The Rich History of Trout Lake

Trout Lake was created in the early 1900s as part of the booming ice harvesting industry in the Pocono Mountains. Before modern refrigeration, massive blocks of ice were carved from our frozen lake each winter and stored in towering five-story ice houses built along the shoreline. These enormous structures kept ice frozen throughout the year before it was shipped by rail to major cities like New York and Philadelphia. The artwork shown above, painted by local artist John James, captures this remarkable era, depicting workers cutting ice and preparing it for transport. Today, the stone foundations of those historic ice houses remain part of our landscape, and one of them even forms the base of our Stone Overlook Pergola, a stunning ceremony location beloved by wedding couples.