This document lists 38 historical markers located across Slatington, Walnutport, and Washington Township that commemorate people and events from the area's history. The markers cover topics related to the slate industry, local settlers, transportation routes, civic structures, and more. Brief descriptions are provided for each marker's location and significance. Additionally, the document provides short summaries of the histories of Slatington, Walnutport, and Slatedale, highlighting how the slate industry shaped development in these towns.

1. 1. RICHARD JONES Local MARKER
Walnut Street Playground, 125 S. Walnut
Street, Slatington.
Commemorating Richard “Dick” Jones,
a member of the famed 1954 “Iron Men”
Basketball team.
2. Warrior’s Path Local Marker
Main & Factory Streets, Slatington.
Commemorating the path once used by
Indians as a travel and trade route.
3. First School Slate
Factory State Marker
Main & Factory Streets, Slatington.
Commemorating the first factory to
produce school slates in 1847.
4. Kern Home Local Marker
In front of 332 Main Street, Slatington.
Commemorating the first and oldest
surviving home erected in 1824.
5. Kern Barn Local Marker
Aside of Barn at Diamond & Main
Streets, Slatington. Slatington’s oldest
surviving structure built circa 1807.
6. Trucker’s Mill State Marker
General Morgan Bridge, Slatington.
Commemorating the saw mill built
before 1755 and used as a station for
troops during the French and Indian War.
7. Berksey Rail Line Local Marker
On the Slate Heritage Trail underneath
the General Moragan Bridge, Slatington.
A former extension of the Vally Railroad
used to ship slate products.
8. Firemen’s Drinking Fountain
Local Marker
550 Main Street (At Firemen’s
Curve), Slatington. Commemorating
service, vigilance, and humanity, to all
volunteering Firemen.
9. Northern Lehigh Firemen’s
Memorial Bell Local Marker
550 Main Street (At Firemen’s Curve),
Slatington. Commemorating the
community’s first fire alarm. Now it
stands as a tribute to every fireman who
has served his or her community.
10. Robert McDowell Local Marker
Main & Dowell Streets, Slatington.
Commemorating the namesake for
Dowell Street, Robert McDowell.
He was a slate industry pioneer and
developed most of the homes near the
Fireman’s Statue on Main Street.
11. Hose Co. #1/Borough
Hall Local Marker
At the corner of East Church & Fourth
Street. Commemorating the site of
Slatington’s first fire company and
municipal offices. The building was
dedicated on November 28, 1899.
12. The Neff House Hotel Local Marker
Located at700 Main Street. Constructed
in 1850 by John Remaley, grandson
of original Slatington settler Ambrose
Remaley. Basement housed Slatington’s
oldest licensed barroom.
13. Daniel Jones Local Marker
East Church & First Streets, Slatington.
Commemorating Daniel Jones who is
credited with originating the name of
the town, Slatington.
14. The Old Reservior (Fish Pond)
Local Marker
1100 block of Main Street (aside of
Springside Fire Company), Slatington.
Commemorating Slatington’s first
source of drinking water.
15. Remaley Settlers Local Marker
At steps leading into Victory Park (1200
Block of Main Street), Slatington.
Commemorating Ambrose Remaley,
who emigrated to America in 1749. He
happened to be the second principle
landowner in Slatington.
16. Victory Park Local Marker
Along entrance road to park, just off
Grove Street, Slatington.
Originally known as Kern’s Grove,
Victory Park was envisioned as a
memorial to WWI veterans in 1919.
The park hosted many events.
17. Vigilant Fire Company Firemen
Monument Local Marker
Union Cemetery – ½ mile south
of Slatington along Route 873,
Washington Township. Dedicated in
1909 to honor deceased firemen.
18. Freidens Local Marker
Near Friedens Fire Company, 3158
Friedens Road, Washington Township.
This region was originally part of
Heidelberg Township.
19. Slatedale Local Marker
Slatedale Fire Company, 3922 Main
Street, Slatedale, Washington Township.
Named for the region’s slate quarries.
Originally called Labarsville. Locke
Slate Company purchased most of the
village and renamed it Slatedale.
20. Penn Big Bed Slate Company
Local Marker
Brown Street, Slatedale at Penn Big
Bed Quarry Entrance, Washington
Township. Commemorating the only
remaining slate quarry still in operation
out of more than 100 slate quarries that
once operated in Northern Lehigh.
21. Lehigh Furnace Local Marker
Intersection of Mountain & Furnace
Roads, Washington Township.
A charcoal Furnace was erected on this
site in 1826. At the time it was believed
to be the only one in the entire country.
22. Emerald Local Marker
Along Main Street – underneath the
Turnpike Bridge, Washington Township.
Originally known as Franklin, it is
situated along the Slatedale Branch of
the Lehigh Valley Railroad. In 1885,
Franklin was changed to Emerald
because no two post offices in a state
could have the same name.
23. Ed Kraus Local Marker
Along Slate Heritage Trail at
intersection with N. Seventh Street,
Slatington. Commemorating where the
National School Slate Co. once stood.
24. Tunnel Quarry Local Marker
Along Welshtown Road at quarry
entrance, Washington Township.
Commemorating the area’s first slate
quarry. This quarry operated from 1845
to 1866 and contained some of the
darkest slate found in the region.
25. Chain Bridge Local Marker
On Lehigh River Bridge on Route 873
in Lehigh Gap, Washington Township.
The chain toll bridge was erected in
1826 and spanned the Lehigh River. It
provided the only river crossing and
access to the canal until 1854.
26. William Best Local Marker
North Best Avenue & Gap Streets. Best
emigrated from Switzerland to the
U.S.A. and was the area’s first settler.
