Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Honesdale is a borough
in and the county seat
of Wayne County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is located 32 miles (51.5 km) northeast of Scranton
. The population was 4,874 at the 2000 census.
Honesdale is located in a rural area that provides many recreational opportunities including: boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, biking and rafting. Located in a coal
mining region, during the 19th century it was the starting point of the Delaware and Hudson Canal
, which provided for transport of coal to Kingston, New York
and then down the Hudson River
to New York City
. In the 19th century the expansion of railroads eventually superseded regular use of the canal.
, who was a former Mayor of New York and president of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. Honesdale, which was originally known as Dyberry Forks, was laid out in 1826 and incorporated in 1831.
to run on rails in the United States, the Stourbridge Lion
. On August 8, 1829, the Stourbridge Lion started in Honesdale, ran three miles to Seelyville, and then returned.
The Stourbridge Lion was owned by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company (D&H). D&H transported anthracite coal
from mines near Carbondale
to the New York City
market, via Honesdale and Kingston, New York
. Coal was moved by rail from the mines to Honesdale, where it was transferred to barges and transported via a 108-mile canal to Kingston, from where it was shipped by river barges down the Hudson River
to New York City. Before steam locomotives were used, D&H moved the coal from the mines to Honesdale via a gravity railroad
.
The Wayne County Historical Society Museum contains a full-scale replica of the Stourbridge Lion, and displays many interesting photographs and artifacts. This museum is in a brick building on Main Street, once the D&H Canal's company office. Honesdale is where the Stourbridge Lion began its inaugural run. The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce hosts Rail Excursions and Historical Tours during spring, summer, fall, and Christmas seasons.
Parts of the original Stourbridge Lion are on display at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum
in Baltimore, Maryland.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.20%) is water.
of 2000, there were 4,874 people, 2,166 households, and 1,251 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,182.9 people per square mile (456.8/km²). There were 2,414 housing units at an average density of 585.8 per square mile (226.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.64% White, 0.66% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.16% from other races
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.89% of the population.
There were 2,166 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 65.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $28,201, and the median income for a family was $40,336. Males had a median income of $30,103 versus $22,061 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $17,404. About 9.8% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
The local radio station is WDNH broadcast on 95.3FM. In addition to local news, events, and weather, it broadcasts the Honesdale Hornets High School football games every Friday night during football season.
The local hospital, Wayne Memorial, recently completed a multi-million dollar expansion project.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Wayne County
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,722 people, 18,350 households, and 12,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 people per square mile . There were 30,593 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located 32 miles (51.5 km) northeast of Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
. The population was 4,874 at the 2000 census.
Honesdale is located in a rural area that provides many recreational opportunities including: boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, biking and rafting. Located in a coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mining region, during the 19th century it was the starting point of the Delaware and Hudson Canal
Delaware and Hudson Canal
The Delaware and Hudson Canal was the first venture of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, which later developed the Delaware and Hudson Railway...
, which provided for transport of coal to Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
and then down the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In the 19th century the expansion of railroads eventually superseded regular use of the canal.
History
Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was named in honor of Philip HonePhilip Hone
Philip Hone was Mayor of New York from 1826 to 1827. He was most notable for a detailed diary he kept from 1828 until the time of his death in 1851. His recorded diary is said to be the most extensive and detailed of his time in 19th century America.Son of a German immigrant carpenter, Hone became...
, who was a former Mayor of New York and president of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. Honesdale, which was originally known as Dyberry Forks, was laid out in 1826 and incorporated in 1831.
Birthplace of American railroading
Honesdale is home of the first commercial steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
to run on rails in the United States, the Stourbridge Lion
Stourbridge Lion
The Stourbridge Lion was a railroad steam locomotive. It was not only the first locomotive to be operated in the United States, it was also one of the first locomotives to operate outside of England, where it was manufactured in 1828....
. On August 8, 1829, the Stourbridge Lion started in Honesdale, ran three miles to Seelyville, and then returned.
