Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Catasauqua is a borough in Lehigh County
, Pennsylvania
, settled in 1805 and chartered as a borough in 1853. Catasauqua is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania
in the Lehigh Valley
region of the state.
Historically, manufacturing was Catasauqua's principal industry, and, in 1839, it was the location of the first manufactured anthracite iron
in the nation. Catasauqua's population in 1910 was 5,250. The population was 6,588 at the 2000 census. The word Catasauqua is shortened to "Catty" in local dialect when speaking of the place.
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.31%) is water.
of 2000, there were 6,588 people, 2,616 households, and 1,750 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 5,205.7 people per square mile (2,002.9/km²). There were 2,747 housing units at an average density of 2,170.6 per square mile (835.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.60% White, 1.18% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population.
There were 2,616 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $42,432, and the median income for a family was $48,589. Males had a median income of $32,320 versus $45,730 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $18,906. About 5.4% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
, signer of the Declaration of Independence, built a Georgian stone house in 1768 in what is now the borough of Catasauqua. Today, the George Taylor House is a National Historic Landmark
, a showpiece of the community's rich historical heritage.
In 1840, the anthracite iron industry was founded in what is now known as Catasauqua, originally Biery's Port, making it a birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
in the United States.
Welsh immigrant David Thomas
relocated to the area and opened the Crane Iron Works
. Remembered as "the father of Catasauqua," Thomas initially named the community Craneville, after his former employer in Wales
.
The wealthy, generous Thomases were responsible for many sweeping changes to the prosperity of the community. David Thomas founded the Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua, in which residents still worship today, and his wife Elizabeth donated money and land to found the Welsh Congregational Church, which no longer exists. Thomas organized Catasauqua's first fire company, installed its first public water system, and served as its first burgess.
In 1854, the town was formally titled Catasauqua , from the Lenni Lenape language, meaning "dry ground" or "thirsty ground."
Catasauqua is home to two different neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. One is Biery's Port, located along the Lehigh River
and named for an early family of prominence; the other is known as "the mansion district," and comprises Victorian homes once owned by wealthy residents.
By 1900, Catasauqua boasted 5,000 residents, and had the highest percentage of self-made millionaires of any town in the United States
.
In 1917, while many of the young men of the town served in World War I
, Catasauqua became the first community in the United States to raise $1 million in war bonds, earning it the nickname "The Million Dollar Town."
Catasauqua observed its 150th anniversary of incorporation in 2004.
. The school district has 3 schools: Sheckler Elementary (grades k-4), Catasauqua Middle School (grades 5-8), and Catasauqua High School (grades 9-12).
Coplay
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
-Climate:Most of the county's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, settled in 1805 and chartered as a borough in 1853. Catasauqua is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of the state.
Historically, manufacturing was Catasauqua's principal industry, and, in 1839, it was the location of the first manufactured anthracite iron
Anthracite iron
Anthracite iron is the substance created by the smelting together of anthracite coal and iron ore.-Development of the process:Research into the smelting of iron using anthracite coal began in the 1820s...
in the nation. Catasauqua's population in 1910 was 5,250. The population was 6,588 at the 2000 census. The word Catasauqua is shortened to "Catty" in local dialect when speaking of the place.
Borough officials
- Barbara Schlegel - Mayor
- Eugene Goldfeder - Borough Manager
- Susan Hein - Treasurer
- Brian K. McKittrick - Council President
- Tammy Cameron - Council Vice-President
- Mica Smith - Council Member
- Vince Smith - Council Member
- Alfred Regits - Council Member
- Brian Bartholomew - Council Member
- Jessica Kroope - Council Member
- Douglas Kish - Police Chief
- Richard Hertzog Jr - Fire Chief
Geography
Catasauqua is located at 40°39′11"N 75°28′3"W (40.652995, -75.467627). Nearby large communities include Allentown three miles (5 km) to the south and BethlehemBethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.31%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,588 people, 2,616 households, and 1,750 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,205.7 people per square mile (2,002.9/km²). There were 2,747 housing units at an average density of 2,170.6 per square mile (835.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.60% White, 1.18% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population.
There were 2,616 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $42,432, and the median income for a family was $48,589. Males had a median income of $32,320 versus $45,730 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $18,906. About 5.4% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
History
George TaylorGeorge Taylor (delegate)
George Taylor was a Colonial ironmaster and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Pennsylvania...
, signer of the Declaration of Independence, built a Georgian stone house in 1768 in what is now the borough of Catasauqua. Today, the George Taylor House is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
, a showpiece of the community's rich historical heritage.
