I stumbled across this site where I found this picture
and this one
and here is some explantion:
Name: Unity House
Region: Poconos
Location: Bushkill Falls Road, Pike, PA
A vacation and labor education retreat was operated here, 1919-1989, by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU). Each year it hosted several thousand visitors — including union members, retirees, and public officials — and offered cultural events significant to the labor movement. The only workers’ resort of its size in the U.S., it closed due to declining employment in the domestic apparel industry.
Unity House featured bungalows for families or small groups, an on-site doctor, a chef, and a dietician. The union built an amphitheatre for talks and seminars and brought in professors and other speakers. Members could attend lectures on current events, economics, art and literature, and social psychology. The mostly-New Yorker staff grew to several dozen people over time, including dining room servers, musicians, and a lifeguard. The ILGWU’s decision to rent the facility out to other unions made Unity House a getaway spot for the larger labor movement.
The 1950s and 1960s in many ways saw Unity House at its best. The union began bringing speakers such as Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy and labor leader George Meany. In 1956, Unity House opened a new theatre, which enabled ILGWU members to see Broadway shows. In 1962, the AFL-CIO held an executive council meeting at Unity House that again attracted a host of famous politicians and activists. In February 1969, a devastating fire gutted much of the main building.
I will search at home for photographs from that period (so, come back here in a day or two).
There were great memories from this place.
Into the lake (was it Lake Minisink? * ) I was tossed from the off-shore raft by my father as my first experience in learning how to swim.
The raft is center-right in this picture
I recall Jackie Mason as a 'tummler'. It was a great time and I really think that of the many things we did as a family at that time, this was the best, the very best. Sports, outdoors, woods, hikes, visits.
Just great.
More info here and here and more pics here.
An academic article is Wolensky, Kenneth C. 2000. “A Working Class Haven in the Pocono Mountains: Unity House -- ILGWU” [International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union]. In Canal History and Technology Proceedings 19: 69-90. Easton, Pa.: Canal History and Technology Press.
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No, it seems it was Second Pond. Here
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UPDATE 2023:
Posts
58 comments:
My sister wrote to me:
"That was a touch of nostalgia. I remember the red plush dining room diner like benches in the children's dining room. I have good memories of those two week vacations also except for a truck which ran over my indian plaster of Paris painted mold which was lying on the floor in the sun to dry at the day camp. I also remember the deer we used to sit on and take pictures. Do you have those pictures? I have one picture upstairs on the wall of mommy, daddy, and me at the Unity House.
Love,
Debbie"
I was a counselor at the UH daycamp in 1964
flora worked at unity house at that time- was a waiter/busboy- have you stayed in touch with anyone?
They were great years for me. It seems so long ago
my parents ran the children's camp at unity house in the 60's. it was surely a wonderful life for my family.
Barb d.
Thank you for creating this site. My grandmother died in 2000, and while scanning our family photos for the rest of my clan, I found several photos that are labelled "Unity House, 1968", and a few with my Grandmother on her last day in a factory in 1971.
I was born in '67 and way too young to know what any of this meant and never had real opportunity to ask; so knowing what the reference to the photos means is pricless to me.
So, we have proof for the justification of blogging
I have photos of my great-grandparents and others at Unity House in 1922, if anyone is interested.
My parents and younger brothers went to Unity House in the early to mid-1940s. I have a watercolor that was painted by a friend of my mother's named Joel Lewis Orenstein during her Unity House days. Does anybody know of him? Also, does anyone have photographs of the bungalows there? This painting is of two bungalow-type buildings, close together, with a lake in the background.
Does anyone remember Bill Friedman, a red-head who was a counseler at Unity House in the summer of 1955, and whose parents, Garment Workers Union officials, also summered there?
Greetings.
My grandfather was a co-founder of the ILGWU and Unity House. Jacob "Jack" Halpern. He was a man of the people and proud to serve.
Here's how to find me. Thanks for this posting.
