WOODLOCH HISTORY
The serenity of Lake Teedyuskung was a magnet to Mary Mould and she vowed to return often, having vacationed there as a young girl.
In 1944 she married Harry Kiesendahl, the energetic and enthusiastic football hero of Baldwin High School in Long Island, NY. They weathered Harry’s tour of duty in WWII and settled down to start a family. Thoughts of the shimmering Lake Teedyuskung were frequent but pushed quickly aside as the task of raising their young family —which now included John, Nancy & Steve— took precedence.
Fate intervened on the day Harry saw the advertisement in the New York Times listing for sale a small resort on a private lake in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The small, unidentified lake in the ad turned out to be Lake Teedyuskung.
Events steamrolled from there and the purchase of the resort from the current owners, the Svenningsens, was completed smoothly. Mary, the children, and her parents moved to take up residence at the resort in April of 1958. Harry kept his Long Island business and stayed with his family at Woodloch Pines on the weekends.
The original 12 acres included a main lodge, annex and two cottages, all of which accommodated about 40 guests. By 1961 expansion had doubled the size of the resort and by 1983 the resort had grown into 150 acres with almost a mile of shoreline and 135 rooms.
Currently the resort consists of over 1000 acres and can accommodate over 900 guests. Nearby Woodloch Springs houses the championship golf course and exquisite custom homes.
Throughout the history of the resort, a number of traditions have contributed to the phenomenal success, the most important being the highly personal treatment of the guests… “It’s as if they are company in our own home.” This is what sets Woodloch apart from the other resorts.
Thank you for your continued support and we invite you to share in our tradition of excellence and warm hospitality.
The History of Lake Teedyuskung
The Lenni Lenape Indians were the original settlers of Lake Teedyuskung in the early 17th century. Moving into the early 18th century, the Susquehanna Delaware Indians became the dominant tribe in the area. Chief Teedyuskung (1700-1763)was the strong-willed spokesman of the Susquehanna Delaware Indians. He fought the white settlers for the land in which he believed belonged to his tribe. Unfortunately, in 1762 Teedyuskung’s desperate battle for the land was lost and his requests were denied.
In 1763, Teedyuskung was mysteriously burned to death in his cabin along with many other members of his tribe. Shortly after this incident CAPTAIN BULL, son of Teedyuskung, and the rest of the Delaware war party proceeded to kill all of the white people in the Wyoming Valley. In 1768 the disputed land was finally sold to the Pennsylvania Government.
In the late 1800’s, James Henry and Adelaine Thompson, the grandparents of Helen Lockwood and James A. Thompson (Helen’s brother), purchased a large piece of land along the east shore of the lake from Martha J. Quick. The west shoreline was sold off as parcels during the Depression.
One of the Lake’s most famous residents was Daniel Carter Beard, one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America (May 1905). Woodsman, illustrator and naturalist, Daniel Carter Beard was a pioneering spirit of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1882, he illustrated Mark Twain’s ‘A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court’. Already 60 years old when the BSA was formed, Dan Beard became a founder when he merged his ‘The Sons of Daniel Boone’ organization with the naturalist Ernest Seton’s ‘Woodcraft Indians’ in 1910.
Dan owned 3 parcels on the lake. He acquired one piece from the George Rowland Estate in 1878. The second piece was owned by his brother, Harry Beard. The third piece of property was purchased by Mrs. Kellog in 1888 from James Henry Thompson and sold to Dan Beard for his school in 1926. It was remodeled into a tavern during the 1950s.
The Howard Hughes Connection
Howard Hughes was an admirer of Dan Beard. He visited the lake several times in the 1930’s. In this letter, Howard Hughes says:
“I was glad to get your letter and I hope that I can come to your camp next year, and bring my friend Dudley Sharpes. I have joined the YMCA and like it very much. Enclosed please find my Buckskin Badge. I have returned it on account of eating some candy. With love from. Howard. P.S. I hope that you and Mrs. Beard and Bartlett and Barbara have a Happy New Year”.
The Inn at Woodloch sits on the area that was once Camp Elektor, founded by Maude B. Clarke. It was a small summer camp on Lake Teedyuskung that remained in existence until 1970. Camp Elektor’s main purpose was to teach small children skills and service. Next to Camp Elektor, where the Lakehouses are now situated, was another small camp whose purpose was weight control for young girls. The camp was unsuccessful as the girls would sneak over to Woodloch and purchase candy & ice cream. The North Lodge was formerly Camp Teedyuskung, a Girl Scout camp. Woodloch purchased the property in the early 1960’s to expand the existing boarding house to eventually become Woodloch Pines Resort.
What’s In a Name? In the 1930’s and before, Lake Teedyuskung was called ‘Big Tink Pond’. Lake Teedyuskung means ‘He Who Makes the Earth Tremble’. ‘Little Tink’ was the pond at the end of the outlet, also called Simpson’s Pond.
Want to find out more? Pick up a copy of ‘Lackawaxen Township Bicentennial Book’, copyright 1998. Stuart Communications, Inc., Narrowsburg, New York. An excellent reference on the Lackawaxen Township. Look for ‘Dan Beard’s Animal Book and Camp-Fire Stories’, by M.A. Donahue, 1910.
