Editing Hellertown, Pennsylvania (section)

==History==
===Pre-settlement===
The area of present-day Hellertown was inhabited by various [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] groups and European settlers.{{cn|date=October 2023}}

===18th century===
Hellertown was founded in 1742 by Christopher Heller and his brother Simon. The family were [[Palatines]] that left [[Rotterdam]] on September 5, 1738 and landed in [[Philadelphia]]. Christopher obtained the patent for his land September 8, 1742, and Simon received his patent October 14, 1746. Together they owned a 176 acre property at the southern foot of the [[Lehigh Mountain]] along the [[Saucon Creek]] and constructed the family plantation named "delay".<ref>{{cite web |title=Hellertown, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.citytowninfo.com/places/pennsylvania/hellertown |website=cityinfo.com |access-date=31 May 2023}}</ref> 

===19th century===
In 1820, the town contained thirteen houses, eighteen families, three [[tavern]]s, two stores, one [[grist-mill]], and seventy-three inhabitants. The town specialized in the production of [[linseed oil]]. The first school in Hellertown was built in 1845 following the donation of a plot of land by resident John Rentzheimer. Prior to this all schooling was performed on a rotation basis in local homes.<ref name="Valley History">{{cite web |last1=HESS |first1=J. S. |title=The History of the Borough of Hellertown |url=https://www.lehighvalleyhistory.com/the-history-of-the-borough-of-hellertown/ |website=www.lehighvalleyhistory.com |access-date=31 May 2023}}</ref>

In the late 1840s, the town would shift from a small farming community to a burgeoning industrial center, with coal yards being built in 1848, and the Lower Saucon Ironworks opening in 1849. This growth was expedited in 1856 the [[North Pennsylvania Railroad]] was built through Hellertown and Rudolphus Kent, of [[Gwynedd, Pennsylvania|Gwynedd]], purchased a plot of land to build a rail station. The small wooden station would be demolished in favor of a larger stone one in 1868. In 1858, the town's first newspaper, ''The Hellertown Telegraph'' began publication, but would only last a year before shutting its doors. In 1866, a large iron foundry was constructed by the Lower Saucon Ironworks. It was joined by the Saucon Savings bank in 1871, and a steel foundry in 1872. A [[Planing mill]] was built in 1874 and a furniture factory and flour mill in 1875. 

In 1870, the original school house built in 1845 was purchased and turned into an [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America|Evangelical Church]], the first church in the town, prior to which all religious services where held on a rotational basis in people's houses. Since 1867, the town has had an [[Odd Fellows]] lodge, and they were joined in October 1869 by the second ever chapter of the [[Sons of Hermann]]. 

In 1874, the first cemetery in the town was started, the Union Cemetery. In 1875, the town's second newspaper, ''The Saucon Advertiser'' was founded, but it would close in just a few months. That year Hellertown consisted of five stores, two hardware stores, one drug store, two carriage factories, one foundry, one grist-mill, one saw-mill, one planing-mill, two furnace stacks, three hotels, coal and lumber yard, furniture manufactory, a town hall, a bank, two churches, and a population of almost 1,000.<ref name="Valley History" />