Sincerely
Tim Halpern
Managing Partner
Comprehensive Prospect Research
http://www.prospectresearch.org
80 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1010
New York, NY 10011-5126
(212)-242-2420
(212)-242-2422 (Fax)
(310)-452-4520 (California)
(917)-576-0933 (Cell)
I was a camp counselor in 1959. Worked in the dinning room from 1960-1963. My sons worked as waiters from 1986-1990.
great to see this is still getting hits.
the place meant a lot to a lot of people.
I was totally facinated by this piece of history. I stumbled upon Unity House this summer of 2010 as I was looking for a place to rest from 12 hours of driving. I meet the caretaker and sole survivor of this great looking place's staff. He told me that due to the lead paint in all the buildings the resort would never be able to be restored or used again. I was able to drive down to the water by the old telephone booth and down to the what looked like a snack bar and swim area which I'm sure brings back many memmeries for those of you who had the fun of staying there. I felt as if I had stepped back in time by 50 years and an erie feeling came over me. Just wanted to share.
Thanks loads!
No Pictures? :-(
My family visited there in the 80's. Those weeks there were by far some of the best memories of my life!! We miss it desperately. I'm sure it was much different by the time we were kids there in the 80's, but we absolutely adored every minute there!
I worked as a kid booking in the NY office on 27th street and 7th went there for Labor Day weekend a couple of times. Worked with a great lady Ruth LIptshutz,older lady with a history with the Union
brings back memories.
I was a dishwasher at Unity House the summers of "53&'54.Managers were Mr.Taxin and Mr.Mendes.Mr.Felton was maitre d'.Was paid $125/mo. plus room and board.Remember the names of some of the waiters and waitresses,Paul Shane,Ruth Schwartz,Jane Roseman.etc.Bob Zimmerman-jrzoldstuff@pa.metrocast.net
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I was a switchboard operator at Unity House in the summers of 1973-74 while in college. As a summer worker, we were treated very well & everyone seemed so nice, including visitors and staff alike. Many of the summer workers were international students from other countries on a work/study program. The Unity House was an incredible experience & have always wished that I could go back sometime. Your pictures have allowed me to return for awhile. Thanks.
My dad was General Counsel for the ILGWU in the 1950's and 1960's and I too have many fond memories of Unity House. My family used to go there for several weekends each year when the union staff was meeting. We usually stayed in one of the bungalows, and since we were late risers would have breakfast at the "Sugar Bowl" instead of the dining room.
I also remember the Diego Rivera murals that were painted in the lobby of the main building in the upstairs area, where almost no one went.
Before the new theater was built, there was a "theater" down by the lake, and after the show on Saturday night they would clear the chairs and there would be a band and people would dance. My dad taught me the foxtrot there.
I also meet JFK when he visited before he was elected, and my dad told me that he would be the next President of the United States.
For me Unity House was always a special place and each time we left we would circle around the statute of the deer at that entrance and say good-bye.
Worked as a bellhop here in the summer of 73. Remember watching Richard Nixon resign in the new facility which had multiple TV lounges. Great place for families looking to escape the summer heat of NYC.
post in coming future as well!!!
this page is exactly what I was searching for! found your article bookmarked by a friend of mine. I will also bookmark it. thanks!
This is something I’ve been curious about for awhile and I enjoyed reading through your blog post. Do you have any additional articles on the same topic?
This great blog is very interesting and enjoyable to read. I am a big fan of the subjects discussed
I was a lifeguard in 1968. Ike was the Social Director & JJ Crown was in charge of the waterfront. Saul Gold was the Manager, His son Norman & daughter Marsha were wait staff along with Ed Birch. I remember Richie the Head Bellman. I really miss those days.
I like this post. I want to more information about this topic and now, I got all information by your post. Everything define in this post is awesome. I think you should make more post which helps us.
I went to Unity House every summer from age 6 to 16.
