North Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
North Catasauqua is a borough
in Northampton County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. North Catasauqua in located in the Lehigh Valley
region of the state. The borough was founded in 1907. In August, 2008, Borough Council officially adopted and christened North Catasauqua as "small Town U.S.A.", with a campaign devised by the North Catasauqua Betterment Committee for the official recognition.
The population of North Catasauqua was 2,814 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (1.9 km²), of which, 0.7 square miles (1.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (2.67%) is water.
The Lehigh River and the Lehigh Canal and towpath provides the western border of the borough.
The governing body consists of a Council President, Council Vice-President, five council members, a borough secretary, and a borough treasurer who are voted into office by the citizens of the borough.
of 2000, there were 2,814 people, 1,136 households, and 791 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,825.5 people per square mile (1,468.2/km²). There were 1,186 housing units at an average density of 1,612.3 per square mile (618.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.73% White, 0.46% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 1,136 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $39,375, and the median income for a family was $47,214. Males had a median income of $35,324 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $19,424. About 5.2% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
met at the Northampton Hotel, and signed a petition declaring the formation of the Borough of North Catasauqua. This petition was submitted to the county in early June, the final decree of incorporation was made on June 11, and was officially entered into the records on June 17. Shortly after the incorporation was made official, the first borough elections were held, with William H. Thomas becoming the first burgess, an office equivalent to a present day mayor
.
Located between the larger boroughs of Catasauqua
in Lehigh County
, and Northampton
in Northampton County, North Catasauqua quickly grew as businesses and residents came into the new borough. Eventually a police department was formed along with the Charotin Fire Department
in 1909. A new combined firehouse and municipal building was built in 1911; prior to this, fire-fighting equipment was housed at the Hoffman and Follweiler stables. Church services were held around the borough at various places of worship including St. Lawrence Church (built in 1857), St. Andrew’s Church (built in 1903), and Holy Trinity Church (built in 1903).
On June 14, 1947, the borough celebrated the opening of the North Catasauqua Park and Playground, built on 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land purchased from Northampton County. At the time, the park included a war memorial
, complete with flagpole and monument (erected in 1945); playground
equipment; a baseball diamond; and 95 Sycamore trees
. The park and playground quickly became a popular spot for play and recreation, as well as band concerts, picnics, the borough Christmas tree, and carnivals.
The Willowbrook Golf Course has played an important role in the borough’s development. The golf course
was originally a private five-hole course built by Colonel James Fuller on the Willowbrook Farm Estate to entertain personal friends and executives visiting the Fuller Company in Catasauqua. In 1932, the golf course opened as a private nine-hole course leased to Dr. Calvin Miller from Mrs. Dorothy Fuller, the Colonel’s widow. The golf course was open to the public in 1934 as a way to pay for expenses. The golf course has grown over the years and has become a popular course for local residents and area golfers. Today the golf course offers 18 holes, a driving range, clubhouse, and pro shop.
In 1913, the North Catasauqua School District razed the four-room Allen Township schoolhouse so that a new one could be built. The new school building housed grade 1-8 and featured, what were at the time, state-of-the-art amenities. After a merger of North Catasauqua and Catasauqua school districts in 1953, the school housed elementary grades 1-6 until June 1972. In 1975, North Catasauqua Borough obtained possession of the building and transferred the municipal offices to the site in 1976. In 1995, extensive renovations took place and a rededication ceremony was held in 1996. The municipal building now houses the borough police department, borough offices, council chambers, a meeting room, fire department administrative headquarters, as well as room for future expansion.
The Charotin Fire Department was relocated to the municipal building site in 1980 with the building of a new combined fire station and public works garage. The North Catasauqua Public Works Department moved to its present location at the Main Street complex when the old Charotin fire station and municipal garages were sold in 1986. A public works building was built in 1983 at the Main Street complex. This new building included garages and an office, and allowed all of the public works’ equipment to be housed in one building. In 2004, an additional building was erected. This new facility allows for increased storage and includes bigger garage bays, offices, a break room, and shower facilities for employees. Additionally, a paved pathway leading down to the Lehigh Canal towpath and Lehigh River was also created, along with a parking lot, for future public recreation at the river.
North Catasauqua Borough celebrated the centennial of its incorpation with a year long centennial celebration in 2007.
.
Sheckler Elementary School (Fourteenth Street, Catasauqua, PA) serves K-4 grades
Catasauqua Middle School (Pine Street, Catasauqua, PA) serves 5-8 grades
Catasauqua High School (Bullshead Road, Northampton, PA) serves 9-12 grades
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Northampton County
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. North Catasauqua in located 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. The borough was founded in 1907. In August, 2008, Borough Council officially adopted and christened North Catasauqua as "small Town U.S.A.", with a campaign devised by the North Catasauqua Betterment Committee for the official recognition.
The population of North Catasauqua was 2,814 at the 2000 census.
Geography
North Catasauqua is located at 40°39′43"N 75°28′34"W (40.661896, -75.476015).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 0.8 square miles (1.9 km²), of which, 0.7 square miles (1.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (2.67%) is water.
The Lehigh River and the Lehigh Canal and towpath provides the western border of the borough.
Government
- Borough Council President: Joseph D. Keglovits
- Borough Council Vice President: Shawn McGinley
- Borough Council Members:
- Matthew Barber
- John Keglovits
- Jack Jenkins
- Bill McGinley
- Mike Seng
- Mayor: William Molchany, Jr.
