Lacawac Sanctuary offers friends, supporters and the general public an opportunity to enjoy the holidays with a traditional afternoon Holiday Tea and Tour on either November 21 or 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. 

The event will offer traditional English tea and a selection of tea sandwiches, fruit, and desserts. The Holiday Tea will be held at the Historic Watres Lodge, 94 Sanctuary Rd., Lake Ariel, Wayne County, a 1903 summer home and on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The Watres Lodge is made of all southern yellow pine including exterior shakes and interior wall, floor and ceiling treatments. Local oak was used for the trim and exterior features such as railings and columns.

It features 13 separate gables! A large, open sitting porch faces the lake. There are 8 bedrooms, a summer sleeping porch, 3 bathrooms, a large kitchen, pantry, walk in ice box, seasonal breezeway, dining room and parlor. Large screened wrap-around porches formerly adorned the exterior but were removed as a result of extensive termite damage.

Interior highlights include the inglenook fireplace surrounded by an expansive double staircase in the parlor. A window wall and door lead outside to the large lake fronting porch. Hatch doors allow passing firewood directly into storage boxes by the fireplace.

The expansive dining room - which today can seat over 25 people for dinner - has its own fireplace and built-in oak china cabinets. 

The bisecting breezeway provides cool air in summer between the kitchen and the rest of the house. Off the kitchen is a large pantry with built in oak cabinets but missing are the original 3 stone wash sinks used by the servants and the big coal stove.

The Lodge is available for rental and is ideal for family reunions, corporate retreats, weddings, family celebrations, or a summer weekend get-away with family and friends.

Cost of the Tea is $15 per person and reservations are required.   Space is limited, and tickets can be reserved by calling 570-689-9494 or send email to: info@lacawac.org.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Lacawac Sanctuary website.

11/16/2015