So many wonderful memories. The rowboats on the lake, the sugar bowl, volley ball , ping pong, great meals, and friendly people .
Great blog. I worked in Unity House as a student/waiter in summer 1979. I came from ex Yugoslavia. We were students there, a lot of us from Europe. The maitre'd was mr. Kurt Korfanty from Poland. Wonderful memories.
What a nostalgia trip! I worked in the office of Unity House during the summers of 1960,1961 and 1961. I also helped out in the theater. Saul Gold was the manager, Hyman Belzer was the assistant manager, and Bill Marlatt was the theater manager. Bill was also stage manager for Jose Greco's flamenco troupe during the winter. What a great summer job for a college student!
who owns this place now? i've lived in dingmans ferry my entire life, except for right now i'm going to school in east stroudsburg... no one knows this place exists!
I worked in the office during the summer of 1968; Saul Gold was the manager and Faye and Jack Golden were the office managers. I was 19 years old and took long walks with Faye every morning down the road from the resort. I was a Univ of Pittsburgh student looking for summer employment and arrived at the resort in early April. There were no guests there yet, but the Goldens took me in anyway and trained me to work in the office. They were so very nice. I always wondered what happened to them. I did not go back for a second summer since I lived far away in the Pittsburgh, Pa area. I made a lot of friends among the kids who also worked in the Unity House office. Sadly, I did not keep up with those friends as I returned to college life and dont know where they are today. I can remember that one girl was from Blomsburg Pa. I am sure I knew the lifeguard in1968 since that is when I was there, but I do not recall any name at this point.
My dad, Fred Siems, worked for the ILG as a young man until retirement. Duing his career he went from Regional Manager In Fall River, Ma to Central States Regional Director to Exceutive Vice President. Obvuisly we spent many vacations at Unity House. My first year in college I worked in the Day Camp 1959 and then in the dinning room until 1963, When I married I introduced my husband to Unity House and he learned to love it as much as I. Our sons also spent many a vacation there and worked as waiters in the late 1980's. Took a ride down memory lane several years ago and was heart broken to see what has happened. It will always have a place in my heart.
Barbara-ann McKinney
I understand that it cannot be restored because of all the lead paint. This doesn't make much sense since so many places were painted with lead paint and still exist. I've had no luck finding out who owns the property now. It is guarded by people on ATVs who are possibly armed. The only thing you can take is pictures.
Loved that place!!
I worked at the day camp during that time and there was no Bill Friedman. I renember a counsellor named Bob. Head counsellors were Riva Sklarin and her husband.
Loved that place and still don't understand the lead paint thing. All buildings were painted with lead paint and are still being used.
Worked as a waiter there in summer of 83 for Mr. Kurt, the maitre 'd. Interested in hearing from anyone else whonworked there at that time.
I worked as a cashier in the main building at Unity House in the summer of 1968. I remember the mural showing the history of the laboir movement. Wait staff lived in a dormitory building. Office staff lived in small cottages. Wages were terrible . We got one day off per week. I recall classes given to guests on all sorts of.cultural topics. I enjoyed the one on opera music.
The Diega Murals were not on a upper level and we saw them all the time in the main lobby off the dining room. That fire picture is from the 30's not the later one, no one was around when the administration building burned down in the winter. I spent 13 years, all summer from 1937 to 1948 and worked there in 1955. My dad was manager of Knit Goods Union Local 190 in Phila., Joseph Schwartz.
I dream of Unity and it my favorite place in the world and had best best childhood ever.
Judy Schwartz Filipkowski
Just stumbled upon this. I too worked as a waiter in the summer of 83. You can reach me at 443-691-5966
To Fran,
I was the lifeguard in '68 who went out with the girl from Bloomsburg her name was Ruth. There were other girls; lee & Suzie, who worked in the office as well. Do remember any of the lifeguards: Mike, Roy and Ivan?
