Guest Book | Harvey's Lake

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212 entries.

Jim A Curran from Manahawkin New Jersey wrote on July 7, 2009 at 4:40 pm:

Great website. The best times of my life were spent at Harvey's Lake at my Grandparents cottage on Carpenter Road. We would spend the day at Old Sandy Bottom Beach and then at night head over to Hanson's. Of course Grotto pizza was always part of our vacations. We could walk there from the cottage. I wish there was more public access to the lake other than just the boat ramp. we are fortunate it is still there. Bring back the Drive in Theater ! Thanks for this website it brings back so many memories. I have lots of old movies of the lake, Hanson's etc. Some day I will have to get them posted.

Ronna Shults from Texas wrote on July 5, 2009 at 2:37 am:

What a great website. I spent every summer at the lake with my Grandmother and my Great Aunts. This was mainly during the 70's. I also had several other family members that lived at the Lake year round. I have fond memories of walking to the little country store for candy, swimming down at the dock, eating Joes Pizza, Fishing with bread doe that I would get at Joes Pizza. going to Bingo to watch my Aunt play and running around the Arcade at Sunset, and of course Hansons! Those were the days!

Holly Yanchik from Exeter,Pa wrote on July 4, 2009 at 3:42 pm:

Your website is great.How it brought back memories of my mom,sister and I going there on the weekends.It's like being able to relive your childhood just for a moment again.

Len Annetta from North Carolina wrote on July 3, 2009 at 9:35 pm:

My parents owned the Lamp Post bar and restaurant until it burned down. This is a great site and thanks for the great memories.

wayne a sittner from saugerties, ny wrote on July 1, 2009 at 7:08 pm:

Grew up in W-B and Kingston. BA from Wilkes in 1968. Spent countless hours at the "Lake". Great to reminisce.

Chuck Huthmaker from Fredericksburg, VA wrote on June 29, 2009 at 3:55 pm:

My Grandfather David Huthmaker built a cottage on Park St.about a block from Hansons in the 1930s. Spent many wonderful summers out there until the late 60s and the water pollution scare in the lake.

mark hoffman from harleysville, pa wrote on June 28, 2009 at 11:57 am:

The spelling of my last name in my post should be Hoffman, two "f"'s Best, Mark

mark hofman from harleysville, pa wrote on June 28, 2009 at 11:53 am:

The video on the LV No. 140 and its consist filled a void in my understanding of the Bowman's Creek branch. I am a railroad enthusiast (both model and prototype). Bowman's closed in December, 1963. I made trips to Harvey's Lake starting in 1964, as a youngster, and always noted the track but never saw any train. I did not know the line had been abandoned. I always wanted to see a train run, especially under the roller coaster. Now, I have. So, thank you very much. Best, Mark

The Wilson Family - Pole 141.5 from Dallas, PA wrote on March 19, 2009 at 9:23 pm:

Thanks for a great website! I was fortunate enough to grow up in Dallas and spend summer weekends at Harvey's Lake having picnics and swimming at Sandy Beach and going to Hanson's Amusement Park. I also stayed at O'Donnell's cottages with my cousins. Now, we are lucky enough to own our own "little slice of heaven" (AKA: a dock) on Harvey's Lake. I look forward to summer every year so that I can spend every free moment at the lake. We enjoyed this website, especially the old videos of Hanson's, Sandy Beach and the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

Neil Brazitis from Rosemont, PA wrote on March 4, 2009 at 8:47 pm:

My mother who we lost last year loved the Lake and especially Sandy Bottom. Almost every day during the summer she would take the three of us kids and whoever else was around and pile into the station wagon for a trip to the lake. She had the good sense to at least wait until my father left for work. We went to Sandy Bottom because the snack bar didn't have the toys and as much food as Sandy Beach. I was prone to car sickness so I always had a window seat. Unfortunaely during one of my bouts out the window the door flew open as we went around the lake. Fortunately I hung on the swinging door until by siblings reluctantly pulled me back. When I'm in town I always make time for a drive around the lake. Thanks for the site.

Chris from Belcamp, Md wrote on January 2, 2009 at 3:01 am:

