BOROWSKY'S

by Bill Sawchuck  Lake Lackawanna History & Lore

This RPPC shows Paul & Mary Borowsky’s home, boarding and boat rental business, located at 175 Lackawanna Drive. On the reverse, it simply states “Boarding – Tourists Accommodated – Boats for Hire”. The image most likely dates to the late 1930s or early 1940s. According to Al Jarvis, the property was deeded to Paul and Mary Borowsky on 28 June 1938. Prior to this, the property was owned by Martin & Clara Singer. Martin Singer, who owned a motion picture company, died sometime prior to 1930. Clara Singer, who was Mary Borowsky’s sister, is known to have resided at the property at least as far back as 1928 (based on another postcard from my collection).

Paul & Mary Borowsky were my godparents. My family lived at the Borowsky property from 1957-1972. We lived in all three apartments over the years, having moved into the Borowsky’s apartment itself (the stonework section), following the sale of the property to the LLIC in the late 1960s. In 1972 we moved to the other side of the lake at 12 Heminover Street.

As can be seen, the outer appearance of the Borowsky home has changed significantly from when this postcard photo was taken. It is believed that Paul Borowsky, a mason, did the brickwork renovation when the building was converted to full-time rental apartments. The date of this renovation, however, is unknown.

175 Lackawanna Drive and surrounding areas are historically significant as this was originally the site of the McPeek farm, one of only three properties that were present when Lake Lackawanna was first created in 1910 following the construction of the Lackawanna Cutoff. It is interesting to note that the middle apartment at Borowsky’s, as pictured in the postcard, is in actuality the site of old McPeek farmhouse; the farmhouse itself being “newly” modified just shortly after the creation of the lake in 1910 (based on other images from postcards in my collection). The original and subsequently renovated farmhouse did not include the stonework section. The stonework section was an addition that was added sometime prior to 1928.

Another view of Paul Borowsky’s boathouse from the late 1950s. That’s Island Park (aka Turtle Island) on the left.

In the 1960s I remember finding many of those old advertising tin signs, like the Pepsi ad, stored in the old chicken coops behind our house across the street. Sure wish I had those signs now.