Editing Coplay, Pennsylvania (section)

==History==
[[File:Coplay creek (3).JPG|thumb|[[Coplay Creek]] in March 2014]]
[[File:2022-09-26 12 56 04 View northeast along Chestnut Street between Third Street and Bird Alley in Coplay, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.jpg|right|thumb|Chestnut Street in Coplay]]
Coplay was part of the {{convert|400|acre|km2}} of land John Jacob Schreiber bought from the [[William Penn]]'s heirs in 1740. It was initially known as Schreibers and later was known as the Lehigh Valley, because of Lehigh Valley Iron Furnaces were located here. Lehigh Valley was then changed to Coplay, derived from "Kolapechka", the son of the Indian chief Paxanosa, who lived at the head of the creek near [[Schnecksville, Pennsylvania|Schnecksville]]. Coplay seceded from [[Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania|Whitehall Township]] in 1869 and was incorporated as a borough on April 7, 1869.

Coplay gradually changed from a farming area into an industrial community, starting with the founding of the Thomas Iron Company, which attracted laborers and built homes for them. When the Iron Company was liquidated, other industries gradually came to Coplay, including the Cement Mill, the Silk Mill, the Cigar Factory, and Knitting Mill. Coplay became a melting pot of many nationalities. The [[Pennsylvania Dutch]] and [[Germans]] were initially drawn to the area for its agricultural promise. The growth of the [[Ferrous metallurgy|iron industry]] attracted immigrants from [[Ireland]]. Then, in the early 1900s, the Cement Mills attracted immigrants from [[Austria]], [[Hungary]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Poland]], and [[Ukraine]].

On April 7, 1969, the borough celebrated its centennial anniversary. A celebration was held from June 15–21 in the town. In 1980, in recognition of historical value, [[Coplay Cement Company Kilns]] was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>