Discover Honesdale: Railroads, History, and Parks

Honesdale brings together railroad history, trails, parks, and ways to explore the local past. Different experiences can shape your choice of destination: the Main Museum focuses on a historical replica and permanent exhibits, while the Stourbridge Line offers train rides through the Lackawaxen River Valley. There’s also a trail network at Gibbons Memorial Park, concerts at Central Park, and a historical scavenger hunt. This lets you choose what aspects of Honesdale you want to shape your stay.

Railroad History at the Main Museum

The Main Museum of the Wayne County Historical Society is housed in a building constructed in 1860 as the headquarters of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. Its former purpose provides a direct historical connection to the D&H Canal, which is also featured in the permanent exhibit. In addition to the canal, the exhibit covers the Gravity Railroad.

Notable exhibits include a full-size, true-to-life replica of The Stourbridge Lion. A full-size replica is a complete reproduction, not the historical original. Together with the permanent exhibit topics, it brings railroad history to life at the museum. This is different from a train ride: here, you’ll encounter a replica and exhibit topics, while the Stourbridge Line offers a ride in historic railroad cars. If you want to get to know Honesdale through its history, you can choose between a museum visit and an experience on the rail line.

Train Rides Between Honesdale and Hawley

The Stourbridge Line offers scenic train rides through the Lackawaxen River Valley in historic railroad cars. The ride pairs views of the valley with the experience of traveling in historic cars. The line runs between Honesdale and Hawley, making both towns useful reference points when planning your trip. The train ride offers a different perspective from the trails at Gibbons Memorial Park: there, the trail network is the focus, while the train carries you through the valley.

Trails, City Views, and Parks

Gibbons Memorial Park has a trail network across 55 acres and offers views of downtown Honesdale. This brings together two distinct features: trails through the park and views of the town. When planning your itinerary, you can compare this combination with the history-focused attractions at the Main Museum or on the scavenger hunt. This gives Honesdale a different focus at the park than at its railroad and exhibit attractions.

Central Park has its own appeal: it hosts concerts and gives children a place to play. Alongside the trails and city views at Gibbons Memorial Park, this offers a clear comparison between the two parks: trails and views at one, concerts and a place to play at the other. If these different uses matter to your trip planning, they can help you decide which park suits your planned stay.

Explore Honesdale’s History on Foot

The “Hunt for Hidden History” tour is a scavenger hunt exploring Honesdale’s history. As a walking tour, it combines learning about the past with a tour of Honesdale. Its format differs from the Main Museum: the museum focuses on a replica and permanent exhibits, while “Hunt for Hidden History” makes history the subject of a scavenger hunt. If you’re deciding between an exhibit and an activity on foot, this difference makes the two options easy to distinguish.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Gouldsboro, Hawley, Newfoundland, Lake Ariel, Wayne, Lake Como, Beach Lake, Starlight

For the overview of the wider area: Wayne.