SOURCE: Various
There are numerous communities in our region with interesting histories. Two of our largest are Lehighton and Palmerton. We did some research and want to share a bit of history on each.
Lehighton
Lehighton, nestled along the banks of the Lehigh River, boasts a rich history dating back to its origins as the Moravian mission of “Gnadenhuetten” in 1746. By 1794, the land that would become Lehighton was owned by Jacob Weiss and William Henry. Together they meticulously laid out streets, alleys, and a central square, giving birth to the village of Lehighton.
The village grew into a center of industry and commerce during the Industrial Revolution. The town’s industrial growth was due to the Lehigh River’s water power and the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Lehighton was incorporated as a borough in 1866.
Amidst the town’s bustling streets, the air resonated with the hum of machinery from silk and lace mills, as well as the activities of businesses like the Lehigh Stove Works, Obert’s Packing House, and the Central Carriage Works. These enterprises played a pivotal role in shaping Lehighton’s economy and solidifying its reputation as a hub for progress and industry.
Other mentions of note include that once upon a time there was a beverage called Moxie that outsold Coca-Cola in the early 1900s. At one point, Lehighton was the only place outside of Boston where Moxie was bottled. It’s also reported that around 1921 about 30,000 people were on hand to watch a world record be set as Indy-type cars raced the dirt track at the Lehighton Fairgrounds.
Palmerton
Lehighton’s neighboring town of Palmerton was founded in 1898 and incorporated in 1912. Palmerton, in Pennsylvania’s northeastern coal region, had its beginnings largely as a company town. It was built around the area’s growing zinc mining industry, which began in 1898. It is located about five miles north of Slatington and Walnutport, seven southeast of Lehighton and about 20 miles north of Allentown.
The town is named after Stephen Palmer who was once the head of the New Jersey Zinc Company. That company was the largest U.S. producer of zinc for many years. The zinc was used for brass and construction materials.
Unfortunately, the company left more than just a name imprinted on the town, it also left a toxic legacy on the landscape. As a result of the industrial activities that took place in Palmerton for more than 80 years, the town was left with an enormous smelting residue pile known locally as the “Cinder Bank.” The Cinder Bank is what is what remains of the 33 million tons of slag (rocky waste) left by the New Jersey Zinc Company as a byproduct of its mining operations.
The Palmerton site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1983 and cleanup of the town, Blue Mountain, and the Cinder Bank, has been going on since 1987. A great deal of progress has been made since 1987 as the result of the clean-up effort. According to its Chamber of Commerce, Palmerton is again a growing town, making excellent progress in moving beyond the once-tainted shadow of its history.
