A Guide to the PROPERTY OWNERS

In the VILLAGE of

LEHIGH GAP,

IN THE TOWNSHIP OF Lower Towamensing,

CARBON COUNTY, pa.

In

1875

The village of Lehigh Gap was located along the Blue Mountain, which forms the southern boundary of Carbon County. Situated along the old Lehigh & Susquehanna Turnpike, it was one of the earliest portions of the county to be settled. Below the Gap the Lehigh River enters the broad valley that has come to be known as the Lehigh Valley (formed by the Blue Mountain in the north and the South Mountain in the south). Above the Gap, the river winds through a much different geological region of ridges and deep valleys. Settlement at Lehigh Gap dates back to the 1750s when the Dietrich Bowman family settled here and opened a trading post. The Craig family settled here not long after. The village grew somewhat with the coming of the Lehigh Canal in the late 1820s, becoming a shipping place for produce from the Aquashicola Valley to the east. The Lehigh & Susquehanna railroad came later and opened a depot at the site. The canal also had a large boat yard located here. The Craig family expanded their holdings and as can be seen on the map, owning much of the village by the 1870s. By 1900 the NJ Zinc Company was in full swing a short distance to the west, and the town of Palmerton had been born nearby. As time went by, Palmerton grew rapidly and swallowed up the upper portion of Lehigh Gap shown in the map. The lower part of the village, along the Aquashicola Creek, held on until the 1930s when the Lehigh Canal ceased to operate. The grand Victorian mansions built by the Craig family fell into disrepair and were eventually raised. Craig’s Hotel fell victim to a fire. Today, very little remains of the village, only a few of the old foundations and the remains of Lock 19 of the Lehigh Canal.

PROPERTY OWNER	NOTES
Ash, J.
Carbon County	School No. 5
Craig, J.	Residence
Craig, J. & W.
Craig, J. & W.	Hotel
Craig, J. & W.	Store & post office
Craig, J. & W.
Craig, J. & W.
Craig, J. & W.
Craig, J. & W.	Lime kiln
Craig, J. & W.	Boat yard
Craig, J. & W.	Blacksmith shop
Craig, W.	Residence
Faurl, P.
Finkler, P.
Green, T.
Kelchner, C.
Kelchner, J.
Lehigh & Susquehanna RR	Depot
Lehigh Coal Co.
Lehigh Coal Co.	Lock 18 house
Mushlitz, M.
Mushlitz, W.
Owner not certain	Carpenter shop
Owner probably S. Snyder	Grist mill
Prutzman, A.
Prutzman, C.
Prutzman, J.
Prutzman, T.
Shipe, E.
Shuck, G.
Smith, H. J.
Snyder, P.
Snyder, S.
Snyder, W.
Sonders, J. W.
Sterner, H.
Weida, P.

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1875 map

Lehigh Gap

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Transcription, research &

web page

Jack Sterling

March, 2003