In 1840, the anthracite iron industry was founded in what is now known as Catasauqua, originally Biery's Port, making it a birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in the United States.
Welsh immigrant David Thomas
David Thomas (industrialist)
David Thomas was a native of Wales who was influential in the birth of the Industrial Revolution in the US.-Development of the hot blast:David Thomas was born in Cadoxton, near Neath...
relocated to the area and opened the Crane Iron Works
Lehigh Crane Iron Company
The Lehigh Crane Iron Company was a major ironmaking firm in the Lehigh Valley from its founding in 1839 until its sale in 1899. It was founded under the patronage of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, which hoped to promote the then-novel technique of smelting iron ore with anthracite coal...
. Remembered as "the father of Catasauqua," Thomas initially named the community Craneville, after his former employer in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
The wealthy, generous Thomases were responsible for many sweeping changes to the prosperity of the community. David Thomas founded the Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua, in which residents still worship today, and his wife Elizabeth donated money and land to found the Welsh Congregational Church, which no longer exists. Thomas organized Catasauqua's first fire company, installed its first public water system, and served as its first burgess.
In 1854, the town was formally titled Catasauqua , from the Lenni Lenape language, meaning "dry ground" or "thirsty ground."
Catasauqua is home to two different neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. One is Biery's Port, located along the Lehigh River
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is a river located in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. Part of the Lehigh, along with a number of its tributaries, is designated a Pennsylvania Scenic River by the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources...
and named for an early family of prominence; the other is known as "the mansion district," and comprises Victorian homes once owned by wealthy residents.
By 1900, Catasauqua boasted 5,000 residents, and had the highest percentage of self-made millionaires of any town in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1917, while many of the young men of the town served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Catasauqua became the first community in the United States to raise $1 million in war bonds, earning it the nickname "The Million Dollar Town."
Catasauqua observed its 150th anniversary of incorporation in 2004.
Notable people
- Buck FreemanBuck FreemanJohn Frank "Buck" Freeman was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century. Freeman was one of the top sluggers of his era, his most famous feat being the 25 home runs he hit during the 1899 season.A native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, Freeman showed talent as...
, professional baseball player, 1891-1907. Played with Washington SenatorsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. Born in Catasauqua. - Pat KellyPat Kelly (baseball infielder)Patrick Franklin Kelly is a former Major League Baseball infielder, he played in the major leagues for nine seasons. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the ninth round of the 1988 amateur draft, but did not make his playing debut at the major league level until May 20, 1991 at age 23...
, professional baseball player, New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, 1991-97. Catasauqua High School graduate. - Bert KuczynskiBert KuczynskiBernard Carl "Bert" Kuczynski was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics of the MLB and an American football tight end in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles. He attended the University of Pennsylvania...
, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1943, and tight end in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, 1943, and Philadelphia Eagles, 1946. Taught and coached at Catasauqua High School. - Larry MillerLarry MillerLarry Miller is the name of:*Larry H. Miller , American businessman, owner of the Utah Jazz 1985–2009*Larry Miller , American comedian, actor and columnist...
, Class of 1964, Basketball Star for University of North CarolinaUniversity of North CarolinaChartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
during the 1960s and played professionally in the ABA from 1968-1975 as a member of the Los Angeles Stars, Carolina CougarsCarolina CougarsCarolina Cougars was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from late 1969 through 1974. The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967. The Mavericks moved to North Carolina in late 1969 after two unsuccessful...
, San Diego ConquistadorsSan Diego ConquistadorsThe San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
, Virginia SquiresVirginia SquiresThe Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
, and Utah StarsUtah StarsThe Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
.
Public education
The Borough is served by the Catasauqua Area School DistrictCatasauqua Area School District
The Catasauqua Area School District spans portions of two counties. In Lehigh County, Pennsylvania it covers the Borough of Catasauqua and Hanover Township. In Northampton County, Pennsylvania it covers the Borough of North Catasauqua...
. The school district has 3 schools: Sheckler Elementary (grades k-4), Catasauqua Middle School (grades 5-8), and Catasauqua High School (grades 9-12).
External links
- Borough of Catasauqua
- Catasauqua and North Catasauqua (a book on Catasauqua, Pennsylvania) (ISBN 0-7385-1103-X).
- Historic Catasauqua Preservation Association
Coplay
Coplay, Pennsylvania
Coplay is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, six miles northwest of Allentown. It is part of the Lehigh Valley region of the state. In 1900, 1,581 people lived in Coplay; in 1910, 2,670 people lived there...