The Slatington History Preservation Committee began discussing the upcoming America 250 celebration in late 2024, and quickly agreed it wanted to host a special public history presentation.

But the committee also began considering another way to mark the occasion: a commemorative book.

While the history of the Northern Lehigh area has been extensively covered in previous publications, the committee decided it wanted to take a different approach. Rather than attempting to retell the area’s full history, the group chose to focus on three specific milestone years — 1776, 1876 and 1976 — offering readers a glimpse into day-to-day life during each period.

The 88-page softcover book, titled “Slatington Area Americana: The Centennial Years,” explores the issues that mattered to residents during those times, as well as the unique challenges they faced.

The chapter on 1776 examines the pre-Revolutionary War period in Eastern Pennsylvania and the local area’s role in the American Revolution.

The 1876 chapter focuses on the nation’s centennial celebration in Philadelphia and how Slatington observed the country’s 100th anniversary. At the time, the Borough of Slatington was only 12 years old and, despite a booming slate industry, the town was still experiencing significant growing pains.

A key highlight of that chapter is a word-for-word reprint of the “History of Slatington,” authored by founding father D.D. Jones. The history was originally read during the 1876 Fourth of July celebration and later preserved in the Slatington News.

The final chapter, centered on 1976, explores a community on the brink of change, including discussions and approvals for a new strip mall, housing developments and a new high school. The committee said it hopes those who remember 1976 will find the articles nostalgic and gain perspective on how events shaped the community 50 years later.

The committee researched, wrote and compiled the book over approximately 15 months.

“Slatington Area Americana: The Centennial Years” is available for purchase at Bechtel’s Pharmacy in Slatington and will be featured at various Northern Lehigh America 250 events in the coming weeks.

For questions or alternative purchasing options, contact the Slatington History Preservation Committee at 610-767-5935, message the group through Facebook Messenger, or email shpcmembership@gmail.com.