Worked for Mr Kurt the summers of 1977-1979.....saved enough money so that I didn't have to work during college. Worked for tips.....Salary was three meals a day and a place to stay ( lovely non-air-conditioned dorms with shared showers. .....) ....had a blast with the guys in the kitchen, if you knew how to treat them right, you wouldn't have to stand in those long lines.Still keep in touch with one girl that I worked with...looking to hear from anyone else?
Worked the switchboard one summer in the mid eighties...amazing place so much fun. Mr Bolger was the manager at that time. Amazing meals from the chef. Loved the lake and the Coco Loco Lounge. Remember Mr. Kulick leading Bocce Ball in the lobby on rainy days.
My parents brought us to Unity House a number of times when we were young. We went back a number of times as I grew up in the '40s and early "50s. My parents alternated between there and nearby Taminent. Unity House was a Labor Movement Resort... In the front lobby, was Diego Rivera's huge mural depicting the labor movement and labor radicalism. I remember staying in a small cabin in the woods not far from the pool and lake. It had it's own fireplace ( somewhere there is a photo of my mom reading "King Arthur" to us in front of the fire.) I remember having a crush on the lifeguard (when I was 7 or 8 ) and walking around the woods collecting ferns and flowers to deliver to his cabin. There was a camp set up for the kids so the only time we really spent with our parents was at dinner. I do remember my dad lifting me up to sit on a metal statue of a fawn in the woods. It was still there about 40 years later when I brought my husband there to see where I had grown up. The resort was closed, but the statue was still there along with about a dozen other statues of deer. As I started to tell my husband how amazing it was to see all of those statues in a closed resort, all but that one little fawn stampeded out of sight. It was truly amazing. Unity House was a real escape from the big city (Philly in our case) and a true vacation for all of us and a wonderful memory to reflect upon.
What a Great Place I worked in the theatre with Bill Marlatt(a master creator)
Shows Tues, Sat, Movies Monday and Friday Wednesday a basketball game on the shuffleboard court and Sunday Square dancing with Piote Pete
The lake was terrific. Ike weissberger, social director kept everybody occupied. The meals were better than on a cruise ship. I remember people ordering three different main courses and nobody said a word, Nobody left the Unity House without gaining 10 pounds
During the years we saw many famous politicians and Union leaders
after the fire the main building was rebuilt at a cost of $5 million dollars
modern and sleek with a dining room , bar ,snack bar etc. While it was better it just wasn't like the old Dining Room
The lake was a fantasy in itself. Boating Swimming Canoeing Paddle Boats a Diving Board and great Life Guards keeping everyone safe
Towards the end they built a 9 hole golf course and added other new things
How sad the last few years were as the Union members decreased as did the Unity House Occupancy till finally they closed.
So many good people worked there not really for the money but for the experience it was like a vacation more than a job
Thanks to everybody that posted on this forum for reminding me of the great years at the Unity House
J.M.
Recently was near there so I decided to visit for memories.
Place looks nothing Like it use too. I was sorry I went everything is decaying and run down. How sad it was truly like a nightmare I still can't believe what it looked like compared to the good old days when I was there.
The GroundsKeeper said that the State employed him so I guess they own the property now???
In any case I want to remember it for the Summer get-way-way that it was.....SPECTACULAR
Henry W
I came across this site by accident and it quickly brought back memories
Dining room occupancy was 1200 people a week during the summer. I was a waiter back in the 70's and it was superb
I remember working hard but enjoying it. The I.L.G.W.U. ran the hotel with the true care about its members. There was shows, movies, parties from the union locals as well as hay rides for the kids
The prices for union members was cheap! considering three meals a day entertainment. parties and beautiful surroundings
The lake was the best i've ever seen. It was clean full of fish and the guests had boats and swimming at their disposal
I also remember the social hall by the lake where dancing lessons and bingo was heard
There was also a Pine grove theatre by the lake but I don't remember what they used it for
The Salary was small but the tips made up for it, By the end of the summer I was tired but richer
Great memories ,,,,,,,,Thanks for reminding me of a great experience
Jerry Gruber
3/14/21
Unity House has been sold in 2020 for $2.1 million
This info can be verified in state filings
My question is: Casino, Housing, Hotel all possible. Info should be coming soon of intended use.
