HONESDALE, Pa. — The beauty of the Lackawaxen River shines through the dead of winter in Wayne County. A snow-lined river bank and freezing temperatures do not stop the waters from roaring. It's a nod to the river's indigenous namesake.
"It's 'swift waters' translated in the Lenape tongue," explains Jim Hamill, the public relations officer for the Pocono Mountain Visitor Bureau.
These waters hold a long history. The river once fueled the Industrial Revolution, carrying coal to New York through the Delaware and Hudson Canal.
"You can see the towpath as you go along. That thing was built by immigrants here to this area, and sustained jobs and families, and built a culture here that is now vibrant today," said Hamill.
While its beauty is now on full display near Honesdale, it hasn't always been this way. Over the past decade, there has been a grassroots movement to increase accessibility to the 31 miles of the Lackawaxen River, stretching between Wayne and Pike Counties.
Jim Hamill has been a part of those efforts through the Lackawaxen River Trails.
"This was my elementary school playground, and there was a fence here blocking this river and a lot of brush here," said Hamill. "But, just in the past ten years or so, there has been a refocus to the river going through town."
The group completed the first ADA access on the river last October in White Mills. The access points included a boat launch, comfort stations, and a pedestrian walkway. Hamill says it's just the beginning.
"Now, we're going to have two more in Honesdale, just down the river from us in town. And one in Indian Orchard, so there's a series, a network, of these put-in and take-out points. So, people can appreciate the natural beauty that we have here," added Hamill.
All of these changes to enhance the river have led to its nomination for Pennsylvania's 2024 River of the Year. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced the opening of the contest back in December.
The North Branch Susquehanna River landed first place in last year's contest.
And now the Lackawaxen is looking to bring home the title, once again, to northeastern Pennsylvania, despite some stiff competition in western Pennsylvania. It's up against the historic Allegheny River, which starts as a stream in Potter County, and the 134-mile Youghiogheny River.
"Three rivers in Pennsylvania, two in western PA and right here, the Lackawaxen, much smaller river, about 31 miles long, but very powerful, in that it has a great story to tell," explained Hammill.
This nomination is a nod to all of the efforts over the past decades to ensure history won't be washed away and to connect communities for generations to come.
"They'll have something to look back on and say, 'Boy, we really kind of did something good for the community, for the region, and now they get to benefit from that," said Hamill.
The winning river will have a year-round slate of activities and events to celebrate, including a River of the Year Sojourn. The nominating organization of the winning river will receive a $10,000 leadership grant to help fund their River of the Year activities.
The Lackawaxen is currently trailing behind in votes to the two rivers in western Pennsylvania.
Voting runs until 5 p.m. Friday. You can vote for the Lackawaxen River in the 2024 River of the Year contest on the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers Website.
Watch Pennsylvania Outdoor Life's story on the Lackawaxen River on YouTube: