Coachman’s Cottage
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The Spring House

Coachman’s Cottage, also, The Spring House. Early Environmentalism. , Coachman’s Cottage , When early visitors came to Lacawac they journeyed here by horse and wagon from the train station in Lake Ariel. A local farmer was employed as the “Coachman” to meet, pick-up and later return family members to the station, as well as to maintain the wagons and livestock. When the family was in residence, the coachman resided in the small structure, removed from the main lodge, but not so far that he couldn’t keep an eye on things and be available quickly if called upon. , The coachman had multiple responsibilities. Also inside this structure was a carbide gas generator which he was responsible for maintaining and operating. In the earliest days of electrification – Lacawac was too rural and electricity just would not be available here for many years. The gas was piped underground and up underneath the lodge, where it was distributed throughout to operate the original gas lanterns that lit the house. If you visit the lodge today, you will see these vintage gas lamps are still present and well preserved. Electricity was only added in 1939., The Spring House , The coachman would also be called upon to keep the lodge supplied with fresh water. Since Connell was a forward thinking industrialist – this was not done via an old dug well and bucket brigade – but rather a unique gravity run system. The coachman would periodically fire up a steam powered pump that was located in a nearby spring house on the lake shore. The spring house is still here – located about 75 yards northeast of this spot. , Water settled in the stone catchment basin where it was collected prior to the pump being fired and the water was sent up to the second floor of the lodge. There, it filled a large wooden water tub on the second floor of the house, just above the kitchen. The “tank room” (now converted to an extra bedroom when the modern well was installed) provided the luxury of pressurized (gravity fed) water to the taps and facilities within the house. To add to the luxury it did not have to be visually checked. A float gauge extended through the floor to the kitchen and the maids could tell instantly if the coachman was needed to send up more water! In 1919 the steam engine was replaced with an early marvel – an electric pump powered by batteries that were charged by a generator!, Early Environmentalism , When Connell Park was first designed it was decreed that Lake Lacawac must be totally protected from even the possibility of pollution caused by sewerage leakage. Hence, all sewerage from Connell Park is pumped out some distance over the hill top to the south end and out of the drainage and watershed of Lake Lacawac. Of course, in 1903 Lake Wallenpaupack did not even exist though today (it) is located on the south side of the estate. Our treatment system was updated to more modern standards in 1948. That was the same year the first real well was dug.