PIKE COUNTY
County Offices
506 Broad Street
Milford 570-296-3476
www.pikepa.org
Chamber of Commerce
209 East Harford Street
Milford 570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Covering 542 square miles, beautiful Pike County is 40 miles west of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre corridor and 90 minutes from New York City. Philadelphia is a two-hour drive from home in this recreational paradise that ranges in elevation from a low of 320 feet at the Delaware River to a high of 2,115 feet. This region is well known for its welcoming resorts and premier outdoor activities.
The mainstays of the Pike County economy are tourism and hospitality, retail and wholesale trade, construction, and manufacturing. Many residents of Pike County are commuters to the region’s major employment centers. Three major airports are available within a reasonable commute: Stewart International Airport in New York, Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, and the Lehigh Valley International Airport. Major highways that serve the county include Interstate 84, which runs east-west through the region. Routes 6, 209, 402, 434, 507, 590, and 739 ensure a quick connection to Interstate 84 from all points.
Services
Pike County residents are proud of the strong educational legacy that ensures a bright future for residents of all ages. Public school districts combine with opportunities for a private education and institutions of higher education to meet a wide range of goals. Luzerne County Community College provides a number of extension centers that expand its reach and ensure an affordable start on a four-year degree. Lackawanna College with its century-old tradition of service to this region also confers a selection of associate’s degrees. Campuses with the Pennsylvania State University System are located in Hazleton, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and State College. East Stroudsburg University is one of more than a dozen institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Other options for a private college education include College Misericordia in Dallas, Johnson College in Scranton, Keystone College in La Plume, King’s College and Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, and Marywood University and the University of Scranton in Scranton. The Lehigh Valley adds yet another list of respected public and private colleges.
State-of-the-art healthcare services are available in a strong network of major and supportive facilities that include nearby hospitals in Scranton, East Stroudsburg, and Honesdale in Pennsylvania as well as Bon-Secours Community Hospital and Newton Memorial in New Jersey. Locally, Milford is home to an urgent care center that meets many routine needs close to home. The 200-bed regional Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg provides medical, diagnostics, and surgical advancements. The Pocono Health System operates a number of subsidiaries that enables it to better serve a regional population including the Dale & Frances Hughes Cancer Center, the ESSA Heart & Vascular Institute, the Center for Women’s Well Being, and the Pocono Ambulatory Surgery Center. Wayne Memorial Health System manages Wayne Memorial Hospital, an acute-care 98-bed community hospital in Honesdale. Mercy Hospital in Scranton specializes in more than 40 areas of medicine that include tertiary, cardiovascular, and oncology care. The Community Medical Center Healthcare System in Scranton provides a 315-bed acute-care hospital with a regional trauma center, long-term care, and many other specialties.
Lifestyle
Welcoming, small communities and some of the finest outdoor recreational opportunities in the nation are just two of the attractions to scenic Pike County. At the same time, those who appreciate cultural enrichment can look forward to world-class performing artists and diverse programming at the Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts. The center showcases the finest in music, dance, and theatre on a 700-acre rural property that features an 85-acre lake as its centerpiece.
Another unique highlight of Pike County is Lake Wallenpaupack, a massive body of water that stretches for nearly 14 miles in length and offers 52 miles of shoreline. This sparkling lake provides six recreation areas with hundreds of acres of forest land, abundant wildlife, walking trails, well-kept campsites, and boat slips. Hunting, fishing, boating, water sports, golfing, skiing, winter sports, camping, hiking, biking, rafting, whitewater thrills, and horseback riding are all common pastimes against the breathtaking beauty of Pike County. Through the county, residents enjoy fine and casual restaurants, arts and crafts boutiques, galleries, and shops filled with antiques and collectibles.
Other sights that distinguish the county from its neighbors in the Pocono Mountain region are the year-round waterfalls at George Childs Park in Dingmans Ferry, the Pocono Environmental Education center with its nature weekend programs, and the predecessor to the Brooklyn Bridge—Roebling Bridge. From the pleasing variety of affordable homes and land-rich properties to the area’s solid Midwestern family values, Pike County is a wonderful place to call home.
Blooming Grove Township
Municipal Offices
570-775-646
www.bloominggrovetownship.com
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Carved in 1850 from sections of Lackawaxen and Palmyra townships, lovely Blooming Grove Township once preserved remnants of an abandoned farm and a grove of large blooming apple trees that dates many years prior to the American Revolution. As the township was settled and developed, logging and saw mills drove the local economy well into the 20th century. Today, this primarily residential and recreational area offers opportunities for generous acreage and affordable, attractive homes in a lush setting. Several thousand acres of the township are protected in state forest and state game land and are unlikely to ever be developed. As a result, the opportunities for year-round outdoor enjoyment are exceptional, including hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding, winter sports, hunting, and fishing.
Delaware Township, Dingman’s Ferry
Municipal Offices
570-828-2347
www.delawaretownshippa.gov
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
The picturesque township of Delaware sprawls over nearly 45 square miles to offer a picturesque home that is naturally beautiful and sparsely populated. Residents and planners alike are interested in quality growth that supports the environmentally responsible lifestyle they share. The township is home to a small private library and recreational center with several sports fields, hiking trails, a playground, and a picnic pavilion. Area youngsters are served by the Delaware Valley School District. Newcomers to Delaware Township will discover a pristine area that features rolling hills and beautiful vistas, pristine waterfalls and sparkling lakes, charming communities, quaint shopping areas, and an array of outdoor sports activities just around the corner from home. The township was named for its only natural border, the Delaware River.