- Borough Secretary: Nancy Knecht
- Borough Treasurer: Annette Englert
The governing body consists of a Council President, Council Vice-President, five council members, a borough secretary, and a borough treasurer who are voted into office by the citizens of the borough.
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 2,814 people, 1,136 households, and 791 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 3,825.5 people per square mile (1,468.2/km²). There were 1,186 housing units at an average density of 1,612.3 per square mile (618.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.73% White, 0.46% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.46% 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 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 1,136 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $39,375, and the median income for a family was $47,214. Males had a median income of $35,324 versus $26,250 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 $19,424. About 5.2% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
In 1907, the citizens of western Allen TownshipAllen Township, Pennsylvania
Allen Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Allen Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Allen Township was 2,630 at the 2000 census.-History:...
met at the Northampton Hotel, and signed a petition declaring the formation of the Borough of North Catasauqua. This petition was submitted to the county in early June, the final decree of incorporation was made on June 11, and was officially entered into the records on June 17. Shortly after the incorporation was made official, the first borough elections were held, with William H. Thomas becoming the first burgess, an office equivalent to a present day mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
.
Located between the larger boroughs of Catasauqua
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
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....
in Lehigh County
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....
, and Northampton
Northampton, Pennsylvania
Northampton is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The borough is located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania...
in Northampton County, North Catasauqua quickly grew as businesses and residents came into the new borough. Eventually a police department was formed along with the Charotin Fire Department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
in 1909. A new combined firehouse and municipal building was built in 1911; prior to this, fire-fighting equipment was housed at the Hoffman and Follweiler stables. Church services were held around the borough at various places of worship including St. Lawrence Church (built in 1857), St. Andrew’s Church (built in 1903), and Holy Trinity Church (built in 1903).
On June 14, 1947, the borough celebrated the opening of the North Catasauqua Park and Playground, built on 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land purchased from Northampton County. At the time, the park included a war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
, complete with flagpole and monument (erected in 1945); playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
equipment; a baseball diamond; and 95 Sycamore trees
American sycamore
Platanus occidentalis, also known as American Sycamore, American plane, Occidental plane, and Buttonwood, is one of the species of Platanus native to North America...
. The park and playground quickly became a popular spot for play and recreation, as well as band concerts, picnics, the borough Christmas tree, and carnivals.
The Willowbrook Golf Course has played an important role in the borough’s development. The golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
was originally a private five-hole course built by Colonel James Fuller on the Willowbrook Farm Estate to entertain personal friends and executives visiting the Fuller Company in Catasauqua. In 1932, the golf course opened as a private nine-hole course leased to Dr. Calvin Miller from Mrs. Dorothy Fuller, the Colonel’s widow. The golf course was open to the public in 1934 as a way to pay for expenses. The golf course has grown over the years and has become a popular course for local residents and area golfers. Today the golf course offers 18 holes, a driving range, clubhouse, and pro shop.
In 1913, the North Catasauqua School District razed the four-room Allen Township schoolhouse so that a new one could be built. The new school building housed grade 1-8 and featured, what were at the time, state-of-the-art amenities. After a merger of North Catasauqua and Catasauqua school districts in 1953, the school housed elementary grades 1-6 until June 1972. In 1975, North Catasauqua Borough obtained possession of the building and transferred the municipal offices to the site in 1976. In 1995, extensive renovations took place and a rededication ceremony was held in 1996. The municipal building now houses the borough police department, borough offices, council chambers, a meeting room, fire department administrative headquarters, as well as room for future expansion.
The Charotin Fire Department was relocated to the municipal building site in 1980 with the building of a new combined fire station and public works garage. The North Catasauqua Public Works Department moved to its present location at the Main Street complex when the old Charotin fire station and municipal garages were sold in 1986. A public works building was built in 1983 at the Main Street complex. This new building included garages and an office, and allowed all of the public works’ equipment to be housed in one building. In 2004, an additional building was erected. This new facility allows for increased storage and includes bigger garage bays, offices, a break room, and shower facilities for employees. Additionally, a paved pathway leading down to the Lehigh Canal towpath and Lehigh River was also created, along with a parking lot, for future public recreation at the river.
North Catasauqua Borough celebrated the centennial of its incorpation with a year long centennial celebration in 2007.
Notable natives and residents
- Pat James-DeMentri, QVCQVCQVC is a multinational corporation specializing in televised home shopping. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, United States, QVC broadcasts in five countries as QVC US, QVC UK, QVC Germany, QVC Japan and – QVC Italy to 200 million households...
host and personality - 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...
, former professional baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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...
. - Joe Meeko, Bodybuilder and former Mr. UniverseUniverse ChampionshipsThe Universe Championships are an annual bodybuilding event organised by the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association . It has a number of competitions: NABBA Amateur Mr. Universe, Miss Figure, and Miss Toned Figure....
, Mr. AmericaMr. AmericaMr. America may refer to:* AAU Mr. America, bodybuilding contest held by the Amateur Athletic Union from 1939 onwards* IFBB Mr. America, bodybuilding contest held by the International Federation of BodyBuilders in 1949 and 1959-1988...
, and Mr. U.S.A., Entrepreneur-JOE MEEKO POWER GRIPS
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...
.
Sheckler Elementary School (Fourteenth Street, Catasauqua, PA) serves K-4 grades
Catasauqua Middle School (Pine Street, Catasauqua, PA) serves 5-8 grades
Catasauqua High School (Bullshead Road, Northampton, PA) serves 9-12 grades