Government Detail

Summary

Name Level Type/Class Home Rule?
Lehigh, County of county County (Class: 3) yes

Detail

Census Creation Date Created Boundary Alteration Count Dissolved
Mar 6, 1812 0

Map

Related

Name Relationship Status
Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Parent current
Alburtis, Borough of Child current
Allentown, Borough of (Lehigh, defunct) Child most recent
Allentown, City of Child current
Bethlehem, Borough of (defunct) Child most recent
Bethlehem, City of Child current
Catasauqua, Borough of Child current
Coopersburg, Borough of Child current
Coplay, Borough of Child current
Dallas, Township of (Lehigh, defunct) Child most recent
East Whitehall, Township of (defunct) Child most recent
Emaus, Borough of (defunct) Child most recent
Emmaus, Borough of Child current
Fountain Hill, Borough of Child current
Hanover, Township of (Lehigh) Child current
Heidelberg, Township of (Lehigh) Child current
Lower Macungie, Township of Child current
Lower Milford, Township of Child current
Lowhill, Township of Child current
Lynn, Township of Child current
Macungie, Borough of Child current
Macungie, Township of (defunct) Child most recent
Millerstown, Borough of (Lehigh, defunct) Child most recent
North Whitehall, Township of Child current
Northampton, Borough of (Lehigh, defunct) Child most recent
Northampton, Township of (Lehigh, defunct) Child most recent
Salisbury, Township of (Lehigh) Child current
Salsberg, Township of (alternate) Child variant
Salsburg, Township of (alternate) Child variant
Salsbury, Township of (Lehigh, alternate) Child variant
Slatington, Borough of Child current
South Allentown, Borough of (defunct) Child most recent
South Whitehall, Township of Child current
Upper Macungie, Township of Child current
Upper Milford, Township of Child current
Upper Saucon, Township of Child current
Washington, Township of (Lehigh) Child current
Weisenberg, Township of Child current
Weisenburg, Township of (alternate) Child variant
Weissenburg, Township of (alternate) Child variant
West Bethlehem, Borough of (defunct) Child most recent
Whitehall, Township of (Lehigh) Child current

Identifier

Detail Type Source Identifier Relationship Web Link
View census US Census Bureau FIPS: County 42077 Lead
View geologic USGS GNIS: Civil 1209182 Lead View
View other Wikidata Q494117 Lead View
View state Pennsylvania DCED: County 39 Lead

Affected Government

Detail How Affected Adverse Government How Adverse Affected Date
View Creation Northampton, County of Reduction Mar 6, 1812
View Swap Northampton, County of Swap 1813
View Ascertainment Berks, County of Ascertainment May 4, 1982
View Ascertainment Bucks, County of Ascertainment May 4, 1982
View Ascertainment Carbon, County of Ascertainment May 4, 1982
View Ascertainment Montgomery, County of Ascertainment May 4, 1982
View Ascertainment Northampton, County of Ascertainment May 4, 1982
View Ascertainment Schuylkill, County of Ascertainment May 4, 1982
View Reference Bucks, County of Reference May 4, 1982
View Reference Carbon, County of Reference May 4, 1982
View Reference Northampton, County of Reference May 4, 1982
View Reference Schuylkill, County of Reference May 4, 1982

Affected Government Form

Detail Government Form Date
View County Mar 6, 1812
View County, 5th Class Jul 10, 1919
View County, 4th Class Dec 30, 1930
View County, 3rd Class Jan 1, 1972
View County, 3rd Class (Home Rule Charter) Jan 2, 1978

