Pennbrook Farm is what we call our small plot of paradise in the Pocono Mountains. Actually, it was called Pennbrook Farm when it was a "real" farm, but we have yet to discover who actually started calling it that. As you can also see on our History page, our home was once set on 116 acres of farmland. Currently there are only 8.5 acres of property around our house, as the prior owner, we'll call him “Crazy Carl”, subdivided the farm in 1994. There is now a “vinyl village” across the quiet country lane we live on. The farmland was subdivided into approximately 75 lots averaging just over an acre per lot. The homes are typical stick built 4 bedroom homes with particle board sheathing and vinyl siding. The view was once pastoral, but now it is not.

The original 116 acre farm was unchanged from 1813 until 1994, over 182 years. As we approach the bicentennial of what is left of our farm, we often wonder what the prior owners and farmers would think of the current state of the property. While we understand and respect the individual needs and landowner rights that our great country is based upon, we can’t help but feel a loss at the development of the land in this way. Breaking up a farm into home sites is a one time benefit to one person. All things change however, and it could have been worse.

There was/is a bank barn across the street that belonged to our house, but now it is within a building lot, and a house is under construction. This barn housed horses owned by the prior owner, and various kinds of cattle and other livestock were kept there over the years. The original 19th century barn burned in ~1940. Some of the timbers that were salvageable were re-used in the new barn. The new barn is being turned into a "play room" for the new owners children.

You can see some pictures in the Photo album

Here is a neat satellite view of the farm and surrounding area via the Terraserver

Read a description of the house and outbuildings, and some of the plans we have

If you are interested here is a brief biography of our family

So much for the introductions. Please move on to the more interesting stories about our old farmhouse, and be sure to check out the history of our home over the last 185 years or so. There are also lots of pictures to look at too.

Home	History	Chronicles
Photo album	Resources	Discussion