IInitially the developer considered proposing as many as 8,000 homes to be built on the tract. Thankfully, that proposal never got off the ground and the community ended up with less than half that amount. The purchase price was considered high. However, after considering the many amenities that were included in the sale it actually was a bargain price for the new developer. Today, Hemlock Farms is surrounded by over 84,000 acres of state and federal forest lands. In addition to the state and federal lands the community is also surrounded by private hunting and fishing clubs, such as Blooming Grove, Blue Heron and Porter’s Lake. Between June of 1963 and June of 1964 the developer was already selling lots for sale with full page advertisements appearing in the New York Times magazine section and the Philadelphia Inquirer. In addition, parcels of land were deeded to the Catholic Church, the Ecumenical Church of Hemlock Farms and the Jewish Fellowship. The Steer Barn was used for community meetings and social events.

In 1966, the original Teen Complex was built which is now the Day Camp Building. By 1969 the Hemlock Farms Volunteer Ambulance Corps was formed and the first ambulance was delivered. Shortly thereafter, the Hemlock Farms Volunteer Ambulance Corps Woman’s Auxiliary was established as well as the Volunteer Fire Company. By the summer of 1972 Hemlock’s 4th lake was completed when Elm beach was opened and ready for use.

“There is no greater time for any community than the day the developers are gone and the community controls its own destiny”.

In 1973 – 1975 Hemlock Farms Community Association made major steps forward when an agreement was negotiated with the Developer to make improvements in the Steer Barn and provide other amenities, and to turn over all lands and properties prior to the developer leaving. By 1979 the Hemlock Farms membership approved final settlement of all outstanding issues with the developer. This agreement made Hemlock Farms Community Association (HFCA) independent of the Developer and assumed control of the water company, all roads and amenities. This landmark decision was approved by the membership on April 28, 1979 with final settlement taking place with the Developer two months later on June 22, 1979. There is no greater time for any community than the day the developers are gone and the community controls its own destiny.

Hemlock Lake, Lower lake and McConnell lake

Hemlock Farms Fire and Rescue Company - Currently has 60 active members and 80 aux.  Engine, ladder, heavy rescue, light rescue, 2 ambulances, dive boar, quad, brush truck, traffic control unit, pumper, chief vehicle and support vehicle.

The 1980’s saw Hemlock grow dramatically and the association needed to keep pace with the growth. For years there was talk of a new indoor pool. In 1987 the membership approved construction of the project but when the bids came in too high the project was temporarily scrapped. In 1990 the membership approved three new building projects – a Community Club with indoor pool at $1.8 million, a new Mail Room at $300,000 and a new Administration Building at $500,000. The Indoor Pool and Recreation Center’s grand opening was held on leap year day February 29, 1992. A huge crown attended in zero degree temperatures. By this time the community already had almost 2,500 homes. By the year 2000 the community continued to flourish and prosper. New home construction continued to grow with over 3,100 homes at the present time. From the 1960’s through the 1980’s Hemlock was considered a vacation home community, but as the 1990’s approached and Hemlock entered the new millennium there seemed to be a dramatic transformation from “vacation” home residents to “primary” residents where families began living at Hemlock year round.	Hemlock Lake overlooking Little Camp Beach
	Steer Barn and Clubhouse - Includes indoor and outdoor pools, locker rooks, sauna, steam room, fitness center, game room, craft rooms, large auditorium.

In 2001 Hemlock dramatically updated their water system with the construction of a new one million gallon water storage tank. In 2003 the community broke ground for the new Public Safety Building. A year later membership approved the expenditure of $400,000 for the purchase of 36 acres of land adjacent to Rite Aid and Hemlock Farms between Overlook Drive and the million gallon water facility. Many community residents are in favor of using the property for a new entrance way to Hemlock Farms.

From its conception 45 years ago Hemlock Farms has not forgotten its historic past and architectural heritage. Many of the original buildings on the Brewster estate had a common theme by using brown clapboard siding, red windows with green trim and blue fascia board.

“The best way for Hemlock Farms to perpetuate the Brewster legacy was by taking the architectural heritage from the past and making it part of the future.”