Other Successful Event Links

Detail Type Description Successful? Date
View New Township Northampton Township 1795 Creation yes* Aug 1795
View New Borough Northampton Borough 1811 Creation yes May 6, 1811
View New Township Lower Macungie Township-Upper Macungie Township 1832 Creation yes May 3, 1832
View New Name Allentown Borough 1838 Creation yes Apr 16, 1838
View Annexation Salisbury Township-Upper Saucon Township 1830s Annexation yes* 1837–1839
View New Township Dallas Township 1847 Creation yes Dec 6, 1847
View New Name Washington Township 1848 Creation yes Apr 11, 1848
View Annexation Allentown Borough Ordinance of 14 September 1852 yes* 1852
View Annexation Allentown Borough Ordinance of 30 August 1852 yes* 1852
View General Law Allentown Borough 1852 General Law yes May 18, 1852
View New Township Lower Milford Township 1852 Creation yes Dec 9, 1852
View New Borough Catasauqua Borough 1853 Creation yes Feb 19, 1853
View Dissolution Northampton Township to Salisbury Township-South Whitehall Township 1853 Merger yes Feb 26, 1853
View New Borough Millerstown Borough 1857 Creation yes Nov 13, 1857
View New Borough Emaus Borough 1859 Creation yes Oct 12, 1859
View Annexation Allentown Borough 1860 Ordinance yes* 1860
View New Borough Slatington Borough 1864 Creation yes Sep 20, 1864
View New School District Hokendauqua Independent School District 1860s Creation yes* 1864–1865
View New City Allentown City 1867 Creation yes Mar 15, 1867
View New Township East Whitehall Township 1867 Creation yes Oct 31, 1867
View New Name Whitehall Township 1867 Creation yes Nov 6, 1867
View Annexation Millerstown Borough Ordinance 6 yes Apr 29, 1868
View Annexation Allentown City 1869 Ordinance yes* 1869
View New School District Whitehall Township 1869 Independent School District yes* 1869
View New Borough Coplay Borough 1869 Creation yes* Apr 7, 1869
View Annexation Allentown City 1870 Ordinance yes* 1870
View City Classification Pennsylvania 1874 City Classification yes May 23, 1874
View General Law Allentown City 1874 General Law yes Sep 23, 1874
View New Name Macungie Borough 1875 Creation yes Nov 11, 1875
View New Borough Coopersburg Borough 1879 Creation yes* Dec 2, 1879
View New Borough West Bethlehem Borough 1886 Creation yes Oct 25, 1886
View Annexation Washington Township-Slatington Borough 1890 Annexation yes* 1890
View New Borough Fountain Hill Borough 1893 Creation yes Nov 27, 1893
View Annexation Hanover Township-Catasauqua Borough 1895 Annexation yes Aug 29, 1895
View Annexation Washington Township-North Whitehall Township 1897 Annexation yes+ 1896–1897
View Township Classification Pennsylvania 1899 Township Classification yes Apr 28, 1899
View First Class Township Whitehall Township 1900 1st Class yes Mar 5, 1900
View Annexation Allentown City 1901 Resolution yes* 1901
View Annexation Emaus Borough Ordinance 49 yes* 1903
View Annexation Allentown City 1904 Ordinance yes* 1904
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 96 yes* 1904
View Dissolution West Bethlehem Borough-Bethlehem Borough 1904 Consolidation yes Aug 16, 1904
View Annexation Allentown City 1906 Ordinance yes* 1906
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance of 16 January 1907 (Page 59) yes* 1907
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance of 21 September 1907 yes* 1907
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance of 7 June 1907 yes* 1907
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance of 14 August 1908 yes* 1908
View Annexation Catasauqua Borough Ordinance 149 yes* 1909
View New Borough South Allentown Borough 1909 Creation yes* May 21, 1909
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance of 1 December 1911 yes* 1911
View New Borough Alburtis Borough 1913 Creation yes May 9, 1913
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 72 yes* 1915
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 480 yes Feb 2, 1917
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 695 yes* 1918
View New City Bethlehem City 1918 Creation yes Jan 7, 1918
View Annexation Bethlehem City Ordinance 71 yes* Nov 1, 1918
View Annexation Fountain Hill Borough Ordinance 58 yes* 1919
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 887 yes Jun 20, 1919
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 1027 yes* 1920
View Dissolution Allentown City Ordinance 1033 yes Mar 1, 1920
View Annexation Emaus Borough Ordinance 158 yes* 1922
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 2831 yes* 1923–1924
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 2836 yes* 1923–1924
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 82 yes* 1924
View Annexation Emaus Borough Ordinance 168 yes* 1925
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 3056 yes* Jan 5, 1925
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 3190 yes* Jun 22, 1925
View Annexation Emaus Borough Ordinance 173 yes* 1926
View Annexation Emaus Borough Ordinance 167 yes* 1925–1927
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 193 yes* 1927
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 87 yes* 1928
View Annexation South Whitehall Township-Allentown City 1929 Annexation yes Jan 7, 1929
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 2556 yes* Nov 26, 1929
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 2606 yes May 29, 1930
View Annexation Emaus Borough Ordinance 212 yes* 1931