Unfortunately, I don't have many memories from the glory days of the lake. In fact, the year they closed Hanson's, I was a year old. Having the opportunity to sit and read all of these messages makes the lake almost seem legendary. If it wasn't for the pictures, I wouldn't believe much of what the lake is described as. No traffic after Labor Day?!? Now, constant traffic year round. Enough room for steam boats?!? Now the lake is filled with boats all summer. And docks with the ice cut away? There are only about 5 spots on the lake where the ice meets the shore because of the amount of docks and their bubblers. It really does seem legendary. It almost saddens me because of the way people abuse the lake sometimes. They take the greatness of it for granted. Not knowing the history. Not knowing what it once was. The grand hotels, amusement parks, dance halls, the trolly, trains. The lake had it all back then. Growing up through the 80s and 90s, I remember going out some evenings early in spring. This is when the ice starts cracking due to thawing. The noises the ice would make and the sounds echoing off the mountains sounded really spooky back then. Then in the summers, I lived close enough to The amphitheater(lakevi ew terrace), that I didn't even have to go to the concerts. I was able to listen to them from my porch. One time in highschool, a few buddies of mine and myself decided to build a massive snowman in the middle of the lake. The ice was EXTREMELY thick that year, and I knew this from the ice fishing holes about 50 feet away. We spent about 5 hours of our day off from school putting this massive snowman together. In the end, it measured about 15 feet tall, and actually was in the Dallas Post as a random photograph with a caption. The snowman lasted until it fell through the thinning ice in the spring. The memories I have are great, but are totally different than the ones from decades before. I enjoyed this site and have shared it with family who has lived at the lake. Thanks for taking the time and effort of putting this site together.

Jim Eitel from Glassboro, NJ wrote on December 11, 2008 at 4:48 pm:

Charlie. I really enjoyed the site. I turned Sue Nicholas Tiernan on to it. She knew the Mayers, etc. Her Aunt Bett still lives near Sandy Bottom.

Dotti Tyndell from Wanaque, NJ wrote on October 22, 2008 at 1:21 pm:

I was wondering - what ever happened to Cyndi Polinski? She ran the Wildthing Taxidermy in Harveys Lake. Does anyone know her whereabouts?

Tracy from Hazelton,Pa wrote on October 13, 2008 at 9:14 pm:

Why dosent this site have a autobiogrpahy about the founder???

Gisela Demko from Route 118, Red Rock Pa wrote on September 20, 2008 at 11:17 pm:

Thank you Charlie for the great website, in addition to the wonderful book, unfortunately out of print. Just read the story about smelt fishing on the Lake and i remember, coming from Germany, a city girl, the total amazement to see this "village with lights" come to live at he lake with huts and even some vehicles on this then totally frozen over lake. My 21st birthday the end of January in 1966 was spent smelt fishing in one of the huts. The simple life, but so much fun. On summer nights you could just sit on the dock and hear the music from across at Hanson's. Glad to be able to relate to some of the info. and thankful for all the research you did for those of us who remember some of it and the ones who can't even imagine how much fun Harveys Lake used to be,... Read more

diane jones ascani from nanticoke , pa wrote on September 3, 2008 at 12:36 am:

thanks for the memories ! i really miss hansons park . there was something for everyone there ! i loved the arcade ! i wish i had a piece of memorabilia from there ! i wish that hansons would be fixed up as a tourist attraction site ! that would be awesome ! i bet a lot of people would show up ! especially people that visited there yrs ago !

Christopher Concert from Swowersville Pa wrote on August 11, 2008 at 10:50 pm:

Great Site, Great Memories of Growing up at the Lake, Miss those old days at Hansons Park. It was great reasing everyones Memories. We lived only steps away from Hansons on Lakeview terrace, it was great to go ride the train, and the haunted hose was awesome. I miss it I also have very fond memories of walking to church every Sunday to Alderson United Methodist Church, Michelle Boice and Karen White were my Sunday School Teachers.....on the way home all 9 brothers and sisters would stop off at Javers Store for a snack....

Theresa Yankoski Wyzinski from Mountaintop, PA wrote on August 11, 2008 at 8:01 am:

What a great site! So glad I found it. I grew up in Nanticoke. Harveys Lake is a big part of my childhood. My father always took my mom and I for a ride there on Sundays. Always looked forward to it. Even before I was born he would take my mom and Aunt Catherine and her daughter Elaine for rides up there in the 40's. I have pictures of the lake with them at that time. My father taught me to swim at Sandy Beach. Can still picture it. And I loved Hansons Amusement Park. Can still picture it in my mind. Those were great days in the 50's & 60's. Miss all those parks like Hanson's and San Souci and Angela Park. Always remember my mom telling me how the movie with Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift were about Harveys Lake. Glad I found out the truth on... Read more

DENNY HONEY from BANGOR,MAINE wrote on August 8, 2008 at 10:03 am:

My brother in law sent me this site as we have fished it a few times and had a little luck also.It was always an enjoyable time and he tells me that you have redone the public boat landing this summer. Am planning to be there later this summer. He lives in Sweet Valley and is an easy trailor to the lake. Again,a real nice site and informative.

Michell'e Tattersall Boice from Harveys Lake, PA wrote on August 8, 2008 at 1:07 am:

This is great and took so much work, and I also have your book. However, you need to make a correction. My dad owned the Lake Side Inn/Hotel & Restaurant, which was the last hotel at the lake and burned in 1978. I grew up there and have so many fond memories. However, the correction is that there was NEVER a bar there, at least not during my father's ownership. I don't know that there ever was a bar there. And although it was mainly apartments when it burned, we still had rooms for rent; just not as many! I'd love to contribute to the history of this hotel during my families ownership because I have some great stories!