Hemlock has continued that architectural tradition by building the Clubhouse and Indoor Pool, the Public Safety building, the Mail Room and the Administration building in that same theme. The best way for Hemlock Farms to perpetuate the Brewster legacy was by taking the architectural heritage from the past and making it part of the future. The backbone of Hemlock Farms has always been with its membership dating back to 1963. When the Hemlock Farms Community Association was founded back in the 1960’s it always strived to benefit all its members. The Board of Directors has a challenge to impeccably maintain the roads, the water system and amenities, yet hold the line on association dues. For many years the Board has successfully carried out this principle with the help of a number of standing committees that have worked diligently for the betterment of the association and its membership. Today there are 11 important committees that contribute to the success of Hemlock Farms including: Appeals, Architectural, Official Publication and Public Information, Elections, Finance, Planning and Land Use, Public Health, Safety and Security, Public Works and Physical Properties, Recreation, and Environmental.

Public Safety Building - Built in 2003.  This building contains 3 offices, large dispatch area, 3 conference rooms, men and women's locker rooms with showers for the patrol officers and dispatchers.  Upstairs is a storage area for equipment and office space for the advance life support personnel.

McConnell Lake over 100 acres of pristine spring fed lake has tow fishing access areas and laurel Ridge Beach area.

Hemlock Farms continues to set the standard for other communities to be judged by. Its future is as bright as its past. The Community Association coupled with its many dedicated volunteers insures itself of a future that has no limits.

In the mid 1780's, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania began issuing land grants in our region, most of them in the Blooming Grove Lord's Valley area. Hemlock Farms, at that time more heavily wooded with marshy bogs and rocks, was not attractive to potential farmers. Nonetheless, a series of twelve grants starting in 1793 brought almost all of the present Hemlock Farms into private hands. The great mass of ungranted lands surrounding the community survives today as state owned forest and hunting preserves.

The beginning of the modern Hemlock Farms was made in 1927 when William Brewster acquired the entire Atkinson holdings from Harry J. Atkinson. These holdings represented about two-thirds of Hemlock Farms. The Atkinson holdings included the entire present golf course area, and much of the land south of Hemlock Farms Road to Route 739 (except the Steer Barn region). Brewster, a young man of not quite thirty, was the son of George Brewster, a highly successful contractor from Bergen County, New Jersey. The Brewster Construction Company built the Pike County section of Route 402. The Atkinson holdings included the entire present golf course area, and pretty much all of the land south of Hemlock Farms Road to Route 739 (except the Steer Barr region).

In 1966, the original Teen Complex was built which is now the Day Camp Building. By 1969 the Hemlock Farms Volunteer Ambulance Corps was formed and the first ambulance was delivered. Shortly thereafter, the Hemlock Farms Volunteer Ambulance Corps Woman’s Auxiliary was established as well as the Volunteer Fire Company. By the summer of 1972 Hemlock’s 4th lake was completed when Elm beach was opened and ready for use. “There is no greater time for any community than the day the developers are gone and the community controls its own destiny”.

 In 1973 – 1975 Hemlock Farms Community Association made major steps forward when an agreement was negotiated with the Developer to make improvements in the Steer Barn and provide other amenities, and to turn over all lands and properties prior to the developer leaving. By 1979 the Hemlock Farms membership approved final settlement of all outstanding issues with the developer. This agreement made Hemlock Farms Community Association (HFCA) independent of the Developer and assumed control of the water company, all roads and amenities. This landmark decision was approved by the membership on April 28, 1979 with final settlement taking place with the Developer two months later on June 22, 1979. There is no greater time for any community than the day the developers are gone and the community controls its own destiny. 

The 1980’s saw Hemlock grow dramatically and the association needed to keep pace with the growth. For years there was talk of a new indoor pool. In 1987 the membership approved construction of the project but when the bids came in too high the project was temporarily scrapped. In 1990 the membership approved three new building projects – a Community Club with indoor pool at $1.8 million, a new Mail Room at $300,000 and a new Administration Building at $500,000.

The Indoor Pool and Recreation Center’s grand opening was held on leap year day February 29, 1992. A huge crown attended in zero degree temperatures. By this time the community already had almost 2,500 homes.

By the year 2000 the community continued to flourish and prosper. New home construction continued to grow with over 3,100 homes at the present time. From the 1960’s through the 1980’s Hemlock was considered a vacation home community, but as the 1990’s approached and Hemlock entered the new millennium there seemed to be a dramatic transformation from “vacation” home residents to “primary” residents where families began living at Hemlock year round.

In 2001 Hemlock dramatically updated their water system with the construction of a new one million gallon water storage tank. In 2003 the community broke ground for the new Public Safety Building. A year later membership approved the expenditure of $400,000 for the purchase of 36 acres of land adjacent to Rite Aid and Hemlock Farms between Overlook Drive and the million gallon water facility. Many community residents are in favor of using the property for a new entrance way to Hemlock Farms.