The Stourbridge Lion was owned by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company (D&H). D&H transported anthracite coal
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
from mines near Carbondale
Carbondale, Pennsylvania
Carbondale is a city in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carbondale is located approximately 15 miles due northeast of the city of Scranton in Northeastern Pennsylvania...
to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
market, via Honesdale and Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
. Coal was moved by rail from the mines to Honesdale, where it was transferred to barges and transported via a 108-mile canal to Kingston, from where it was shipped by river barges down the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to New York City. Before steam locomotives were used, D&H moved the coal from the mines to Honesdale via a gravity railroad
Gravity railroad
A gravity railroad or Gravity railway is a railroad on a slope that allow cars carrying minerals or passengers to coast down the slope by the force of gravity alone. The cars are then hauled back up the slope using animal power or a stationary engine and a cable, chain or one or more wide, flat...
.
The Wayne County Historical Society Museum contains a full-scale replica of the Stourbridge Lion, and displays many interesting photographs and artifacts. This museum is in a brick building on Main Street, once the D&H Canal's company office. Honesdale is where the Stourbridge Lion began its inaugural run. The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce hosts Rail Excursions and Historical Tours during spring, summer, fall, and Christmas seasons.
Parts of the original Stourbridge Lion are on display at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum
B&O Railroad Museum
The B&O Railroad Museum is a museum exhibiting historic railroad equipment in Baltimore, Maryland, originally named the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum when it opened on July 4, 1953. It has been called one of the most significant collections of railroad treasures in the world and has the...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
Geography
Honesdale is located at 41°34′27"N 75°15′21"W (41.574214, -75.255966).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.20%) is water.
Demographics
In 1900, 2,864 people lived in Honesdale; in 1911, 2,945 people made it their home; and in 1940, 5,687 lived there. As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,874 people, 2,166 households, and 1,251 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,182.9 people per square mile (456.8/km²). There were 2,414 housing units at an average density of 585.8 per square mile (226.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.64% White, 0.66% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.16% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.89% of the population.
There were 2,166 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 65.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $28,201, and the median income for a family was $40,336. Males had a median income of $30,103 versus $22,061 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $17,404. About 9.8% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Local business and media
The local daily newspaper, The Wayne Independent, was established in 1878, and emphasizes local stories. The Wayne Independent publishes issues Tuesday through Saturday.The local radio station is WDNH broadcast on 95.3FM. In addition to local news, events, and weather, it broadcasts the Honesdale Hornets High School football games every Friday night during football season.
The local hospital, Wayne Memorial, recently completed a multi-million dollar expansion project.
Places and activities
- Honesdale hosts the annual Wayne County Fair, starting on the first Friday in August. The Fair spans nine days and draws thousands of visitors. It features typical country fair events like horse racing, tractor pulling and livestock exhibits.
- The children's magazine Highlights for ChildrenHighlights for ChildrenHighlights for Children is an American children's magazine. It began publication in June 1946, started by Garry Cleveland Myers and his wife Caroline Clark Myers in Honesdale, Pennsylvania...
was founded in Honesdale. It maintains its editorial headquarters in Honesdale despite having relocated most of the operations to OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
- Honesdale High SchoolHonesdale high schoolHonesdale High School is a public, four-year, regional high school serving grades 9-12 in Honesdale, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States, as a part of the Wayne Highlands School District....
is part of the Wayne Highlands School DistrictWayne Highlands School DistrictWayne Highlands School District is a public school district based in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and serving central and northeastern Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States...
. The school's sports team is the Hornets. The school is located on the top of Terrace Street and overlooks the town of Honesdale.
- Honesdale was home to the Roman Catholic St. Vincent's Elementary School, located on Cliff Street. The school closed at the end of the 2008-2009 school year after declining enrollment.
- Honesdale has many Victorian ageVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
structures, and is dominated by tall church steeples and a memorial park near the courthouse. Current zoning laws do not require building remodelling to remain historically accurate.
- Irving Cliff, 300 feet high, overlooks the town, and offers a compelling view of the confluence of the Lackawaxen RiverLackawaxen RiverThe Lackawaxen River is a tributary of the Delaware River in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. The river flows through a largely rural area in the northern Pocono Mountains, draining an area of approximately ....
and Dyberry Creek. Irving Cliff is named after author Washington IrvingWashington IrvingWashington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
, who was greatly impressed with its view. The cliff contains a 50 foot electric framework, for a Christmas Star and Easter cross, that is visible for miles during holiday nights. Fireworks are shot from the cliff for July 4 festivities.