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 2637 yes* 1930–1932
View Plat Recording Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 97 yes* 1934
View New Name Emmaus Borough 1938 Creation yes Jun 27, 1938
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 255 yes Nov 25, 1940
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 5640 yes Jul 5, 1947
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 9951 yes Nov 10, 1947
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 285 yes Dec 9, 1947
View Annexation Fountain Hill Borough Ordinance 157 and 158 yes* Sep 14, 1949
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 299 yes Dec 20, 1949
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 6610 yes Jun 27, 1951
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 6772 yes Jan 4, 1952
View First Class Township Salisbury Township 1952 1st Class yes Jan 7, 1952
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 267 yes* Nov 5, 1952
View Annexation Catasauqua Borough Ordinance 365 yes* 1953
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 304 yes* 1951–1953
View Annexation Catasauqua Borough Ordinance 357 yes* Feb 4, 1953
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 7218 yes Jul 1, 1953
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 7688 yes Mar 27, 1955
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 7880 and 7909 yes Nov 4, 1955
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 7964 yes Jan 20, 1956
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 326 yes May 9, 1956
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 8035 yes May 30, 1956
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 170 yes* 1957
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 330 yes Feb 25, 1957
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 8449 yes Oct 5, 1957
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 309 yes* Nov 5, 1957
View Annexation Bethlehem City Ordinance 1531 yes* 1958
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 8517 yes Mar 8, 1958
View Annexation Catasauqua Borough Ordinance 400 yes* May 27, 1958
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 8619 yes Jun 7, 1958
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 8769 yes Nov 15, 1958
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 176 yes* 1959
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 177 yes* 1959
View Annexation Alburtis Borough Ordinance 77 yes Feb 10, 1959
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 197 (19.84329 acre tract) yes Mar 11, 1959
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 197 (10.72 acre tract) yes Nov 3, 1959
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 9037 yes Dec 7, 1959
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 202 yes* 1960
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 373 yes* 1960
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 186 yes* 1960
View Annexation Bethlehem City Ordinance 1679 yes Mar 13, 1961
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 9575 yes Oct 1, 1961
View Mayor-Council Form Bethlehem City 1962 Optional Charter yes Jan 1, 1962
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 9693 yes Jan 13, 1962
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10072 yes* 1963
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10077 yes* 1963
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 199 yes Dec 12, 1963
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10328 yes* 1963–1964
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10401 yes* 1964
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 348 yes Apr 28, 1964
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10726 yes* 1965
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 248 yes* 1965
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 251 yes* 1965
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 358 yes* 1965
View Annexation Alburtis Borough Ordinance 124 yes* 1966
View First Class Township South Whitehall Township 1966 1st Class yes Jan 3, 1966
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10865 yes Feb 28, 1967
View Annexation Macungie Borough Ordinance 212 and 221 yes Nov 28, 1968
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 453 yes* 1969
View Mayor-Council Form Allentown City 1970 Optional Charter yes Jan 5, 1970
View Boundary Realignment Allentown City-Salisbury Township 1970s Boundary Ascertainment yes* 1970–1971
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 264 yes* 1968–1971
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 484 yes Nov 8, 1972
View Home Rule Whitehall Township 1976 Home Rule yes Jan 5, 1976
View Home Rule Hanover Township 1978 Home Rule yes Jan 2, 1978
View Boundary Realignment Lehigh County 1979 Township Boundary Realignment yes Feb 21, 1979
View Annexation Lowhill Township-North Whitehall Township 1980 Annexation yes* 1980
View Boundary Realignment North Whitehall Township-Washington Township 1981 Boundary Ascertainment yes Oct 9, 1981
View Annexation Hanover Township-Catasauqua Borough 1982 Annexation yes* 1982
View Boundary Realignment Lower Milford Township 1990 Boundary Ascertainment yes Oct 22, 1990
View Home Rule Allentown City 1997 Home Rule yes Jan 6, 1997
View First Class Township Lower Macungie Township 2008 1st Class yes Jan 7, 2008

