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Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

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Lehigh County (Template:IPAc-en; Pennsylvania Dutch: Lechaa Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 374,557.<ref name="auto2">Lehigh County at U.S. Census Quick Facts</ref> Its county seat is Allentown, the state's third-largest city after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

Along with Northampton County to its east, the two counties combine to form the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, the third-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania with a population of 861,889 as of 2020. Lehigh County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania and the more highly populated of the two counties.<ref>"The Lehigh Valley is growing, census numbers show," Lehigh Valley Live, August 23, 2021</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Both counties are part of the Philadelphia television market, the fourth-largest television market in the nation.

The county is named for the Lehigh River, a Template:Convert tributary of the Delaware River, which flows through Lehigh County. During the Industrial Revolution, the Lehigh River served a vital role in the nation's development by offering one of the first transportation and trading routes for mining products, including anthracite, iron, manganese, limestone, and ultimately manufactured steel products.

Lehigh County falls geographically between two Pennsylvania Appalachian mountain ridges, Blue Mountain to the county's north and South Mountain to its south. Lehigh County borders Montgomery County to its south, Bucks County to its southeast, Northampton County to its east, Carbon County to its north, Schuylkill County to its northwest, and Berks County to its southwest.

The county is located Template:Convert northwest of Philadelphia and Template:Convert west of New York City.

History

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File:Shelter House Emmaus PA 2.JPG
Shelter House in Emmaus, constructed in 1734 by Pennsylvania German settlers, is believed to be the oldest continuously occupied building structure in both Lehigh County and the Lehigh Valley and among the oldest still-standing building structures in Pennsylvania.<ref name="auto">Shelter House official website, Shelterhouseemmaus.org, retrieved May 4, 2022</ref><ref name="auto1">Template:Usurped at Lehigh Valley Marketplace</ref>
File:2021 - Monument - Looking West - Allentown PA.jpg
The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, erected in 1899 at 7th and Hamilton streets in Center City Allentown, honors men from Allentown and its suburbs killed in their volunteer service in the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and other Union Army units during the American Civil War.

Settlement and founding

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Lehigh County was first settled around 1730 and was formed in 1812 when Northampton County was divided into two counties. The county is named after the Lehigh River, a Template:Convert river that runs through the county and whose name is derived from the Lenape Indian term Lechauweki or Lechauwekink, meaning "where there are forks."<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Shelter House, constructed in Emmaus in 1734 by Pennsylvania German settlers, is the oldest continuously occupied structure in both Lehigh County and Lehigh Valley and among the oldest still-standing building structures in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/>

American Revolution

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Template:See also Template:Further Some of the first resistance to British colonialism, which led ultimately to the American Revolutionary War, began in present-day Lehigh County. On December 21, 1774, patriots in the area formed one of the colonies' first Committee of Observations. Following the Declaration of Independence, patriot militas pressured Tories out of Allentown and the surrounding area, and the colonial government in the area began to break down.

After Washington and the Continental Army were defeated at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was left defenseless and Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council ordered that eleven Philadelphia bells, including the Liberty Bell (then known as the State House Bell), be taken down and moved to present day Allentown (then called Northampton Towne) and hidden in the basement of Zion Reformed Church on present day West Hamilton Street to protect them from being melted down by the British Army for use as munitions.

Industrial Revolution

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The opening of the Lehigh Canal beginning in 1827 transformed Allentown and Lehigh County from a rural agricultural area dominated by German-speaking people into an urbanized industrialized area and expanded the city's commercial and industrial capacity greatly. With this, Lehigh County underwent significant industrialization, ultimately becoming a major 20th century center for heavy industry and manufacturing and one of several hubs for the Industrial Revolution.

American Civil War

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Template:See also Following the Union Army's defeat at the Battle of Fort Sumter and Lincoln's April 15, 1861, proclamation calling for state militia to provide 75,000 volunteer troops to defend the nation's capital of Washington, D.C., Allentown deployed the Allen Infantry, also known as the Allen Guards and composed of volunteers from Allentown and its surrounding suburbs. The unit mustered in for duty on April 18, 1861. As the Civil War progressed, multiple Union Army units were drawn from Lehigh County, including roughly seventy percent of the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment.

