Lehigh County Historical Society facts for kids
The Lehigh County Historical Society building in June 2008
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| Established | 1904 |
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| Location | 432 West Walnut Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Type | Historical museum |
| Public transit access |  LANta bus: 102, 107, 210, 220, 324 (at 5th and Hamilton/Linden streets) |
The Lehigh County Historical Society is a group that works to protect the history of Lehigh County and the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. It was started way back in 1904. As a nonprofit organization, its main goal is not to make money, but to collect, save, and show historical items to the public.
The society's main office is in the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, located in the city of Allentown.
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What You Can Discover
The Historical Society offers a lot for people interested in the past. You can visit a large museum, use a research library, and explore several historic buildings in the area.
Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum
The main attraction is the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum. This large building has four galleries filled with interesting displays. The museum has shown exhibits about important people like General Harry Clay Trexler, the history of Native Americans in the region, and even U.S. presidents.
There is always an exhibit about the Lehigh Valley's own story. The museum takes care of more than 30,000 historical objects, giving visitors a real look into the past.
Research Library and Archives
For those who love to do research, the society has the Scott Andrew Trexler II Research Library and Archive. It's a treasure chest of historical information! The library holds nearly three million documents and 200,000 old photographs.
Inside the library, you can find:
- Records from local churches and cemeteries.
- Old county records, like tax lists and property deeds.
- Marriage records and announcements.
- Histories of local families.
- City directories (like old phone books) from 1860 to today.
- Old maps and census records.
The library also has old newspapers from Allentown, including some that were printed in German. Members of the society can use the library for free.
Historic Sites You Can Visit
The Lehigh County Historical Society also takes care of six important historic places in the area. These sites are like stepping into a time machine!
- Claussville One-Room Schoolhouse (1893): This was the last one-room school to be used in Lehigh County. Imagine all grades learning together in just one room!
- Haines Mill Museum (rebuilt 1909): This is a working grist mill, a place where grain was ground into flour.
- Lockridge Furnace Museum (1868): This was once a busy factory for making iron. Now, it's a museum and park where you can learn about the iron industry.
- Saylor Cement Industry Museum (1893): These huge ovens, called kilns, were used to make cement. They were built by David O. Saylor, who was a pioneer in America's Portland cement industry.
- Trout Hall (1770): This beautiful stone house was the home of James Allen. His father, William Allen, founded the city of Allentown.
- Troxell-Steckel Farm Museum (1756): This is a very old stone farmhouse built by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers. It's one of the oldest buildings in the whole county.
See also
- Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
- List of historical societies
- List of historic places in Allentown, Pennsylvania
- List of historical societies in Pennsylvania
- Mahlon Hellerich
