Editing Catasauqua, Pennsylvania (section)

==History==
===18th century===
[[George Taylor (Pennsylvania politician)|George Taylor]], signer of the [[Declaration of Independence (United States)|Declaration of Independence]], built a [[Georgian architecture|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|anthracite iron]] industry was found in [[Biery's Port Historic District|Biery's Port]] in present-day Catasaqua, making Catasaqua a birthplace of the [[Industrial Revolution in the United States|American Industrial Revolution]].<ref name="Morning Call">
{{cite news
 | url = https://www.mcall.com/2002/04/15/historical-group-finds-new-base-catasauqua-house-is-near-where-industrial-revolution-began/
 | title = Historical group finds new base
 | first = Mariella
 | last = Savidge
 | date = April 15, 2002
 | access-date = September 15, 2010
 | newspaper = The Morning Call
 | location = [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]]
}}</ref>
[[Wales|Welsh]] immigrant [[David Thomas (industrialist)|David Thomas]] relocated to the area and opened the [[Lehigh Crane Iron Company|Crane Iron Works]]. The [[Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad]] existed to transport ore from limonite deposits to the plant. Remembered as "the father of Catasauqua," Thomas initially named the community Craneville after his former employer in [[Wales]]. The wealthy, generous Thomases were responsible for many sweeping changes to the prosperity of the community. David Thomas founded the [[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 (title)|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 [[World War I]], Catasauqua became the first community in the United States to raise $1 million 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 Historic District|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 architecture|Victorian]] homes once owned by wealthy Catasauqua residents.