Index>Station Info>Cranberry Lake

---

Cranberry Lake (Summit Switch), New Jersey

MP 52.81 (DL&W) 4.3 (SRR)

Telegraph Call: CD

---

This post card view shows Cranberry Lake at it's height.

---

The first station at Cranberry Lake (originally known as 'the reservoir',) was a 21 x 15 ft. open shelter structure was built in 1898. In the period between 1902 to about 1910 the lake experienced a rise and fall in activity, both railroad and social. The Lackawanna developed a peninsula on Cranberry Lake into a parkland resort where city folk could come on Sundays for a one-day excursion into the countryside. The rudimentary station shelter was moved, enclosed to become a ticket office, and the platform was extended from 400 to 800 feet. In 1903 and a large hotel was built on the lake to accommodate vacationers.

Within ten years however, the holiday crowds had degraded into drunken revelers and the charm of Cranberry lake had disappeared, to both the excursionists and the locals around it. In 1910 the Hotel burned down and soon after the bridge was torn out. By 1920 the station was once again a rude shelter and by 1943, when the station closed, Cranberry lake was a flag stop.

---

Pictures

• Cranberry Lake view showing the lake and train station ca. 1902
• The 'Enchanted Bridge' which led from the train station to the grove across the lake.
• The Cranberry Lake Hotel which burned in December of 1910.
• Patrons of the resort were thrilled to ride on the miniature train which was added to the attractions in 1903.
• A view of the station as seen from the grove.
• The Hotel, station and bridge as seen from the grove.
• The Suspension bridge which was built in the late 1920s.
• A birdseye view of the lake in the mid 1920s.
• This is the wooden bridge which the Cranberry Lake development Company built in the early 1920s. It didn't last very long and was later replaced by the Suspension bridge.
• A 1940s view of the Lake (a black and white view of the same card can be seen here.)
• Cliff's Inn later became the surrogate train station.
• A 1960s view of Cliff's Inn, facing east.
• East bound freight at Panther Lake crossing.
  • Station Agents List