Monroe, Pennsylvania

Monroe County, PA, is known as the "Honeymoon Capital of the World". Building on the appeal of the breathtakingly beautiful Pocono Mountains, Monroe County (pop. approximately 139,000) has provided the finest hotels, restaurants, resorts and recreational areas in Northeastern Pennsylvania and has made a profitable industry out of 'Romance'.

Created on April 1, 1836, and named for President James Monroe, the county stretches from the ridge of the Blue Mountain to the Delaware River on the east.  The Lehigh River forms a natural boundary on the west. Lovely Stroudsburg became the county seat in July 1837. Mostly settled in the late 1700's and early 1800's, Monroe's 16-second class townships and 4 incorporated boroughs were not incorporated until the 19th century. Monroe's principle municipalities are:

Barrett Township
Chestnuthill Township
Coolbaugh Township
Jackson Township
Middle Smithfield Township
Paradise Township
Smithfield Township
Stroud Township
Stroudsburg Borough
Tobyhanna Township
Tunkhannock Township

Early transportation by stagecoach, wagon and on water spread the fame of this area's beauty as well as delivered its major crop - ice. Until the railroad in 1856, however, a 'romantic get-away' was out of the question for most of the population of the Northeast. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western line opened a whole new world to Monroe, both for job commutes and for tourism. New villages, and service and hospitality businesses thrived.

In addition to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Monroe County also boasts the Pocono International Raceway, Big Pocono State Park, Gouldsboro State Park and Tobyhanna State Park, the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, the Sullivan Trail (General John Sullivan marched from Easton to New York in 1778), Aventis Pasteur (manufacturer of vaccines), Camelbeach Water Park and Ski Area, Shawnee Mountain Ski Area.

Monroe County, Pennsylvania, is a four season vacation-land, replete with luxury resorts, quality golf courses, ski slopes, shopping, and clear streams, . Located across the river from New Jersey, Monroe also provides a high quality of life for residents, and business opportunities for entrepreneurs as well as established manufacturing and new industries. The Crossings Factory Stores was named the #1 outlet center in North America by the Outlet Retail Merchants Association. Monroe County's renewed prosperity, improved highway systems, land development and growth in second homes and retirement homes are not run-away development. Monroe County commissioners have a vision called Monroe 2020 and continue to develop that vision.

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