The pool at the former Honeymoon Haven Resort, Dingman's Ferry, Pennsylvania pictured in the 1960s and 2024.
In 1955, two tropical storms caused severe flooding along the Delaware River, followed by extreme drought in the early 1960s. Because of this, Congress authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to study the water resources of the Delaware River Basin resulting in the recommendation to construct the Tocks Island Dam. This would include a reservoir covering about 12,500 acres of land with water.
Throughout the next 10 years, the Army Corp acquired dozens of properties in this area with the intention of flooding them. Honeymoon Haven was one of those properties. Because the resort was above the high water line, the buildings were not demolished.
Eventually, due to strong public opposition from environmental groups, concerns about the project's cost and fear that the dam would disrupt natural ecosystems, the Tocks Island Dam Project was cancelled. Honeymoon Haven was spared but would never reopened as a resort again.
In 1972, the property turned into the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC). After the indoor pool sprung a leak, it was repurposed into a replica beaver lodge and bat cave, complete with stalactites and stalagmites. Today, PEEC welcomes over 27,000 visitors annually and continues to provide educational camps and programs throughout the year.
