Dreher

🌲 Dreher Township is a charming, rural community in the southeastern corner of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, known for its natural beauty, historic villages, and strong sense of local pride. Though small in size, it’s rich in heritage and surrounded by the scenic Pocono Mountains.

🗺️ Geography & Villages

• Area: ~15.1 square miles
• Elevation: ~1,791 feet
• Villages: Includes Newfoundland, South Sterling, East Sterling, Haags Mill, and Angels
• Also home to the private community of Breezewood Acres
• Borders Greene, Lehigh, Sterling, and Coolbaugh Townships

🏛️ History & Heritage

• Established: September 7, 1877, carved from Sterling Township
• Named for: Judge Samuel S. Dreher, a prominent jurist in Pennsylvania
• First Settler: Denman Coe, a Yankee schoolteacher who arrived around 1794
• Early industries included fur trading, grist mills, and German Lutheran settlements in the area known as Dutch Flats
• Historic landmarks include the Bridge in Dreher Township and the Ella C. Ehrhardt General Store in Newfoundland

👥 Demographics

• Population: ~1,428 (2023 estimate)
• Median Age: ~45 years
• Racial Makeup: ~67% White, ~18% Hispanic or Latino, with small percentages of Asian, Black, and multiracial residents
• Median Household Income: ~$50,208
• Poverty Rate: ~23.5% — higher than county and state averages

🏘️ Community Life

• School District: Served by the Wallenpaupack Area School District
• Government: Managed by a Board of Supervisors
• Community Hub: Carlton Drake Memorial Park — hosts little league, soccer, scouting, farmers markets, and nature trails along Wallenpaupack Creek
• Annual Event: The GDS Fair in late August draws locals and visitors alike

🌿 Nature & Recreation

• Surrounded by streams, lakes, meadows, and woodlands
• Close to Lake Wallenpaupack, offering boating, fishing, and swimming
• Popular for hiking, wildlife watching, and seasonal foliage