Honesdale Live Cam

Honesdale is a borough in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was named after Philip Hone, who was the mayor of New York City from 1826 to 1827.

Honesdale is known for being the birthplace of the American railroad industry. In 1825, the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company needed a way to transport anthracite coal from the mines in Carbondale to the Hudson River. The company hired engineer Horatio Allen to design a gravity railroad to carry the coal over the mountains to Honesdale, where it could be loaded onto canal boats.

On August 8, 1829, the Stourbridge Lion, the first steam locomotive to run on commercial tracks in America, arrived in Honesdale. The locomotive was built by Foster, Rastrick and Company in England and shipped across the Atlantic. It was used to haul coal from Carbondale to Honesdale.

The success of the gravity railroad led to the construction of the Erie Railroad, which connected New York City to the Great Lakes. Honesdale remained an important transportation hub until the decline of the coal industry in the mid-20th century.

Today, Honesdale is a quaint town with a population of around 4,500. It has a historic district with many Victorian-era buildings, including the Wayne County Courthouse and the historic Stourbridge Lion locomotive. The town is also home to the Wayne County Historical Society Museum, which features exhibits on the area's railroad history, as well as local culture and industry.