Lehighton, Pennsylvania
Lehighton, Pennsylvania | |
---|---|
EDT) | |
ZIP Code | 18235 |
Area codes | 610 |
FIPS code | 42-42472 |
Website | www |
Lehighton (
Due in part to water power from the Lehigh River, Lehighton was an early center for U.S. industrialization. The Lehigh Valley Railroad was for years a major employer up until the post-World War II era when railroad and industry restructuring led to job and population losses.
As of the 2020 U.S. census, Lehighton's population was 5,248, down from a peak population of 7,000 in 1940.[4] Lehighton is the most populous borough in Carbon County and still the county's business hub. The Lehigh River, a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River, flows through Lehighton.
History
At the time of the first European's encounters with historic American tribes, this area was part of the shared hunting territory of the
Close relatives of the peoples of New England and along the St. Lawrence Valley of Canada occupied much of the coastal mid-Atlantic area in Delaware, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, and lower eastern New York, including Long Island.[5] The Susquehannock confederacy's homelands were mainly along the Susquehanna River, from the Mohawk Valley in lower New York southerly to the Chesapeake and Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, but may have ranged into the empty lands[6] of West Virginia, Eastern Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania.[5]
The Dutch and Swedes first settled the
Lehighton was built on the site of the German
During the
The Lehigh River was a source of water power for developing industries in the 19th century. Lehighton had silk and
The coming of the
The Lehighton downtown declined after the Carbon Plaza Mall was built in nearby Mahoning Township. Suburban housing developed, pulling more businesses from downtown. After struggling for three decades, the downtown is experiencing a rebirth as people appreciate the qualities of a compact central location, royalty and historic architecture.[citation needed]
The town holds an annual civic event, "Bike Night", featuring more than 28,000 motorcyclists. "Bike Night" first started in the borough of Lehighton. In 2013, Lehighton moved its "Bike Night" out of the downtown park across from the borough office to a park called "The Grove" located on Iron Street between South 7th and 8th Street. In 2015, "Bike Night" was moved again. However, this time "Bike Night" moved out of the Lehighton Borough. "Bike Night" of 2015 was located in Franklin Township, which is located a few miles outside of the borough. This is the first time since the first annual event that it was not held within the Lehighton borough itself.
Geography
Lehighton is located in southern Carbon County at 40°49′55″N 75°42′53″W / 40.83194°N 75.71472°W (40.831932, -75.714701).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.65 square miles (4.28 km2), of which 1.62 square miles (4.20 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 1.69%, is water.[4] Lehighton is located 3 miles (5 km) south of Jim Thorpe, the Carbon County seat, and 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Palmerton. Lehighton is bordered on the north, west, and south by Mahoning Township and across the Lehigh River on the east by Weissport and Franklin Township.
Lehighton is primarily very green and hilly. The town and its outlying communities are in the Ridge-and-Valley region of the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Trail, a long-distance hiking trail extending from Maine to Georgia, is located south of town near Palmerton.
Climate
The region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. The
Snowfall is variable, with some winters bringing moderate snow and others bringing numerous significant snowstorms. Average snowfall is 50.4 inches (128 cm) per year,[13] with the months of January and February receiving the highest at just over 15 and 13 inches (38 and 33 cm) respectively. Rainfall is generally spread throughout the year, with eight to twelve wet days per month,[14] at an average annual rate of 43.52 inches (110.54 cm).[15]
Typically, summer lasts from late May until mid September. The humidity is high only for one to two days at a time. Winter lasts from November through March and varies greatly in length and severity. Snowfall can occur anytime from mid-October to as late as April. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable. The autumn foliage season is only two to three weeks long and is at its peak anytime from early to mid-October.
Winter daytime highs average 27.8 °F (−2.3 °C) in January and the lows are 13.9 °F (−10.1 °C) Summer daytime highs average 81.2 °F (27.3 °C) in July and the lows are 55.6 °F (13.1 °C)
Climate data for Lehighton, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
72 (22) |
80 (27) |
94 (34) |
93 (34) |
93 (34) |
100 (38) |
101 (38) |
95 (35) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
71 (22) |
101 (38) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.8 (1.6) |
38.2 (3.4) |
47.9 (8.8) |
61.3 (16.3) |
70.5 (21.4) |
77.7 (25.4) |
82.5 (28.1) |
80.7 (27.1) |
73.6 (23.1) |
62.2 (16.8) |
50.6 (10.3) |
40.3 (4.6) |
60.0 (15.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.5 (−6.9) |
20.3 (−6.5) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
37.9 (3.3) |
48.2 (9.0) |
57.5 (14.2) |
62.5 (16.9) |
60.6 (15.9) |
53.5 (11.9) |
42.1 (5.6) |
32.1 (0.1) |
24.7 (−4.1) |
40.4 (4.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −21 (−29) |
−17 (−27) |
−10 (−23) |
7 (−14) |
23 (−5) |
34 (1) |
36 (2) |
41 (5) |
29 (−2) |
17 (−8) |
0 (−18) |
−12 (−24) |
−21 (−29) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.52 (89) |
2.97 (75) |
3.84 (98) |
3.83 (97) |
4.42 (112) |
4.49 (114) |
4.69 (119) |
4.66 (118) |
4.51 (115) |
3.90 (99) |
3.98 (101) |
4.08 (104) |
48.89 (1,241) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 9.8 (25) |
10.1 (26) |
6.1 (15) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
1.0 (2.5) |
5.2 (13) |
