Lake Wallenpaupack-Peck's Pond-Egypt Meadow Lake
Promised Land Lake - Pine Lake - Little Mud Pond
Decker Pond - Billings Pond - Greeley Lake - Lake Shohola
White Deer Lake - Bruce Lake - Lower Lake - Lake Minisink
Stairway Lake - Long Pond - Fairview Lake

Shohola Creek - Lackawaxen River - Middle Branch
Saw Creek - Little Bushkill - Sawkill Creek
Decker Hallow Creek - Big Bushkill

Stuki Pond - Delaware River

Pike County was originally established in 1814, but it was not until 1850 that Blooming Grove was actually named a township. There are two versions of the name's origin. Some residents contend that as the pioneers traveled the old trail they were struck by the abundant flowering mountain laurel (Pennsylvania's state flower). Another popular explanation was that early passers-by came upon a clearing of mature apple trees in full bloom giving reason for its present name.

Early in the development of the area, the only economic activity was logging. In those days land was so inexpensive that loggers found it more profitable to purchase the land instead of merely contracting for the timber. At this time, names like Lords, the Atkinson,and the Westbrooks acquired extensive amounts of timberland. The original pine and hemlock forests of the areas were stripped off, and replaced with the maples and oaks, which still dominate its woods today.

With an abundance of forest and streams, the area was well adapted to lumbering. In fact, so much so that instead of the moving lumber to mills, the mills moved to the lumber. At one time or another nearly every stream in the township had powered a sawmill blade. Where streams were not available, large metal boilers were used to power steam driven mills. The plentiful supply of wood was used for fuel.

Of the 47,500 acres included in the township, it is estimated that 95% is maintained as state forest and game land, or as private hunting land.

In 1809 Levi Lord, along with his son Simeon and 12 associates from England, came to this region in hopes of purchasing a land traded from Dr.Phillip Myddleton, Discovering some title problem, the entire group except for Lord decided to purchase elsewhere. In 1810 Lord procured a valid title and the property became part of Blooming Grove Township.

The Lords of Liverpool made their first home in the cabin of Sam Helm, a noted woodsman whom apparently "squatted"on the land. Helm acknowledged Lord's claim to the property and offered it to him, and in the same gentlemanly spirit. Lord is said to have paid Helm for his improvements.

The Lords began to make their living in the abundant timber. In response to traffic in the area, Simeon Lord built a hotel in 1850. (The Lord House today is a Pike County Historic Site as well as a State Historic Site.) In the early part of the century, Sim Lord, Jr. (son of Simeon Lord and grandson of Levi Lord) managed the hotel and sold gasoline. The Lords Valley Post Office also operated out of the Lord House until 1955 when the Hawley Post Office assumed its responsibilities.