe County Day when they can, in the congenial company of their own friends and neighbors, see the wonders of the Fair and have the added thrill of hearing their own locality featured over the loud speaker system at the Fair - and of hearing local school bands, which will accompany Wyckoff's excursion as guests of the party, broadcast their music over that system."

05/25/2026

The Swiftwater War Memorial was the first World War I monument erected in Monroe County. Built by volunteers near the entrance to Swiftwater Labs (now Sanofi), the monument was dedicated in 1921 to the memory of the 24 servicemen of the Swiftwater Valley who "put their country’s need above opportunity, ease and private gain and served with the armed forces in the World War." In 1992, the plaque and cannon were relocated to the site of the Tannersville War Memorial at the intersection of Routes 611 and 715 N.

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05/24/2026

Dr. I. Walter Edinger (holding his hat) of Cherry Valley and his young son David join friends for an outing to Saylors Lake in Saylorsburg in this c.1918 photo from our collection.

Dr. Edinger (1883-1955) was a graduate of East Stroudsburg State Normal School and a lifelong educator who worked as a teacher and principal in Stroudsburg and Smithfield Township schools. David Edinger (1917-1993) was also a teacher and a coach and served in the U.S. Navy during WWII.

05/23/2026

This 1909 Road Map of Monroe County from our collection illustrates the primary travel routes throughout the area at that time. It highlights the county’s roadways, railroad lines, and stations, as well as lakes, creeks, rivers, and many of the prominent hotels and resorts of the era.

The map was created by Harvey E. Frankenfield, a civil engineer who was born in Middle Smithfield Township and graduated from East Stroudsburg State Teachers College.

05/22/2026

The unofficial start of summer travel begins today with . If you're hitting the road this weekend, may your lanes be as open as the ones pictured just inside the state line at Delaware Water Gap in this c.1957 image from our collection.

Although that won't likely be the case, we do wish you safe travels, an enjoyable journey, and plenty of patience along the way!

Address

900 Main Street
Stroudsburg, PA
18360

Telephone

+15704217703

Website

https://www.monroehistorical.org/

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