27. William Kuntz Local Marker
200 Block of South Lehigh Gap Streets,
Walnutport. Built in 1820, this stone
structure served as the Kuntz family
homestead. He sold part of his land for
the construction of the Lehigh Canal.
28. Poughkeepsie Bridge Local Marker
On southbound Towpath where
Poughkeepsie Bridge crosses River and
tow path – Approximately ¾ mile south
of Lock Tender’s House, Walnutport.
The South Mountain and Boston
Railroad ran from Harrisburg to Boston.
29. Diamond Fire Company
Local Marker
Main & Washington Streets,
Walnutport. The fire company was
chartered in 1896. The building was
constructed in 1910 using salvaged
lumber from the former Citizens
Electric Company.
30. Walnutport Local Marker
100 block of Main Street near the
railroad tracks, Walnutport.
Incorporated in 1909, Walnutport was
originally part of Lehigh Township.
Walnutport was established as a boat
repair center.
31. Pennsylvania House/Slate
Exchange Hotel Local Marker
103 Main Street, Walnutport.
Constructed in 1894, it provided lodging
for the railroad and canal passengers. In
1977, it was raised for construction of
the Diamond Fire Company Social Hall.
32. Anchor Hotel Local Marker
1 Main Street (Main & N. Canal Streets),
Walnutport. Built in 1834, it originally
served as a rest stop and a tavern for
both canal boat crews and passengers.
It has served as an inn, tavern, bed and
breakfast, and a personal care home.
33. Lehigh Canal Local Marker
At Earl Snyder Park (along Main Street
at the Lehigh Canal), Walnutport.
Completed in 1829, this 46 mile canal
was constructed in 2 years. The hand-
dug canal contained 52 locks.
34. Lehigh River Local Marker
Marker Lehigh Street – Near Lehigh
River Bridge, Walnutport. Owned
by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation
Company, it was the only privately
owned river in the U.S.
35. Lock tender’s House Local Marker
Canal Street, Walnutport.
Built in 1828, it is one of the only two
lock houses remaining along the canal.
36. Island Park Horse Race
Track Local Marker
In pavilion parking lot near Lehigh
River, pass Lock Tender’s House on
Lehigh Street, Walnutport. Island Park
is the track of land between the Lehigh
River and the Canal.
37. Slate Industry State Marker
Main and Railroad Streets (by Lehigh
River Bridge), Slatington.
Commemorates the largest slate
producing center in the United States.
38. Kern Settlers Local Marker
At the intersection of D&L Rail Trail &
Main Street, Slatington
Commemorating the area’s first settler,
Nicholas Kern. Present day Slatington
was originally known as Kern’s Mill.

2. 3
2
1
#1 Slatedale
#2 Slatington
#3 Walnutport
Formoreinformation:
(610)760-0685
NorthernLehighFutureFocus
P.O.Box243
Slatington,PA18080
futurefocusofnorthernlehigh.tripod.com
RICHARDJONESLOCALMARKER
WalnutStreetPlayground,125S.
WalnutStreet,Slatington.
CommemoratingRichard“Dick”Jones,
amemberofthefamed1954“Iron
Men”Basketballteam.
Additionalhistoricallythemedwayside
signscanalsobefoundalongtheLehigh
CanalTowpathinWalnutportandonthe
SlateHeritageTrailinSlatington.
Historical
Markers
Slatington
Walnutport
W
ashington
Township
Slatington
NicholasKernfoundedSlatingtoninthelate
1730swhenhesecuredalandwarranttofarm
thefertilelandalongtheLehighRiver.Then
inthemid-19thcentury,slatewasdiscovered
andSlatingtonwasborn.Thecomingofthe
railroadin1856furthernurturedthe
settlementandtheBoroughwasincorporated
in1864.AwalkthroughSlatingtonandalong
TroutCreekprovidesahinttotherest
ofSlatington’sstory.Simplehomes,located
nexttoextravagantVictoriansdemonstrate
howquicklytheslateindustrysweptthrough
theareaandtransformedagricultural
KernsvilleintoindustrialSlatington.
Walnutport
WalnutportdevelopedasastopontheLeigh
Canal.Namedin1830forthemanytall
walnuttreesthatflourishedhere,thisvillage
incorporatedasaBoroughin1909.Many
peoplevisitWalnutportforits4½milesof
scenictrailsadjacenttowateredsectionsof
theLehighCanal.Thecanal,togetherwith
thetown’smanyhistoricbuildings,tells
Walnutport’sstory.Closelytiedtotheriver
andcanal,Walnutport’seconomywasdriven
bythearea’szinc,coal,andslateindustries.
TrafficontheLehighCanalgavewaytothe
railroadsandthenlaterautomotivetraffic.
ThegrowingpopularityofcarscausedState
Route145tobediverted-foreverchangingthe
faceofWalnutport.
Slatedale
SlatedalewasoriginallynamedLabarvillefor
GeorgeandNelsonLabar.Itisthelargest
villageinWashingtonTownship,which
surroundsSlatingtonandalsoincludesthe
smallervillagesofEmerald,Friedens,and
othersmallclustersofhomes.TheLabars
openedandbeganoperatingthearea’sfirst
slatequarryin1848.TheLockeSlate
Companylaterpurchasedthisquarry.With
theexplosionoftheslateindustry,Slatedale
expandedrapidlyinthelate1800sandearly
1900s.Thevillagewasfullyequippedwith
businesstofulfilltheresidents’needsfrom
cradletograve.However,withdwindling
demandforslate,Slatedale’sbusinessdistrict
shrankoverthelast100years.
NorthernLehigh
FutureFocus