Lausanne Landing, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Lausanne Landing, Pennsylvania, was a small settlement located where the Nesquehoning Creek flows into the Lehigh River. It was an important stop along an old Native American trail called the Warriors' Path. This path connected settlements near the Susquehanna River to those around Philadelphia.
During the American Revolutionary War, this trail became known as the Lausanne-Nescopeck Road. Later, in 1804, it was improved and became a toll road called the Lehigh and Susquehanna Turnpike. The area around Lausanne Landing was one of the few flat places in the region. This made it suitable for small farms, building boats, and a lumber mill.
A Busy River Stop
As the United States grew and industries developed, many trees were cut down to supply lumber mills and to build boats for transport. The Lehigh River was very useful because it could carry large, flat-bottomed boats called river arks. The mouth of the Nesquehoning Creek, with its gently sloped banks, was a perfect spot for boats to land. This is how the "Landing Tavern" got its name.
Because the area was so rugged, it was often called "The Switzerland of America." Lausanne Landing became a natural rest stop for travelers. The next part of the journey north involved a steep climb of over nine miles towards Beaver Meadows.
At that time, all of Northampton north of the Blue Mountains was known as the Towamensing District, "Towamensing" being an Indian word for "wilderness".
Lausanne Landing was first used by workers who cut timber and built temporary river boats. These boats were a common way to ship resources from the frontier. The settlement grew to include a sawmill, a tavern, simple homes, and work sheds. In 1804–1805, a toll house was built for the Lehigh and Susquehanna turnpike. This turnpike began its steep climb up Broad Mountain from Lausanne Landing.
The Moravians had been following the "Warriors' Path" used by the Delaware and Seneca tribes since 1742, when Count Nicholas Lewis von Zinzendorf, the missionary who founded Bethlehem, used the trail. The path widened as missionaries traveled through what is now Hazleton on their way to Berwick and the Wyoming Valley along the Susquehanna River.
The first step toward developing a town came in 1804 when a private company built the Berwick Turnpike along the old Indian trail in an effort to open a way to the lumber lands along the upper reaches of the Susquehanna.
Lausanne Township's History
After the American Revolutionary War, the steep banks of the Lehigh Valley above the Lehigh Gap were mostly empty. Native Americans even called the area "Towamensing," meaning "The Wilderness." The Warriors' Trail, which crossed Broad Mountain, became the Lausanne-Nescopeck Road when settlers arrived. This road is now roughly PA Route 93.
The land was not good for farming, so the main industry was timber. The Lehigh River was shallow, making it hard to transport large logs. However, a wagon road allowed logs to be moved, especially in winter when sledges could be used on snow. Once on the river, logs could be floated downstream during spring floods.
The original Lausanne Township was much larger than it is today. From about 1790 to 1808, it covered all the territory north of the Lehigh Gap up to the Luzerne County line. Over time, parts of the township were separated to form new towns and townships. For example, Jim Thorpe was split off in 1827. Today, Lausanne Township is much smaller and is located along the northern border of Carbon County, Pennsylvania.
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Today, only a few stone ruins remain at the site of Lausanne Landing. This community was important for about three decades, mainly for temporary workers who built boats, cut trees, or mined coal.
Tucked between Weatherly and Jim Thorpe lies the lost town of Lausanne Landing. Some may know of Lausanne Township, which was created in 1808 when Penn Township was divided into East Penn, West Penn and Lausanne. At one time, Lausanne Township contained Rockport, Weatherly, Clifton, Penn Haven and Buck Mountain. The township became smaller and smaller as portions of it were set off for Mauch Chunk in 1827, Banks in 1842, Packer in 1847 and Weatherly in 1863. The largest portion was relinquished to Lehigh Township in 1875.
Now the township is six miles in length and 2½ miles in breadth.
The buildings of the Lehigh & Susquehanna Turnpike, including a toll house, were built next to the Landing Tavern. These structures, along with storehouses and a sawmill, were all located near the wide, shallow delta where the Nesquehoning Creek meets the Lehigh River. This spot was at the calm, lake-like upper part of the Lehigh River, just below the Lehigh Gorge.
Early explorers and hunters first entered this mountainous area, sometimes with Native American guides. They were often followed by lumbermen who harvested the rich forests. Wood was a very important material for building and development for a long time.
The valley where Lausanne Landing was located is a unique place where several mountain ridges meet. Broad Mountain, Nesquehoning Mountain, Pisgah Ridge, and Mauch Chunk Mountain all direct water into a long, calm pool of the Lehigh River. This made the area a natural hub for early transportation and industry.
