Emmaus, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Borough of Emmaus
Borough
Emmaus Moravian Church on Main Street, October 2012
Seal
Location of Emmaus in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania (left) and of Lehigh County in Pennsylvania (right)
Borough of Emmaus Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Borough of Emmaus Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Lehigh
Established	1759
Area
• Borough	2.90 sq mi (7.51 km2)
• Land	2.90 sq mi (7.50 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	436 ft (133 m)
Population  (2020)
• Borough	11,652
• Density	4,024.87/sq mi (1,553.97/km2)
• Metro	865,310 (US: 68th)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	18049, 18098, and 18099
Area code(s)	610
FIPS code	42-23584
Primary airport	Lehigh Valley International Airport
Major hospital	Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest
School district	East Penn

Emmaus (pronounced em-AY-us) is a small town, called a borough, in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. In 2020, about 11,652 people lived there. Emmaus is part of the Lehigh Valley, which is the third-largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania.

This town has been recognized as one of the "Best Places to Live" in the United States. Money magazine gave it this honor in both 2007 and 2009.

Emmaus is located about 5 miles (8 km) south of Allentown. It's also about 53 miles (86 km) north of Philadelphia and 92 miles (148 km) west of New York City.

Emmaus Borough Hall

History of Emmaus

Early Settlement (1700s)

Emmaus was first settled in the early 1700s. German Protestants came here to escape religious problems in Europe. Many of these early settlers were farmers.

In 1741, some land was given to the Moravian Church. This was done by Sebastian Heinrich Knauss and Jacob Ehrenhardt. They wanted to create a special village for people of their faith. The village was first called Salzburg.

When Emmaus was officially founded in 1759, it was one of four main Moravian communities. The other three were Bethlehem, Lititz, and Nazareth, all in Pennsylvania.

Two years later, in 1761, a Moravian leader named August Gottlieb Spangenberg changed the town's name. He said the new name would be Emmaus. The name comes from a Biblical village. In the Bible's Gospel of Luke, Jesus was seen by his followers in Emmaus after his crucifixion and resurrection.

For about 100 years, Emmaus was a closed community. Only members of the Moravian Church lived there.

Some old buildings from this time are still standing today. They are even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• The Shelter House was built in 1734. It is the oldest building in Emmaus. It's also the oldest building in the Lehigh Valley that has been lived in continuously.
• The 1803 House was built in 1803. It was built by Jacob Ehrenhardt, Jr., whose father helped found Emmaus.
• Kemmerer House is a farmstead house built between 1840 and 1850.

Changes in the 1800s

From 1759 to 1830, the town's name was spelled "Emmaus." But from 1830 to 1938, people used the Pennsylvania Dutch spelling: "Emaus." This spelling had a special mark over the "m" to show it was a double letter.

As English became more common, this mark was often left out. This caused confusion about the correct spelling. In 1938, the local Rotary Club helped change the spelling back to "Emmaus." This matched the English version of the Bible. Even today, a main road called Emaus Avenue still uses the older spelling.

During the American Civil War, many people from Emmaus joined the Union Army. They helped fight to keep the country together. In 1930, a monument called the Emaus Honor Roll was put up. It honors the soldiers from Emmaus who served in the Civil War and other wars.

In the 1800s, Iron ore was found near Emmaus. The Donaldson Iron Company started mining and processing iron ore in 1850. They made cast iron pipes and other iron products.

In 1859, the Reading Company built railroad lines through Emmaus. These lines are still used today. That same year, Emmaus officially became a borough. In 1869, the town's first blast furnace opened. Making iron helped the town grow a lot in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Emmaus was also known for making silk and cigars during the 19th century.

Modern Emmaus (1900s and 2000s)

In 1940, Emmaus had 6,731 people. By 2020, the population had almost doubled to 11,652. Most of the land within the borough is now built up. This means the population inside Emmaus itself probably won't grow much more.

However, the area around Emmaus, especially in nearby Lower Macungie Township, is still growing. So, the population in the larger Emmaus ZIP Code area continues to expand.

Geography and Climate

Emmaus covers about 2.9 square miles (7.5 square kilometers) of land. A small stream called Little Lehigh Creek flows just outside the town's border. Emmaus is also located near South Mountain, which is part of the large Appalachian mountain range.

The town is about 436 feet (133 meters) above sea level. Emmaus has a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold winters. Average monthly temperatures range from about 29°F (-2°C) in January to 73.5°F (23°C) in July.

Population Information

Emmaus has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

In 2010, there were 11,313 people living in Emmaus. Most people in Emmaus are White (about 95.89%). There are also smaller numbers of African American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander residents. About 1.51% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Emmaus in 2010 was 40 years old. About 21.2% of the population was under 18.

Businesses and Fun Things to Do

The historic Emmaus Theatre on S. 4th Street in Emmaus, October 2012

Buckeye Pipe Line, a company that distributes petroleum, has its main office near Emmaus. The biggest shopping center in the area is South Mall. It's located right on the edge of Emmaus.

Yocco's Hot Dogs, a famous local fast-food place, has its main office in Emmaus. They are well-known for their hot dogs and cheesesteaks.

The Emmaus Arts Commission organizes different art and film events. These include "Art in the Garden" and the "Student Horror Film Festival."

Every October, Emmaus hosts a big Halloween parade. It's one of the largest in the Lehigh Valley. Before the parade, there's a 5K race. This race helps raise money for the parade and local parks.

Emmaus was once the home of Rodale, Inc.. This company was one of the world's largest publishers of health books and magazines. They published popular magazines like Men's Health, Prevention, and Runner's World. In 2018, another company bought Rodale, and their offices moved to Easton.

Education in Emmaus

Emmaus is part of the East Penn School District. This public school district serves students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade.

The district has one high school, Emmaus High School, for grades nine through 12. There are also two middle schools for grades six through eight. These are Eyer Middle School and Lower Macungie Middle School.

Emmaus also has several elementary schools. These include Jefferson Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, and Seven Generations Charter School.

Getting Around Emmaus

PA Route 29 North in Emmaus, September 2022

Emmaus has about 43.64 miles (70.23 km) of public roads. Most of these roads are managed by the borough itself.

Interstate 476 passes through the western part of Emmaus. However, the closest exit for this highway is a few towns away. Interstate 476 goes north towards Wyoming Valley and south towards Philadelphia.

The main highway that goes directly into Emmaus is Pennsylvania Route 29. It enters town on Chestnut Street and leaves on Cedar Crest Boulevard. Another important road is Lehigh Street, on the east side of Emmaus. Both of these roads connect to Interstate 78. I-78 goes from western Pennsylvania to New York City.

LANta provides bus service in Emmaus. You can take Route 104 to travel through Allentown and to the Lehigh Valley Mall.

Famous People from Emmaus

• Charles Bierbauer, a former reporter for CNN.
• Aaron Gray, a former professional basketball player. He played for teams like the Chicago Bulls.
• Keith Jarrett, a famous jazz pianist.
• J. I. Rodale, who founded Rodale, Inc., a big publishing company.
• Trina Radke, who was on the U.S. swimming team in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
• Cindy Werley, who was on the U.S. field hockey team in the 1996 Summer Olympics.

See also

In Spanish: Emmaus para niños