From its conception 45 years ago Hemlock Farms has not forgotten its historic past and architectural heritage. Many of the original buildings on the Brewster estate had a common theme by using brown clapboard siding, red windows with green trim and blue fascia board.

“The best way for Hemlock Farms to perpetuate the Brewster legacy was by taking the architectural heritage from the past and making it part of the future.”

Hemlock has continued that architectural tradition by building the Clubhouse and Indoor Pool, the Public Safety building, the Mail Room and the Administration building in that same theme. The best way for Hemlock Farms to perpetuate the Brewster legacy was by taking the architectural heritage from the past and making it part of the future.

The backbone of Hemlock Farms has always been with its membership dating back to 1963. When the Hemlock Farms Community Association was founded back in the 1960’s it always strived to benefit all its members. The Board of Directors has a challenge to impeccably maintain the roads, the water system and amenities, yet hold the line on association dues. For many years the Board has successfully carried out this principle with the help of a number of standing committees that have worked diligently for the betterment of the association and its membership. Today there are 11 important committees that contribute to the success of Hemlock Farms including: Appeals, Architectural, Official Publication and Public Information, Elections, Finance, Planning and Land Use, Public Health, Safety and Security, Public Works and Physical Properties, Recreation, and Environmental.

Hemlock Farms continues to set the standard for other communities to be judged by. Its future is as bright as its past. The Community Association coupled with its many dedicated volunteers insures itself of a future that has no limits.

The Brewsters maintained the property as a steer ranch and as a retreat for family, friends and business associates. Here they entertained politicians  and governors with hunting and turkey shoots in the hopes of potential roads and new highway construction.  George Brewster built his country house (the present-day Lord's Valley Country Club Lodge) from the timbers and stones found in the surrounding area.

In 1932, he built the dam that created Hemlock Lake, located below the main house, to provide a landing area for his amphibious plane. The font nine of the Lords Valley Country Club golf course and the buildings around and near it were also the handiwork of George Brewster and Company.

The estate included the front entrance tower which years ago was 20 feet taller.  The upper section was dismantled by the Country Club Association for fear of wind damage and possible endangerment to members.  This medieval looking structure provided a panoramic view of the lake and surrounding lands and housed generators which gave the estate electricity before public utility companies existed.

The old horse stable and well house still remain on orchard Drive along with several buildings from the original Brewster complex.

The western portion of Hemlock Farms was originally owned by Matthew and Juanetta McConnell.  In 1944 Brewster purchased a large part of the McConnell holdings, about 300 acres and McConnell's Pond for $20,000.  Shortly, after that he built the dam that made McConnell Lake out of the originally pond.  This property held the original steer barn which provided shelter for Brewster's cattle. (The barn has been completely renovated by the Hemlock Farms Community Association for the use of community activities.)  One descendent of the McConnell family is Kathy Thorsen, still a resident of Hemlock Farms.

In 1950, Brewster bought a not too successful hunting club owned by the Spruke Brothers of Scranton.  The Spruke's Camp Hunt club - the only surviving trace is the remains of a small hunting club owned by the Spruke Brothers of Scranton.  The Spruke's Camp Hunt club - the only surviving trace is the remains of a small hunting lodge still to be seen just off gold Rush Drive.  Except for some minor exchanges of land with the State, the borders of the community were now set, and except for the addition of elm lake by the developer in 1972-1974, the main features of Hemlock Farms topography remain as William Brewster Created them.

In 1929, Brewster incorporated the property under the name of Camp Hemlock, thus approaching the eventual name of the community Hemlock Farms.

According to don Wade, President of the Bank of Matamoras, it was published in the American Banker that on at least one occasion during world War 11, both President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill secretly met at Brewster's house to consult and discuss progress of the war.

In 1963, the Brewster Corporation met with unforeseen costs in the construction of a ramp for the George Washington Bridge.  this resulted in the sale of the Blooming Grove estate to Western Heritage Properties Limited, a Canadian based firm, that became the initial developer of the present day Hemlock Farms.

Today Hemlock Farms is the premier private single-home community in the Poconos.  The facilities are owned and managed by our own association whose membership is property and homeowners.  Out community has 4500 acres with 72 miles of paved roads.  There are more than 2500 homes with about 900 year round families in residence.