Catasauqua, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°39′11″N 75°28′03″W / 40.65306°N 75.46750°W / 40.65306; -75.46750
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
Borough
Dery Silk Mill in the Biery's Port Historic District of Catasauqua in October 2012
Dery Silk Mill in the Biery's Port Historic District of Catasauqua in October 2012
EDT)
ZIP Code
18032
Area codes610 and 484
FIPS code42-11720
Primary airportLehigh Valley International Airport
Major hospitalLehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest
School districtCatasauqua Area
Websitewww.catasauqua.org

Catasauqua, referred to colloquially as Catty, is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. Catasauqua's population was 6,518 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. as of the 2020 census.

In 1839, Catasauqua was the location of the first manufactured anthracite iron in the nation. The borough was settled in 1805 and chartered in 1853.

Geography

A pre-1923 sketch of Bridge Street Presbyterian Church, founded in 1850 in Catasauqua
The George Taylor House in Catasauqua, home of George Taylor, a Founding Father of the United States who signed the Declaration of Independence

Catasauqua is located at 40°39′11″N 75°28′3″W / 40.65306°N 75.46750°W / 40.65306; -75.46750 (40.652995, -75.467627).[3] Nearby large communities include Allentown three miles (5 km) to the south and Bethlehem seven miles (11 km) to the east. According to the U.S. 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) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.10 km2 or 2.31%) is water. Catasauqua Creek flows through the town. Lehigh River runs along the southwestern edge of Catasauqua.

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18601,932—
18702,85347.7%
18803,0657.4%
18903,70420.8%
19003,9637.0%
19105,25032.5%
19204,714−10.2%
19304,8512.9%
19404,764−1.8%
19504,9233.3%
19605,0622.8%
19705,70212.6%
19806,71117.7%
19906,662−0.7%
20006,588−1.1%
20106,436−2.3%
20206,5181.3%
Sources:[4][5][6][2]

As of the 2000 census,

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 age distribution of the population shows 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

poverty line
, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

18th century

Declaration of Independence, built a Georgian stone house in 1768 in what is now Catasauqua. The George Taylor House has been named a National Historic Landmark
, a showpiece of the community's rich historical heritage. At the time, the area of present-day Catasaqua was referred to as Biery's Port.

19th century

In 1840, the anthracite iron industry was found in Biery's Port in present-day Catasaqua, making Catasaqua a birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution.[7]

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 (pronounced "Cat-uh-SAW-kwuh"), derived from the Lenape language, and meaning "dry ground" or "thirsty ground." By 1900, Catasauqua boasted 5,000 residents, and had the highest percentage of self-made millionaires of any town in the United States.

20th century

In 1917, while many of the young men of the town served in

war bonds
, earning it the nickname "The Million Dollar Town".

21st century

Catasauqua observed its 150th anniversary of incorporation in 2004. In July 2014, the town also celebrated its 100th anniversary of the old home week celebration in 1914. The original old home week marked the 75th anniversary of the town's Lehigh Crane Iron Company.

Catasauqua is home to two different neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Biery's Port, located along the Lehigh River and named for an early family of prominence, and a neighborhood known as "the mansion district," which includes Victorian homes once owned by wealthy Catasauqua residents.

Education

Further information: Catasauqua Area School District

Catasauqua is served by the Catasauqua Area School District and maintains three public schools: Sheckler Elementary (grades k-4), Catasauqua Middle School (grades 5-8), and Catasauqua High School (grades 9-12). The district also serves parts of Hanover Township and North Catasauqua.

Transportation

Race Street in Catasauqua

As of 2019, there were 20.18 miles (32.48 km) of public roads in Catasauqua, of which 1.66 miles (2.67 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 18.52 miles (29.81 km) were maintained by the borough.[8]

The main thoroughfares through the borough are Race Street, Lehigh Street, and Howerton Road.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  4. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  7. ^ Savidge, Mariella (April 15, 2002). "Historical group finds new base". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  8. ^ "Catasauqua Borough map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  9. ISBN 0-02-578970-8
    .

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catasauqua,_Pennsylvania&oldid=1207344658"