On October 19, 1899, a monument in honor of the Lehigh County men killed in their volunteer service to preservation of the Union, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, was erected at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Center City Allentown, where it still stands.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

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File:2017 - Hamilton Street Christmas Skyline - Allentown PA.jpg
The city skyline of Allentown, Lehigh County's largest city, at Christmas 2017
File:Allentown viewed from Egypt.jpg
South Mountain, part of the Appalachian Mountain range in Lehigh County, with Allentown in the foreground in December 2010
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Lehigh River, a Template:Convert tributary of the Delaware River, in Lehigh County near Slatington in June 2007

Lehigh County has a total area of Template:Convert, Template:Convert of which is land and Template:Convert (0.9%) of which is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Topography

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Template:See also Lehigh County borders two Appalachian mountain ridges. To the north, the county borders Blue Mountain, which has an altitude of Template:Convert. To the south, it is bordered by South Mountain, which has an altitude of Template:Convert and cuts through the southern portions of both Lehigh and Northampton counties. The Lehigh County's highest point is near Germansville at Bake Oven Knob, a mass of Tuscarora conglomeratic rocks that rise about Template:Convert above the main Blue Mountain ridge in northwestern Heidelberg Township.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Lehigh County is part of the Delaware River watershed. Most of the county is drained by the Lehigh River and its tributaries, though the Schuylkill River also drains regions in the county's south through Perkiomen Creek and in the county's northwest through Maiden Creek.

Adjacent counties

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Climate

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Template:See also Lehigh County's climate falls in the humid continental climate zone. The variety is hot-summer (Dfa) except in the county's higher elevation areas, where it is warm-summer (Dfb). Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year.

In Allentown, January lows average Template:Convert and highs average Template:Convert. The lowest officially recorded temperature was Template:Convert in 1912. July lows average Template:Convert and highs average Template:Convert with an average relative humidity of 82%. The highest temperature on record was Template:Convert in 1966. Early fall and mid-winter are generally driest with October being the driest month with only 74.7 mm of average precipitation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Snowfall is variable with some winters bringing light snow and others bringing numerous significant snowstorms. Average snowfall is Template:Convert per year,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the months of January and February receiving the most now with just over Template:Convert in each of these months. Rainfall is generally spread throughout the year with eight to twelve wet days per month,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> at an average annual rate of Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The hardiness zone in the majority of the county has increased from 6b to 7a. 6b still exists in some northern and higher areas.<ref>[1]</ref>

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Demographics

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2020 census

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Lehigh County, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic composition
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Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> % 2000 % 2010 Template:Partial
White alone (NH) 259,811 250,245 227,994 83.25% 71.60% 60.87%
Black or African American alone (NH) 9,798 17,230 22,950 3.14% 4.93% 6.13%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 317 442 337 0.10% 0.13% 0.09%
Asian alone (NH) 6,488 10,090 13,725 2.08% 2.89% 3.66%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 82 65 91 0.03% 0.02% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 331 555 1,779 0.11% 0.16% 0.47%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 3,382 5,255 10,700 1.08% 1.50% 2.86%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 31,881 65,615 96,981 10.22% 18.77% 25.89%
Total 312,090 349,497 374,557 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 374,557.<ref name="auto2"/> The county's population growth of 7.2% since 2010 is among the fastest in the state.<ref>"The Lehigh Valley is growing, census numbers show" Lehigh Valley Live, August 23, 2021</ref> The racial makeup of the county, as of the 2020 census, was 60.8% White, 26% Hispanic or Latino, 6.12% Black or African American, 3.66% Asian, 3.33% from other or mixed races, 0.02% Pacific Islander, and 0.1% Native American.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Politics and government

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As of March 4, 2024, there were 243,427 registered voters in Lehigh County:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • Democratic: 111,646 (45.86%)
  • Republican: 84,937 (34.89%)
  • No affiliation: 38,901 (15.98)
  • Other parties: 7,943 (3.27%)