Anything is possible. Cost would probably be 100 million but that's not unreasonable depending what its going to be
Main building and theatre are Brick and steel probably easiest to restore. Other buildings probably be bulldozed
Sad to see this demise. On the other hand whatever form Unity House now takes it will always be Unity House to tens of thousands of people that visited there over the years.
I was a teenager from Brooklyn and my two Aunts had promised to take us to the Unity House. It was 1976, I had the greatest time with my big Italian family. The laughter and the memories were the best I ever had. I only wish I had more time to spend there. I met an amazing man named Ed Rossani who worked there. We spent time together and he gave me the most amazing kiss I've ever had in my life. I never forgot him and I only wish I had taken his number when he left it in a matchbook on the bar the day I left. I don't know where to find him or if he is still working or even alive, but I want to thank him for the most beautiful memory by the lake. He even talked Italian and he and my mother with the Italian comments back and forth. Thank you Ed! I only hope this gets to you someday. Thank you Unity House for being a big part of my young years. We went back with more family in 1979; but Ed no longer worked there. Again, another fabulous vacation! I miss going there to this day. There is something about those resorts that are missed by many of us. Again, Ed if you ever read this, or someone knows him please let him know. LMF7160@aol.com
I went to Unity House for two weeks one summer in 68 and had the most amazing time--I was 16 and had my first kiss :):) I just happened to find some old pictures of Roy, Richie the waiter and a few others.
Roy the lifeguard was just a sweetheart-please email me if you see this.My best buddy Harriet had her first kiss the same day; Richie G-
the memories of our youth are so precious.
I have been reading these posts and articles of what happened to this amazing place. It is so sad.
I can be reached at wmrobins1951@gmail.com
Wendy S
My name is Melina Figueroa and I live in Mexico City. I am working on a project related to the murals painted by Diego Rivera entitled Portrait of America which were in exhibition at Unity House at Forest Park Penn. These 13 murals were destroyed during the 1969 fire of Unity House. I am trying to reach out to some one who might have COLOR pictures of the murals that I might use for my project. I would greatly appreciate any help regarding this matter.
I can be reached at melina.fisa@gmail.com
I hung out at the lake a lo my with my friends and was there in 68. Would love to connect. Email me at wchabon@ aol.com
Have pictures to share
WS
I am interested. I am working on the site for the new owners of the Amphitheater and any photos would be appreciated. I am trying to put together a photo display of the history. Greatgo@gmail.com us my email
Very interesting posts about Unity House.
I worked there on the lake as a lifeguard in the summers of 1962 and 1963. J.J. Crown was the waterfron director.
In the middle of the '63 summer, I moved from the waterfront to the dining room and became a busboy, and later a waiter.
From "63 through '66, I worked each summer at Unity House.
Tips were great. They paid for my spending money for an entire year of college.
As someone wrote, there was a high-level basketball game every Wednesday night. It was entertainment for the guests. I was on the team. Most of the players played varsity basketball for their universities. Ike announced the games. The Unity House orchestra played at halftime of the games.
In the theatre, there were movies twice a week and shows on Saturday night (singer, dancer, comedian).
The male workers lived in a long building known as the "bowling alley."
The women workers, also college students, live in a separate building.
Great friendships were made among the staff, most of which were studying for college degrees and graduate degrees.
Saul Gold was the manager. His two children, Norman and Marcia, were close friends of mine and I wish I could contact them.
Untiy House was a remarkable place and experience.
Many fond memories of that place and the people I worked with there.
I was athletic director from 1978-1981.
We all knew thwarted end was coming but a great experience.
I loved Saul Gold hr was a great man.
Bill Berkowitz
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