- The Honesdale Roots and Rhythm Music and Arts Festival is held throughout Honesdale on the third Saturday in June. The main stage is set up along Court Street playing to festival goers in Central Park. Artists and food vendors are lined along the park on 9th and 10th Streets. Several other stages are set up throughout the town offering music all day. The festival was established in 2006.
- Many summer camps are located in and around Honesdale, including Bryn Mawr Camp, Camp Cayuga, Indian Head Camp, Camp Lavi, Camp Morasha, Camp MoshavaCamp MoshavaThere are several Jewish summer camps named Camp Moshava, including:*Camp Moshava *Camp Moshava *Camp Moshava...
, Camp Nesher, Camp Ramah in the Poconos, Camp Raninu, Camp Seneca Lake, Summit Camp, Camp Towanda, Trail's End Camp, Tyler Hill CampTyler Hill CampTyler Hill Camp is a summer camp in Pennsylvania, U.S. It was developed on the grounds of the Wayne County Country Club in the 1950s and is located in the Pocono Mountains region of Wayne County....
, Camp WatonkaCamp WatonkaCamp Watonka is a residential summer camp for boys aged seven to fifteen in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.It is the only science camp for boys accredited by the American Camp Association in the United States....
and Camp Wayne. Many campers travel from the New York Metropolitan AreaNew York metropolitan areaThe New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, Philadelphia and further afield to attend camps in the area.
Notable people
- Richard C. Smith, who co-wrote the song "Winter WonderlandWinter Wonderland"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmastime pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith . Through the decades it has been recorded by over 150 different artists.-History:...
" in 1934 - Mary Dimmick HarrisonMary Dimmick HarrisonMary Dimmick Harrison was the second wife of the 23rd United States president Benjamin Harrison. She was 25 years younger than Harrison, and was the niece of his first wife.- Biography :...
, second wife of President Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there... - Lyman Louis Lemnitzer, General, United States Army and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffJoint Chiefs of StaffThe Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
- Art Wall, 1959 Masters Golf champion
- Edgar JadwinEdgar JadwinEdgar Jadwin, C.E. was a U.S. Army officer who fought in the Spanish-American War and World War I, before serving as Chief of Engineers from 1926 to 1929.-Early Life:...
, former Chief of EngineersChief of EngineersThe Chief of Engineers commands the US Army Corps of Engineers. As a staff officer at The Pentagon, the Chief advises the Army on engineering matters and serves as the Army's topographer and the proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs....
, United States Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of EngineersThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency... - David M. PetersonDavid M. PetersonMajor David McKelvey Peterson was a 1915 Lehigh University graduate who was a World War I flying ace with 6 victories earned in the Lafayette Escadrille and the United States Army Air Service. Born in Honesdale, PA on July 2, 1895, he was killed in an aviation accident following the war in Daytona...
, a flying aceFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... - Christy MathewsonChristy MathewsonChristopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
, Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumThe National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
pitcher - John OlverJohn OlverJohn Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
, current member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
representing Massachusetts's 1st congressional districtMassachusetts's 1st congressional districtMassachusetts's 1st congressional district is in western and central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest. It has the state's highest point, Mount Greylock... - Florence GoodenoughFlorence GoodenoughFlorence Laura Goodenough was an American psychologist and professor at the University of Minnesota who is noted for developing the Minnesota Preschool Scale and the Goodenough Draw-A-Man test . She wrote Handbook of Child Psychology in 1933, and she became president of the National Counsel of...
, born 1886, psychology pioneer in area of intelligence - Jacob Clayton , born 1929, biochemist who worked closely with John E. Amoore developing the stereochemical theory for olfaction
- Brian BalthazarBrian BalthazarBrian Balthazar is a Pop Culture expert, comic and television panelist frequently seen on television as the editor of the website POPgoesTheWeek.com. He often appears on The Wendy Williams Show, The Today Show on NBC, TV Guide Network and Showbiz Tonight on HLN. He also works off camera as a...
