How the Glynn Family Found Their Home at Duck Harbor Pond
By William Glynn
The Dream of a Lake House
While raising three boys in our north Jersey home, it was always our dream to have a lake house in a rural country setting. As the years passed and the boys were nearly grown, we realized that all our conversations—often accompanied by many bottles of wine—had not led to any progress in finding our dream getaway.
In 1995, we decided to take action and search for a lake house within 100 miles of our New Jersey residence. We drew a circle on a map with a 100-mile radius and began researching vacation properties inside that area.
Searching for the Perfect Place
Most New Jersey lakes were extremely busy, which prompted us to expand our search into Pennsylvania. Judy found an ad in the Bergen Record, a local North Jersey newspaper, for five- and ten-acre parcels on a pristine lake in northeast Pennsylvania.
We visited “The Woods at Duck Harbor Pond,” but all the lakefront properties had already been sold in Phase 1, and since we wanted to buy rather than build, we kept looking. The lake was beautiful and the country setting matched what we had envisioned.
A year or two later, after exploring numerous lake communities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Judy saw another ad in the same newspaper for a house for sale by owner on a 200-acre lake in northeast Pennsylvania.
We contacted the owner, who was unavailable that weekend but suggested we spend the day on their deck, peek in their windows, and enjoy the views of the lake. We found ourselves back at Duck Harbor Pond. The house was charming, but the property was small, so we continued our search.
That same day, we noticed a house for sale on Laurel Lane. We reached out to the realtor and scheduled an appointment. We returned to Duck Harbor the following weekend (no directions needed by then). The house and property appealed to us, but the price was beyond our budget, so our search continued.
Finding the Perfect Home
About a year later, after almost weekly visits to lake properties, Judy called the realtor for the Laurel Lane property to check if it was still available. The realtor confirmed it was and that the owner was motivated to sell. The property transaction was finalized in February 1998.
The sale included a 17’ Bass Tracker fishing boat and a Honda ATV, neither of which we knew how to start or operate. Fortunately, a neighbor was gracious enough to help us with both—provided we brought him Jersey tomatoes.
Sadly, Judy passed away in 2009. Duck Harbor Pond was her most favorite place and her spirit and kind heart will be here and with us forever.
Building a Legacy at Duck Harbor
Twenty-eight years have passed, filled with friendships, memories, and hard work, and we would not trade those experiences for anything.
I now share my life with Tricia Woerner. She is a part of our family and is by my side as we navigate through our “golden years”.
This past summer, my nine-year-old granddaughter said, “Grandpa, this place is magical.” With that sentiment, we believe there will be Glynn’s at Duck Harbor Pond for generations to come.
