Lake Naomi
Lake Naomi is a 277-acre (1.12 km2) lake with private beaches and marinas located in Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania.[1] The community of Lake Naomi Club is a resort community that includes 1,400 families who own property surrounding Lake Naomi.
History
In September 1895, a 14-foot (4.3 m) dam was constructed across Tunkhannock Creek and water began backing-up forming "Lake Naomi", a lake more than a mile long and about one-third of a mile wide. The Ice Company was granted a 99-year lease for "the exclusive use of the water and its privileges." It was chartered for the purpose of "erecting a dam, for pleasure, boating, skating, fishing and the cutting, storing and selling of ice."
In 1902, visitors came from many of the surrounding metropolitan areas including New York City and Philadelphia. In the same year the first bathing beach was created and some lots on the north side of the lake were subdivided and sold to summer cottagers. A sailing camp for girls was set up on the northwest side of the lake. A Lutheran retreat, Lutherland, was erected on the southern side of the lake. The Millers and others utilized southern and eastern sides of the lake for swimming, sailing, skating, fishing. In 1921, a boathouse and beach were constructed on the site of today's Lake Naomi Clubhouse. In 1938, a famous Pennsylvania Supreme Court case took place over who owned the water rights to Lake Naomi, as the surrounding lands were soon owned by many different parties. See Miller v. Lutheran Conference & Camp Ass'n, 331 Pa. 241 (Pa. 1938).
In 1963, the Logan Steele family purchased 2,600 acres (11 km2) surrounding the lake which eventually was turned into a resort community called the Lake Naomi Club. Logan Steel died in the 1980s and the club is now owned by its members and run by a board of governors.
References
Coordinates: 41°06′40″N 75°27′32″W / 41.111°N 75.459°W