A Walking Tour of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg stands on the site of Fort Hamilton, built in 1756 at the direction of Benjamin
Franklin. It was one of a chain of frontier forts built to protect European settlers from Indian
attacks. In 1760, Jacob Stroud, a former indentured servant, settled on land along the Pocono,
McMichaels, and Brodhead Creeks, which later powered his grist and sawmills. Following the
bloody Wyoming Valley Massacre in 1778, Stroud built a stockade around his house and substantial
land holdings. The Stroud compound later became known as Fort Penn, which stood on what is
today the 500 block of Main Street.
Stroudsburg is the oldest town in the region, founded a generation before Monroe County was
created. Jacob Stroud advertised the subdivision of his property on October 17, 1799 in the
American Eagle, a newspaper published in Easton, then the county seat for the entire area, thusly:
“Looking to dispose on very reasonable terms to mechanics and others, who will build upon the
lots. A condition of building within three years will be part of every contract, and therefore no
person need apply for a lot unless he is determined to become an improver of the town which will
hence forward be called Stroudsburg.”
The streets were named for his relatives, and lots sold quickly. Stroudsburg had attracted enough
people and commerce by 1815 to incorporate as a borough and it was a popular choice for a county
seat when Monroe County was created in 1836. Still, real growth did not come until it rode into
town on the rails of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad that linked Stroudsburg to
New York City in 1856. The population would triple over the remainder of the 19th century.
Lumber mills, tanneries, and textile mills along McMichaels Creek powered the early economy.
About 1853, Ephram Culver built a grist mill, only to see it burned by Indians. Later, more mills
were built. Many were destroyed by floods. The present dam, believed to be built before 1884,
diverted water to mills and factories along lower Main Street via a mill race which has long since
been buried. Eventually all would cede importance to the tourist trade in the Pocono Mountains.
Our walking tour will start at the house of the man who started the town...
Get this tour without an e-Reader - GET THIS TOUR FROM SMASHWORDS
Own a Kindle? Get this tour for your reader for only $.99 - BUY THIS KINDLE BOOK NOW
Get this tour for your iPad - IBOOKSTORE
Want this tour in printed form? - BUY Look Up, Pennsylvania! Walking Tours of 50 Towns In The Keystone State
From time to time we get books back that have been damaged in shipping. We are offering some for sale for just $5 each - more than 70% off retail. These books are brand new; usually with a slightly dented corner - they look like a book would look after your first tour. Buy this tour USED in LOOK UP, PENNSYLVANIA!
Follow The Tour Back Home