PIKE COUNTY, Pa. — A group of historians want visitors to know the story of one community on Lake Wallenpaupack.
Boats lined up Tuesday at the Ledgedale Recreation Area near Greentown.
Patrick Fries, who recently moved to the area, says he's ready to get out on the water again with his newly restored boat.
"As soon as I went out in that water, I'm like, 'I'll never go anywhere else again.' Clean water, its perfect to swim in, the kids love it," Fries said.
This area wasn't always a beautiful body of water. Ruth Altemier with the Greene-Dreher Historical Society explains that it was first a village along the Wallenpaupack Creek in 1849, centered around a tannery.
"Then, in 1926, it was decided to dam the Wallenpaupack Creek, and this is what we have, and this is what people remember," Altemier said.
That's why the Greene-Dreher Historical Society created a historical marker to teach people about the area's history before the days of tourism.
"So many of the people that bought houses around here have no idea that Ledgedale existed before."
Before heading out on the water, Fries got a quick lesson about Ledgedale.
"See, you learn something new every day. I did not know that. Cool."
You'll find the marker at the Ledgedale Recreation Area right by the water, with stories of the Lenape Indians, the history of the dam, and the tannery.
"With the tannery, you brought in a lot of woodsmen because they wanted the hemlocks that grow around here to use in the tanning process," Altemier said.
Members of the historical society hope with this marker, learning something new about Ledgedale will stick with those who come to visit.