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Orefield, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Orefield, Pennsylvania facts for kids
| Orefield, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
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Homes in Orefield
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lehigh |
| Township | North Whitehall and South Whitehall |
| Elevation | 453 ft (138 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 18069 |
| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1183034 |
Orefield is a small unincorporated community in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States, split between North Whitehall and South Whitehall township. Located along Pennsylvania Route 309, Orefield has the zip code of 18069. Its name is derived from the extensive deposits of limonite (iron ore) once mined here. It was once the terminus of the Siegersville Branch of the Ironton Railroad, which was extended here to haul the ore.
Orefield is the former home to Parkland High School. It is a part of the Lehigh Valley and is only a few miles outside of Allentown. It is surrounded by many suburban housing developments, many of which were former farms operated by the Pennsylvania Dutch whose influence in the community is waning. There are many covered bridges nearby which cross the Jordan Creek.
Located near Orefield is a large factory for Alpo Dog Food, which has been owned by the Ralston Purina Company since the 1990s. Also located nearby are the Jaindl turkey farms, which provide the turkey for the White House on many Thanksgivings. Located in Orefield is Shankweiler's Drive-In, the second drive-in ever built (1934) and America's oldest operating drive-in theater.
Orefield is served by the Parkland School District, which has Orefield Middle School in the village. The district's high school was located in Orefield until 1999, when it moved to Cedar Crest Boulevard to the east. Kernsville Elementary School is located just west of the village.