, (born Brian Balthaser) TV Personality
In popular culture
- The movie Wet Hot American SummerWet Hot American SummerWet Hot American Summer is a 2001 satirical comedy film written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. The film takes place during the last day at a fictional Jewish summer camp in 1981, before closing for the summer...
was filmed at Camp Towanda near Honesdale during the spring of 2000. The film is a comedy starring Janeane GarofaloJaneane GarofaloJaneane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...
, David Hyde PierceDavid Hyde PierceDavid Hyde Pierce is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he received many accolades including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-Early life:Pierce, the youngest of four siblings,...
, and Molly ShannonMolly ShannonMolly Helen Shannon is an American comic actress best known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–2001 and for starring in the films Superstar and Year of the Dog. More recently, she starred in NBC's Kath & Kim from 2008–2009 and on the TBS animated series Neighbors from...
. It was directed by David WainDavid WainDavid Benjamin Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor and director. He is most widely known for the feature films Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer, the 1990s' sketch comedy series The State and for producing/directing/writing the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital...
and written by Wain and Michael ShowalterMichael ShowalterMichael English Showalter is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is a member of the sketch comedy trio Stella. Showalter first came to recognition as a cast member on MTV's The State, which aired from 1993 to 1995...
(who also stars in the movie). - Schrute Farms, the Bed and Breakfast beet farm belonging to Dwight Schrute on NBC's popular sitcom The Office is listed as a Honesdale establishment on TripAdvisor.com.
- Honesdale is mentioned in the opening scene of the movie "The Ten" starring Paul Rudd of Wet Hot American Summer.
- The Long Kiss GoodnightThe Long Kiss GoodnightThe Long Kiss Goodnight is a 1996 action thriller film starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, written by Shane Black and directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
is a 1996 action thriller film which stars Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson. Geena plays a Honesdale schoolteacher/wife/mother who suffers from amnesia, and who eventually learns that she was a trained assassin before losing her memory. Although Honesdale is mentioned in the film, the film was not actually shot in Honesdale. - Although the movie Playing for KeepsPlaying for Keeps (film)Playing for Keeps is a 1986 comedy film directed and written by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein. It stars Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn and Leon W. Grant as a trio of inner-city teenagers attempting to strike it rich by turning a hotel into a rock 'n' roll resort...
was filmed mainly in nearby Bethany, PennsylvaniaBethany, PennsylvaniaBethany is a borough in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 246 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bethany is located at ....
, scenes were filmed at the old Miracle Market on 6th Street in Honesdale. Additional scenes were filmed in nearby Hawley, PennsylvaniaHawley, PennsylvaniaHawley is a borough in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,211 at the 2010 census.- History :The borough was named for Irad Hawley, first president of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. Early industry centered around the transportation and support of nearby coal mining...
and a field along Pennsylvania State Route 191 near Lake Ariel, PennsylvaniaLake Ariel, PennsylvaniaLake Ariel is an unincorporated community in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was once the site of an amusement park. The main intersection is dominated by Saint Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, lake elementary school, and the Howe Convenient Market.Located in northeastern...
. The movie was released on October 3, 1986 and starred Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn, Leon W. Grant, Mary B. Ward and Marisa TomeiMarisa TomeiMarisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
. - Blue ValentineBlue Valentine (film)Blue Valentine is a 2010 romantic drama film written and directed by Derek Cianfrance. The film premiered in competition at the 26th Sundance Film Festival. Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis wrote the film, and Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling played the lead roles...
, a movie starring Ryan GoslingRyan GoslingRyan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor and musician. He first came to public attention as a child star on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club and went on to appear in other family entertainment programmes including Are You Afraid of the Dark? , Goosebumps , Breaker High and Young Hercules...
and Michelle WilliamsMichelle Williams (actress)Michelle Ingrid Williams is an American actress. After starting her career with television guest appearances in the early 1990s, Williams achieved recognition for her role as Jen Lindley on the WB television teen drama Dawson's Creek, which she played from 1998 to 2003...
, started filming in Honesdale and the surrounding areas in the spring of 2009. The movie is currently scheduled for a limited release in the United States on December 31, 2010.