Old Photos & More
Lake Lorain [Five Mile Lake]
This map from the Atlas of Wayne County dates from 1872. Lake Lorain was known as Five Mile Pond. You will notice that the roads of today do not exist. PA Route 370 that connects Orson with Poyntelle did not exist. Orson did not exist but Hines Corners, named after the first settlers is a prominent landmark. Today's route 670 was a main road then known as the Belmont Turnpike. The names of the residents at that time are indicated along with the schools. Orson Pond is smaller because the dam was not constructed. Five Mile Pond has a slightly different shape since the water level was higher causing it to cover the low areas adjacent to the lake. The level of the lake was lowered to relocate the outlet when the O & W railroad was constructed in the 1880's.
Impact of the New York Ontario and Western Railroad
The NYO&W railroad was primarily a route from the New York City area to upstate New York. It was a financial failure from the beginning. To gain more traffic the railroad constructed the Scranton Division in the 1880s. Anthracite coal in Northeastern Pennsylvania was in demand throughout the east and the O&W built a route from Cadosia NY to Scranton through difficult terrain. The rail line went right by Five Mile Lake and hit its highest elevation there about 2060 feet. The steep grade from Forest City and the heavy weight of the coal necessitated "pusher" locomotives. These would disconnect at Five Mile Lake and back into the "old Wye" to turn around and return to Forest City to assist another train.
This railroad map shows the old wye and the spur to the ice house at Five Mile Lake. The golf course is at the upper left today. The lake is at the lower right. The mainline continues to Poyntelle to the left and to Forest City to the right. This map is from about 1910. Notice that the spur to the ice house runs along the shore of the lake past the massive ice house foundation and continues to the "boat ramp".
Winters were tough,
Fishing and boating before 1900
Steamboat at the beach