Slatington

Slatington is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

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Welcome to the Borough of Slatington

Slatington is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It is located 20 miles north of Bethlehem, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is 62 miles south of Scranton, and 70 miles north of Philadelphia.

Slatington Borough

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), of which 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (4.35%) is water. Slatington's elevation is 738 feet above sea level. Slatington's elevation varies from 330 feet at the Lehigh River on the east side of town to 750 feet by the Union Cemetery on Route 873 to the south.

Slatington

Located across from Walnutport on the west side of the Lehigh River, Slatington became the center of the region’s Slate industry. In its heyday, slate was used for everything from durable roofing shingles to chalk boards in schools. The Lehigh Slate Company‘s quarries, in and around Slatington, were among the largest in the U.S., and furnished some of the country’s highest quality slate.

Slatington

But a large portion of Slatington’s growth and success is also directly tied to the opening of the Lehigh Canal, and the ease of shipping that resulted. The town further blossomed when the railroad was built in the late 19th century.

James O. Haines Home

Today’s traditional downtown, with large Victorian homes (like the James O. Haines Home pictured), is a reminder of the commerce generated by the canal, railroad and slate industry. Elaborate slate roofs display the beauty of this local building material, which was once shipped as far away as British Columbia & used to adorn the capital building in the Canadian province. Slatington’s streetscape artifacts are closely tied to the story of extraction, processing, transporting & marketing of slate.

History

In 1737, Nicholas Kern was the first white settler in what would become Slatington. The Lenni-Lenape Native Americans were already living along "Warriors Path," which would become Route 873. Kern established a sawmill shortly after arriving. In 1756, Benjamin Franklin reported to Governor Morris that he had procured boards and timber from Kern's sawmill. In the 19th century two Welshmen, who recognized its properties and importance from being used in Europe, discovered slate.

History

A quarry was set up in 1845, and, in 1847, a factory was erected. In 1864, Slatington was incorporated into a Borough of Pennsylvania; its first Mayor was Robert McDowell. Historically, structural iron, knit goods, and silk were manufactured in Slatington, and there were abundant slate quarries in the area. Slatington was settled in 1738 and incorporated in 1864.

Geography

D&L Trail

The D&L Corridor has occupied a special place in American history for centuries. Its unique combination of industry and natural resources made it a cradle of the Industrial Revolution. Later, this acclaim catapulted the region to an internationally-recognized hub of production. Without a doubt, the Delaware and Lehigh Canals were essential links in this process, and it is their history that the D&L works to preserve and celebrate.

The D&L Corridor

The history of the region we now know as the D&L Corridor begins with the Lenni Lenape people. At first, they were the ones who hunted and gathered in the valleys, forests, and rivers throughout the area. Then came colonization — during this time, William Penn promoted religious tolerance and land settlement. He attracted thousands of immigrants who left their homeland in search of a better life. They farmed the corridor’s rich, fertile soil and established diverse communities.

Education

The Borough is served by the Northern Lehigh School District. Northern Lehigh School District has two elementary schools. Peters Elementary school educates students grades Kindergarten through second grade while Slatington Elementary educates grades 3–6. The district has only one middle school (grades 7–8) and one high school (grades 9–12).

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School District Information

Northern Lehigh School District

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Demographics
As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 4,232 people, 1,743 households, and 1,190 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,354.6 people per square mile (1,297.0/km²). There were 1,867 housing units at an average density of 1,412.5 per square mile (546.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.23% White, 1.42% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.

There were 1,743 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $36,531, and the median income for a family was $43,542. Males had a median income of $32,101 versus $23,796 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $16,189. About 10.6% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.