32.9 (83.31) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11.2 | 10.2 | 11.1 | 11.3 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.5 | 9.4 | 9.9 | 8.7 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 126.9 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 8.7 | 7.9 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 32.0 |
Source: National Weather Service[16] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 267 | — | |
1870 | 1,485 | — | |
1880 | 1,937 | 30.4% | |
1890 | 2,959 | 52.8% | |
1900 | 4,629 | 56.4% | |
1910 | 5,316 | 14.8% | |
1920 | 6,102 | 14.8% | |
1930 | 6,490 | 6.4% | |
1940 | 6,615 | 1.9% | |
1950 | 6,565 | −0.8% | |
1960 | 6,318 | −3.8% | |
1970 | 6,095 | −3.5% | |
1980 | 5,826 | −4.4% | |
1990 | 5,914 | 1.5% | |
2000 | 5,537 | −6.4% | |
2010 | 5,500 | −0.7% | |
2020 | 5,248 | −4.6% | |
Sources:[17][18][19][3] |
As of the
There were 2,362 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $28,566, and the median income for a family was $35,673. Males had a median income of $30,590 versus $22,466 for females. The
Media
Lehighton is home to the Times News, published six-days-a-week serving five counties.[citation needed]
In 1949, the Mahoning Drive-In Theater opened in Lehighton.[20] Though its popularity waned with the advent of multiplex theaters in the 1970s and 1980s, it has seen a resurgence in popularity since 2014, due to the management's decision to screen primarily older cult films and B movies as opposed to newer releases.[20]
In 1962, 1160 AM signed on as WYNS. In 2005, call letters were changed under new ownership to WBYN. Beginning September 2019, the station simulcast WEEU in Reading. As of May 2021, the station is silent.[citation needed]
Transportation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/2022-08-08_10_21_40_View_south_along_U.S._Route_209_%28Sergeant_Stanley_Hoffman_Boulevard%29_just_south_of_North_First_Street_in_Lehighton%2C_Carbon_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
As of 2007, there were 21.24 miles (34.18 km) of public roads in Lehighton, of which 4.01 miles (6.45 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 17.23 miles (27.73 km) were maintained by the borough.[21]
U.S. Route 209 is the most prominent highway serving Lehighton. It follows First Street, Sergeant Stanley Hoffman Boulevard, Bankway and Bridge Street through the eastern portion of borough. Pennsylvania Route 443 begins at US 209 in the southeastern portion of the borough and heads southwest along Blakeslee Boulevard. Pennsylvania Route 902 begins at PA 443 in the southwestern part of the borough. It follows Ninth Street north and then Mahoning Street west. Interstate 476, the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension, passes to the east of the borough and is accessible via US 209.
Jake Arner Memorial Airport (22N) is located 3 miles (5 km) west-southwest of town, with a 3,000-foot (910 m) asphalt runway and two RNAV instrument approaches.
In culture
It is depicted in the mural Lehighton by Franz Kline who grew up in the borough.[25]
Notable people
- D. M. Balliet, former college football coach
- Mike Bugarewicz, NASCAR crew chief
- Kerry Getz, professional skateboarder
- Christian Hackenberg, former professional football player
- Franz Kline, artist
- Denny Seiwell, drummer, Paul McCartney and Wings
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ "Borough of Lehighton". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2 August 1979. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Oct 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Lehighton borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h
Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., ed. (1961). The American Heritage Book of Indians. American Heritage Publishing Co. pp. 180–211. LCCN 61-14871.
- Allegheny Ridge and south of the shores of Eastern Lake Erie (the Erie people's territory west of the Ohio and Allegheny River valleys [i.e. Central and Eastern and lower Ohio; including parts of left bank Kentucky.]) to be empty of population; hunting grounds which may have been shared by tribes as diverse as the Iroquois, Creek, Shawnee, Miami, Erie, Susquehannock, Delaware peoples, and possibly some of the tribes around the Potomac. By the time the English trappers and traders pushed West into the Ohio Country, the territories had been claimed by the Iroquois—who'd defeated and broken their relatives — the Erie and Susquehannocks, while adopting survivors, including remnant bands of Susquehannocks, and asserting control over the Lenapetributary tribe.
- ^ "History" Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine, Lehighton Borough official website
- Mahoning Creek, near the Lehigh River,..."
- ^ "Lehighton", Encyclopædia Britannica
- ^ Clarence Marsh Case: The Social Psychology of Passive Resistance, PhD Dissertation, Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, 1915, p. 120
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Climate Summary for Lehigton, Pennsylvania
- ^ "Snowfall – Average Total In Inches". Archived from the original on 19 June 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
- ^ "Average Days of Precipitation, .01 cm or more". Archived from the original on November 3, 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
- ^ "Average Monthly Precipitation". Archived from the original on September 19, 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data - Philadelphia/Mt Holly". National Weather Service. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places - Pennsylvania: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013 (PEPANNRES)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ a b Abrams, Simon (July 9, 2021). "The Schlock-Horror Drive-In That Rose From the Grave". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ "Lehighton Borough map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ "CT Bus". Carbon Transit. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ "Daily Bus Departures". Fullington Tours. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "New York Loses More Famed Trains". Ottawa Citizen. 3 February 1961. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ "The Story Behind Franz Kline's Mural "Lehighton"". 19 April 2017.
External links
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