Dingman Township
Municipal Offices
570-296-8455
www.dingmantownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Touting itself as “Pike County’s Preferred Place to Live,” beautiful Dingman Township offers a rural paradise dotted with lovely residential development. The township has an active recreation board that ensures year-round activities and special events that enhance a family-oriented lifestyle in peaceful surroundings. One of the area’s historic landmarks is also an important transportation link for commuters who reside in Dingman Township but are employed in New Jersey or even New York City. Dingman’s Ferry Bridge is the last privately owned toll bridge on the Delaware River and is located significantly north of the Interstate 80 bridge at the Delaware Water Gap. Everyone crosses for free on Christmas Day; the other 364 days of the year, a single toll collector stands in between the single lanes of traffic and collects the toll fees by hand.
Greene Township
Municipal Offices
570-676-9325
Chamber of Commerce
570-226-3191
www.hawleywallenpaupackcc.com
The Greene Township, Hawley, and Wallenpaupack lake region of Pike and Wayne counties is dotted with peaceful country inns and resorts, scenic byways, rushing rivers and creeks, and historical sites. Rich in culture and recreational opportunities, this area offers virtually unlimited outdoor enjoyment, state parks, wildlife sanctuaries, fine museums, art galleries, and excellent summer theaters. The charming village of Hawley and its environs are brimming over with antiques stores, boutiques, and quaint places to dine. Historic Wall Mills and local theatre are a few of the many attractions. Colorful and popular annual events include Hawley Winterfest, kicking off the holidays with a celebration that reflects the spirit of song-writer Richard Smith, the Wayne County native son who wrote the lyrics to “Winter Wonderland.”
Lackawaxen Township, Shohola Township
Lackawaxen Offices
570-685-7288
www.lackawaxen.org
Shohola Offices
570-559-7394
www.shoholatwp.org
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Once home to magnificent hotels along the riverfront when 19th century passenger trains brought summer visitors, Lackawaxen Township is the largest and most northern of the Pike County townships. The area was named for “swift waters” of the river that runs through it. The Delaware River borders the township on the east and joins the Lackawaxen River at the village of Lackawaxen. In comparison to the nearby Lackawaxen “swift waters,” Shohola was named for its tranquility. Today, visitors and residents still enjoy the same natural splendor and outdoor activities that were prevalent a century ago. The well-stocked Lackawaxen River is renowned among anglers and canoeing is also a popular pastime on the quiet Delaware River. The Upper Delaware River has been designated a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The village of Mast Hope is a focal point of winter sports with downhill and cross-country skiing. With its unique blend of historic remnants, panoramic countryside, and exceptional recreational amenities, this area offers a rural wonderland for residential development.
Lehman Township, Porter Township
Lehman Offices
570-588-9365
www.lehmantownship.com
Porter Offices
570-775-7737
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
The long-established community of Lehman Township served as a picturesque home for early settlers long before its founding in 1829. This residential community combines with nearby Porter Township to offer breathtaking scenery that is surrounded by the Delaware National Park. Lehman Township lies between Porter, Middle Smithfield, and Delaware townships and is home to the famous Bushkill Falls. Remnants of the township’s rich heritage are still preserved along quiet byways, including a one-room schoolhouse and the building that once serves as the Dutch Reformed Church of Bushkill. The township manages a lovely park with a play area and a ball field that can be reserved for public use. Home sites throughout these townships are exceptionally beautiful and offer diverse settings for housing in an equally wide variety of styles.
Milford Borough
Municipal Offices
570-296-7140
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Serving as the hub of Pike County, charming Milford Borough features many historic buildings that add a picturesque quality. Some of the more noteworthy structures are Forest Hall, the Court House, Grey Towers, The Columns, the Upper Mill and the Community House, the Callahan House, the Dimmick Inn, and the Tom Quick Inn. The Hotel Fauchere is another landmark that recently reopened after a five-year restoration that returned yesterday’s glory to this luxury boutique hotel. Modern Milford is home to a number of wonderful resorts, inns, restaurants, and unique shops for a local economy that is strongly rooted in tourism and hospitality. The quaint borough is surrounded by larger townships that add premier home sites and opportunities for generous lots and expansive acreage.
Palmyra Township
Municipal Offices
570-226-2230
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Stretching over nearly 35 square miles, Palmyra Township was formed in 1798 as part of Wayne County. Like several other communities in the area, it was named for a Biblical connection. Promised Land State Park, state game land, and the Tanglewood Ski Area & Winter Park are major attractions to the township. The latter has provided a family skiing environment for more than 40 years and offers night skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, a snow-tubing park with its own lift, and snow-making capability. This water-rich area encompasses a number of lakes including Wallenpaupack Lake. This recreationally oriented region offers an enviable lifestyle for those who appreciate natural beauty and country pleasures.
Westfall Township, Matamoras Borough
Westfall Offices
570-491-4065
Matamoras Offices
570-491-2771
Chamber of Commerce
570-296-8700
www.pikechamber.com
Distinguished as the most eastern point in Pennsylvania, Matamoras Borough is traversed by US Routes 6 & 209 to offer a small-town atmosphere and a convenient commute to regional employment centers. The borough, incorporated in 1905 and named during the Mexican War after a captured town, offers a quaint community of quiet streets and cozy neighborhoods. Proximity to the Delaware River encourages water sports like kayaking and canoeing. Relaxing activities like hiking, biking, birding, and antiquing are popular pastimes. Westfall Township expands the opportunities for rural residential living and recreational sites. Port Jervis, New York, is close to both communities, offering an historic gateway community near the borders of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Urban amenities are close to home, as are some of the finest outdoor recreational sites in Pennsylvania.
