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POCONO SCHOOL OF SAILING |
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WHERE |
We are located in the beautiful mountains of the Pocono Northeast on Lake Wallenpaupack at the Lighthouse Harbor Marina on route 507 just 4.5 miles North of I-84 off exit 20 (formerly exit 6).
Lake
Wallenpaupack was created and built by Pennsylvania Power & Light over 70
years ago to provide power to its customers. Construction of the lake
started in 1924 and it took nearly 2 years to complete the project. PP&L built a 1,280 foot long concrete dam with a maximum height of 70
feet. When the lake is full, the elevation is 1,190. The bed of Lake Wallenpaupack
is 5,700-acres, the lake itself is
13 miles long and 2 miles wide at
it's widest spot. Wallenpaupack's
shoreline
is 52 miles long.
Before the lake was built, a stream named Wallenpaupack ran through this area. The Leni Lenape (Delaware) Indians named it "Wallenpaupack," which means "the stream of swift and slow water." The land was once owned by William Penn. He gave it to his son, who gave it to James Wilson, one of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Wilsonville an area at one end of the lake was named after James Wilson. Wilsonville was once the "county seat" of Wayne County which became the site of PP&L's hydroelectric dam. When the lake was created, four plots of land were set aside for public access, such as camping, from the public roads. The four plots are Ledgedale, Ironwood Point, Wilsonville and Caffery recreation areas. Recreational opportunities increase steadily every year, including fishing, boating, water skiing, picnicking and hiking. Lake Wallenpaupack's value as an ideal recreation spot has been evident since its construction. Businesses have sprung up, grown, and prospered as the area around the lake has developed into a major recreation and tourist area of eastern Pennsylvania and nearby New York.
