Saucon Valley

Before the first European settlers arrived in the Saucon Valley, the local Native American tribe, the Lenape, named the 17-mile, eastern Pennsylvania creek Saucon, meaning "at the mouth of the creek." Saucon Valley refers to the area drained by the Saucon Creek, a tributary of the Lehigh River. The valley includes Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township in Northampton County. Lower Saucon Township was chartered in 1743, when it was still a part of Bucks County. The township also included South Bethlehem until 1865, and Hellertown until 1872. Before becoming a borough in 1872, Hellertown was the largest village in Lower Saucon Township for many years. Even though the two municipalities remain separate, it is today impossible to disunite the families, culture, and history that have been interwoven through the years.

Daniel T. Ruth is a retired information technology professional and is currently the archivist and webmaster for the Lower Saucon Township Historical Society (LSTHS). Karen M. Samuels is a retired guidance counselor and is a past president and board member of LSTHS. Lee A. Weidner is a retired English teacher, a member of three local historical societies, and the author of several local history books. For this project, the three authors utilized the archives of the Lower Saucon Township Historical Society.