Lehigh County leans Democratic, but is still politically competitive. Lehigh County and neighboring Northampton County are part of Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional district. The 7th Congressional district is a contentious swing district with neither Republicans nor Democrats winning the district consistently. Voters elected Republican Charlie Dent in 2004, 2006, and 2008 and, previously, Republican Pat Toomey in 1998, 2000, and 2002. In 2004, the county narrowly voted for John Kerry over George W. Bush for President. In 2008, all statewide Democratic candidates won the county with significant leads and, in the presidential election, Barack Obama won the county, 57.1% to 41.5%, over John McCain. In the 2012 presidential election, Obama again carried the county but by a narrower margin, 53.17% to 45.52%.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |} Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot

State House of Representatives

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District<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Representative Party
22 Joshua Siegel Democratic
131 Milou Mackenzie Republican
132 Michael H. Schlossberg Democratic
133 Jeanne McNeill Democratic
134 Peter Schweyer Democratic
183 Zach Mako Republican
187 Gary Day Republican

State Senate

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District<ref name=":0" /> Representative Party
14 Nick Miller Democratic
16 Jarrett Coleman Republican
18 Lisa Boscola Democratic

U.S. House of Representatives

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Education

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File:Baum School of Art, Allentown PA.jpg
Baum School of Art in Allentown in January 2009
File:Cedar Crest College (6).JPG
Cedar Crest College in Allentown in March 2014
File:Muhlenberg College 04.JPG
Muhlenberg College in Allentown in March 2014
File:William Allen High School, Allentown PA.jpg
Allen High School, one of Allentown's two large public high schools, in July 2008
File:Salisbury High School, LehighCo PA.JPG
Salisbury High School in Salisbury Township in June 2015

Four-year colleges and universities

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Two-year colleges and technical institutes

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Public school districts

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School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

Public charter schools

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Private high schools

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Vocational high school

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Public libraries

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Transportation and infrastructure

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Air

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File:ABE terminal (2).JPG
Lehigh Valley International Airport, Pennsylvania's fourth-busiest airport, in Hanover Township in Lehigh County

Lehigh County's primary commercial airport is Lehigh Valley International Airport Template:Airport codes, located in Hanover Township in the county. The county is also served by Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport, a two-runway general aviation facility located off Lehigh Street in Allentown used predominantly by private aviation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bus

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Template:See also Public bus service in Lehigh County is available through LANta. Several private bus lines, including Trans-Bridge Lines, provide bus service from Allentown to New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal, Philadelphia's Greyhound Terminal and 30th Street Station, Atlantic City's Bus Terminal, and other regional locations.

Major highways

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File:2022-09-23 11 09 58 View east along Interstate 78 and south along Pennsylvania State Route 309 from the overpass for Rock Road in Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.jpg
The merger of I-78 East and PA Route 309 South in Lehigh County in September 2022

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Media

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Newspapers

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The Morning Call (in Allentown), The Express-Times (in Easton), and The Times News (in Lehighton) each cover Lehigh County.

Radio

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Lehigh County-area radio stations include WAEB-AM in Allentown (talk and news), B104 in Allentown (contemporary hits), WZZO in Bethlehem (classic rock), WHOL in Allentown (rhythmic contemporary), and others. Some major New York City stations and every major Philadelphia station are received in the county.

Television

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Lehigh County is part of the Philadelphia broadcast media market, the nation's fourth-largest media market. Numerous New York City radio and television stations are also carried in the county. Three television stations are based in the county, WBPH-TV Channel 60, WLVT Channel 39 (the Lehigh Valley's PBS affiliate), and WFMZ Channel 69 (an independent television station).

The four major Philadelphia-based network stations serving Lehigh County are KYW-TV (the CBS affiliate), WCAU (the NBC affiliate), WPVI (the ABC affiliate), and WTXF (the Fox affiliate). The four major New York City-based network stations serving Lehigh County are WABC (the ABC affiliate), WCBS-TV (the CBS affiliate), WNBC (the NBC affiliate), and WNYW (the Fox affiliate). The four major Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-based network stations serving Lehigh County are WNEP-TV (the ABC affiliate), WBRE-TV (the NBC affiliate), WYOU (the CBS affiliate), and WOLF-TV (the Fox affiliate).

