Personal Journey: Eagles Mere, serene and lovely

Eagles Mere is a beautiful, serene, lovely place in the Endless Mountains of north-central Pennsylvania. In the early 1900s, it was a retreat for Philadelphia's well-to-do, but now it's affordable for everyone.

I spent about 10 summers there, living in a house outside the borough and running an art gallery, where I sold my paintings and gave lessons. My husband would come up on weekends, and my teenaged daughter worked a few summers there, including one selling candy at the Sweet Shop.

The very best part of Eagles Mere was the natural lake - one of the few in the state. Some grand old houses overlooked the lake, but the only buildings along the shore were a beach house and the Edgemere Dock for the Hardly Able, the only motorboat allowed on the lake. The Hardly Able ferried people to the beach on the other side of the lake, but I mostly took the half-hour round-trip for the scenery.

I'd also take leisurely walks around the lake on Laurel Path, watching the Sunfish and Sailfish boats skimming across the water. Then it was off to the Sweet Shop for an ice cream cone.

Sometimes when I was eating dinner at the Sweet Shop and gazing out the window, I'd see someone stop at my gallery. So, I'd leave my meal on the table and run across the street to open up.

The town also had a bank, a general store, a linen shop and several B&Bs. The well-restored Crestmont Inn was perched on the town's highest point, offering charming rooms, delicious meals and a fantastic view.

And outside town, campsites and cabins were available at Worlds End State Park.

Eagles Mere is known as the Town that Time Forgot. I know I'll never forget it.