2023 Historic Preservation Award Ceremony

 October 21, 2023, 2pm

D&H Canal Park at Lock 31

179 Texas Palmyra Highway, Hawley, PA 

The Dan Beard Cabin: The cabin, built in 1926, was first used as camp headquarters for the Dan Beard Outdoor School for Boys. In 2009, Woodloch donated the cabin to the NEPA Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Funds were raised and the cabin was painstakingly disassembled, relocated and rebuilt on Goose Pond Boy Scout Reservation in Lake Township, Wayne County. It now serves the Boy Scout program in its restored glory.

The Tisdel Homestead: This homestead has buildings that were built in 1822 when the house was a stop along the Drover’s Road from Bethany to Stroudsburg. The homestead had stock pens, ox stalls, vinegar house, and cider press barn – many of the buildings are still standing today. The current family purchased the property in 1976 and had made several additions and upgrades to the house, staying true to the nature of the original parts of the house.

Peter Becker: Peter Becker is a lifelong resident of Wayne County and currently serves as Wayne County Historian. Over a long career in newspapers, Peter has written many articles about local history topics; he has published the book Winter Wonderland about Dick Smith, the lyricist of that famous song: and in 2023 he has authored two new books entitled The History of Hawley, Volumes I and II. Peter has been a Historic Preservation advocate for Wayne County for his entire adult life through his writing and research.

The Hawley Hub: This building was built in the late 1800s and is shown on the 1872 map of Hawley on 18^th Street, now called Main Ave. The building has recently undergone “adaptive reuse” and now serves as a community hub, a dance studio, an apartment, a community library, and also a coffee shop. The interior of the building has some of its original structure preserved. At one time the building housed the Hawley location of The Murray Company, but now it is a gathering place for the community featuring a farmers’ market, student and adult classes.

The Holbert Homestead: This home was probably built by Decatur S. Holbert after 1866 when he returned from the Civil War and married. In 2015 the home was purchased by Louis and Frances Gruber and the exterior has been restored and the interior has been adapted into a four-unit AirBnB. The interior changes to the home were hidden in keeping with its historic character. The new features matched the old in design and replacements were substantiated by physical and pictorial evidence.

Gravity Plane No. 14.  Built in the 1820s, Plane No. 14 was the second gravity plane out of Honesdale on the D&H Gravity Railroad and had the railroad’s last waterwheel. The engine house that contained a stationary steam engine that pulled the empty coal cars up the plane has been made visible by the current owners and has allowed the public to view this unique site. The historic resources on the property have been identified, documented, retained and are being preserved by the current owners.