Telecommunications

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Template:Main From 1947 until 1994, Lehigh County was served exclusively by the 215 area code. With the county's growing population, area code 610 was also allocated to the county in 1994. Today, Lehigh County is covered largely by the 610 area code. An overlay area code, 484, was added to the 610 service area in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite web Template:Small</ref> A plan to introduce area code 835 as an additional overlay was rescinded in 2001. It has since been reintroduced and will begin use once 610 and 484 extensions are exhausted, possibly as early as September 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web Template:Small</ref> Template:Allentown Radio Template:Philly TV

Recreation

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File:Dorney Park Steel Force Thunderhawk.jpg
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom's Steel Force and Thunderhawk roller coasters in Allentown; Steel Force is the eighth-tallest steel roller coaster in the world with a first drop of Template:Convert and a top speed of Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Cokepark allentown.jpg
Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
File:Lehigh Parkway.JPG
Little Lehigh Creek in Allentown's Lehigh Parkway in September 2012
File:XMAS AT LEHIGH COUNTY ZOO.jpg
Christmas lights at Lehigh Valley Zoo in Schnecksville in December 2020

Amusement parks

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Template:Main Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, one of the largest amusement and water parks on the U.S. East Coast, is located in South Whitehall Township in the county. It is open May through the end of October.

Fairs and festivals

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Template:See also The Great Allentown Fair, one of the nation's largest and longest ongoing city fairs, is held annually at Allentown Fairgrounds on North 17th Street in Allentown the end of August and beginning of September. Mayfair Festival of the Arts, an arts and festival fair, is held annually in May on the campus of Cedar Crest College in Allentown.

Golf

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Template:See also Lehigh County is home to multiple golf courses, including Brookside Country Club in Macungie, Lehigh Country Club on Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown, Olde Homestead Golf Club in New Tripoli, Saucon Valley Country Club in Upper Saucon Township, Shepherd Hills Golf Club in Wescosville, and Wedgewood Golf Course in Coopersburg.

Museums and history

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The county has several museums, including Allentown Art Museum, America on Wheels, Da Vinci Science Center, George Taylor House, Lehigh County Historical Society at Trout Hall, Museum of Indian Culture, The 1803 House, and others.

Parks and zoo

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Template:See also Lehigh County also has Template:Convert of public parks, including:

Communities

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File:2007 - Nineteenth Street Theatre District.jpg
Young people gather on 19th Street in Allentown's West End in July 2007
File:Emmaus Theater 4th Street Lehigh Co PA.JPG
The historic Emmaus Theatre on South Fourth Street in Emmaus in October 2012
File:Bear-creek-lodge.JPG
Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Longswamp Township in January 2012
File:George Taylor House.jpg
The George Taylor House in Catasauqua, the former home of George Taylor, a Founding Father of the United States who signed the Declaration of Independence
File:Lynn Township farm.jpg
A farm in Lynn Township in the northwest corner of Lehigh County in February 2008

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in only one case, towns. The following cities, boroughs, and townships are located in Lehigh County:

Cities

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Boroughs

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Townships

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Census-designated places

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Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

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Unincorporated communities

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Population ranking

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Lehigh County's largest cities, townships, boroughs, and other communities, based on the 2020 census, include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 † Allentown City 125,845
2 Bethlehem (mostly in Northampton County) City 74,982
4 Emmaus Borough 11,652
5 Ancient Oaks CDP 6,995
6 Catasauqua Borough 6,518
7 Wescosville CDP 6,039
8 Fountain Hill Borough 4,878
9 Dorneyville CDP 4,406
10 Slatington Borough 4,232
11 Breinigsville CDP 4,138
13 Coplay Borough 3,192
14 Macungie Borough 3,074
15 Schnecksville CDP 2,935
17 Coopersburg Borough 2,386
18 Alburtis Borough 2,361
19 Cetronia CDP 2,115
20 Trexlertown CDP 1,988
22 Laurys Station CDP 1,243
24 DeSales University CDP 953
25 New Tripoli CDP 898
26 Slatedale CDP 455

Notable people

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Since its founding in 1812, Lehigh County has been the birthplace or home to several notable Americans, including:

References

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