|
| |
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Emmaus is a borough located in Lehigh
County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000
census, the borough had a total population of 11,313.
Emmaus is located at 40°32'13" North, 75°29'45" West (40.536997,
-75.495776)1.
According to the United
States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 7.5 km˛
(2.9 mi˛).
7.5 km˛ (2.9 mi˛) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
As of the census
of 2000,
there are 11,313 people, 4,985 households, and 3,155 families residing in the
borough. The population
density is 1,511.4/km˛ (3,918.8/mi˛). There are 5,186 housing units at an
average density of 692.8/km˛ (1,796.4/mi˛). The racial makeup of the borough
is 95.89% White, 0.70% African
American, 0.06% Native
American, 1.81% Asian,
0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more
races. 1.51% of the population are Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There are 4,985 households out of which 26.4% have children under the age of
18 living with them, 50.9% are married couples living together, 9.1% have a
female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% are non-families. 31.5% of
all households are made up of individuals and 13.6% have someone living alone
who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.26 and the
average family size is 2.85.
In the borough the population is spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18,
6.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who are
65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females
there are 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.8
males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $44,181, and the median
income for a family is $54,120. Males have a median income of $38,659 versus
$25,331 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $23,245. 3.5% of
the population and 2.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total
people living in poverty, 1.2% are under the age of 18 and 7.9% are 65 or older.
Emmaus was founded as a
Moravian
community. The original land on which the town was built was donated for the
purpose by Sebastian Heinrich Knauss.
|
German Settlers began coming to the area
known as “Maguntsche” (derived from the Lenni Lenape phrase
“Feeding place of the Bears”), around 1730. They were fleeing war
and seeking religious freedom.
The oldest building within Emmaus is the “Zuflucht Haus” or Shelter
House. It was built around 1734 near an Indian trail along the slopes of
South Mountain and was probably a safe haven and shelter for early
travelers. During the next few years log cabins were built in the area.
In 1736 George Shoemaker took a warrant for two hundred acres of land
near the present site of Emmaus High School. In 1738 John Henry Knauss
settled near Furnace Dam. Sebastian Knauss built his home near the
present day railroad underpass. John Ehrenhardt erected his cabin on
South Keystone Ave, near where his son built his stone house in 1803. It
was the Ehrenhardt house that the missionary and patron, Count
Zinzendorf came to preach in late 1741. In 1742 a community church was
built and in 1746 a Moravian boarding school. In 1758-59 the community
became a “Gemein Ort” or a closed Moravian village.
The first house officially built in the new village was at the now 160
Main Street. It was built by Andreas Giering and occupied in 1759. The
village was first called Salzburg (Salisbury). The present name of
Emmaus was given by Bishop Spangenberg at a Moravian Love Feast April 3,
1761. It was changed to Emaus in 1830 and was incorperated under that
name in 1859. In 1938 petitions were circulated under the leadership of
the Emaus Rotary Club to change the name again, and Emaus once again
became Emmaus.
The Revolutionary War brought new tribulations to the Emmaus community.
Moravians were pacifists and such were harassed, fined and even
imprisoned for refusal to fight. Twelve members did enlist in the
Continental Army and were eventually buried anonymously in God’s Acre
at the foot of Third Street.
The Railroad came through Emmaus in 1859, the same year the village
incorporated into a Borough with a population of 277.
Industry began to grow in the area as Iron Ore was mined and processed
at the Donaldson Iron Company in 1850. By 1882, Silk Mills came into the
area. Other products from Emmaus, past & present were/are cigars,
shoes, pajamas, roofing paper, boilers, electrical products, industrial
gases, books, grinding bails, handbags, and magazines.
Emaus in 1859 was about two hundred acres. The boundaries remained
unchanged until 1903 with a population of 1468. The annexation of
surrounding land began the growth toward a modern Emmaus.
|
|
Today, Emmaus is more than thirty
times the size of the original Moravian village with a population well
over 12,000 people of many faiths.
|
1803 House
In 1747 Jacob Ehrenhardt and Sebastian Knauss donated to their community the
land which would be named Emmaus in 1761. The name derives from the biblical
account of Christ's appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. This Moravian
settlement has a unique history and, during the Revolutionary War, encountered
an interesting problem: their teachings (and those of other religious groups in
the area) forbade them to take up arms or to become involved in politics. When
the Colonists decided to oust the British, the people of Emmaus would neither
sign an oath severing allegiance to the king nor participate as soldiers.
Refusal to fight carried harsh penalties, such as fines, imprisonment, and
confiscation of property. Jacob Ehrenhardt Jr. and eleven others finally
relented, young Jacob serving in the 4th Battalion Company commanded by Captain
Felix Good. Meanwhile, the community made its homes available to serve ill and
injured Continental Troops.
Following the War, Jacob Jr. lived a while in Whitehall Township, married
there, and then moved with his bride back to Emmaus. In 1803 he built a stone,
Georgian-style house on his late father's farm. The site originally included a
large barn and smaller outbuildings.
The house was lived in continuously by various families, until it was
purchased by Robert Rodale in 1975 and donated to the community as a museum.
Today it is operated by Friends of the 1803 House.
Visitors here will enjoy a tour back to the turn of the 18th century,
exploring the rooms furnished as they may have appeared during Ehrenhardt's day.
The Kitchen features a fireplace and the utensils of the day. The Living Room
furnishings exhibit fine 18th century craftsmanship. The Bedrooms are upstairs
and above them the attic, where a tiny handprint pressed into the old plaster
may have belonged to one of Jacob's four daughters.
The house is representative of life in Emmaus 200 years ago. It's charming,
and a Tour is fun and educational. Groups are welcome, as well as individuals
and families. There are no formal School Programs. However, Museum staff will
work with children and teachers to make a visit something special. Some groups
have participated in an archaeological dig on the property, while others have
assisted in making a house video tour.
Hours: Call.
Admission: FREE, including groups.
|