Government Action

Detail Action Date Approved Effective Location
View Proclamation: [Classifying Whitehall Township as a first class township] Dec 1899
View Election: [For or against the incorporation of the Borough of Bethlehem as a city of the third class by the name, style, and title of the City of Bethlehem] Nov 2, 1915
View Election: [For or against the incorporation of the Municipality of Bethlehem and the Municipality of South Bethlehem as a city of the third class by the name, style, and title of the City of Bethlehem] Jul 10, 1917
View Election: "SHALL THE EASTERN ELECTION DISTRICT OF SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP LEHIGH COUNTY PA, BE ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN IN SAID COUNTY?" Nov 6, 1928
View Election: "SHALL SALISBURY TOWNSHIP, LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, BECOME A TOWNSHIP OF THE FIRST CLASS?" Nov 6, 1951
View Charter Commission Election: [For or against the election of a charter commission for the City of Bethlehem] Nov 4, 1958
View Election: "Shall Mayor-Council Plan A of the Optional Third Class City Charter Law, providing for seven councilmen to be elected at large, be adopted by the City of Bethlehem?" Nov 3, 1959
View Election: "SHALL SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, BECOME A TOWNSHIP OF THE FIRST CLASS?" Nov 2, 1965
View Charter Commission Election: [For or against the election of a charter commission for the City of Allentown] Nov 8, 1966
View Election: "Shall the Mayor-Council Plan A of the Optional Third Class City Charter Law providing for seven councilmen to be elected at large be adopted by the City of Allentown?" Nov 7, 1967
View Charter Commission Election Nov 7, 1972
View Charter Commission Election: "Shall a Government Study Commission of eleven members be elected to study the form and plan of government of the Township of Whitehall, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, to study and consider the advisability of the adoption of an Optional Plan of Government or a Home Rule Charter and to recommend whether or not an Optional Form of Government or a Home Rule Charter should be adopted?" Nov 7, 1972
View Charter Commission Election: [For or against the election of a government study commission for the County of Lehigh] May 21, 1974
View Election: "Shall the Home Rule Charter contained in the report, dated May 1974, of the Government Study Commission, prepared in accordance with the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law, be adopted by the TOWNSHIP OF WHITEHALL?" Nov 12, 1974
View Charter Commission Election: "Shall a government study commission of seven members be elected to study the existing form of government of the municipality, to consider in the advisability of the adoption of a home rule charter; and if advisable, to draft and to recommend a home rule charter [for the Township of Hanover]?" May 20, 1975
View Charter Commission Final Report: [Recommending the adoption of a home rule charter for "The County of Lehigh"] Aug 26, 1975 Jan 2, 1978
View Election: "Shall the Home Rule Charter contained in the report dated August 26, 1975 of the Government Study Commission, prepared in accordance with the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Laws, be adopted by the County of Lehigh" Nov 4, 1975
View Election: "Shall the Home Rule Charter contained in the report, dated August 1, 1976, of the Government Study Commission prepared in accordance with the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law, be adopted by Hanover Township, Lehigh County?" Nov 2, 1976
View Charter Commission Election May 15, 1979
View Charter Commission Election: "Shall a governmental study commission of seven members be elected to study the existing form of government of the municipality, to consider the advisability of the adoption of a home rule charter; and if advisable, to draft and to recommend a home rule charter [for the City of Allentown]?" Apr 22, 1980
View Election: "Shall six residential lots (totaling 5.25 acres) on the extreme westerly end of Trexler Road, Schnecksville be annexed into North Whitehall Township?" Apr 22, 1980
View Charter Commission Election Nov 4, 1980
View Election Nov 4, 1980 Rejected
View Election: "Shall the Home Rule Charter contained in the report dated October 1, 1981 of the Government Study Commission, prepared in accordance with the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law, be adopted by the City of Allentown?" May 18, 1982 Rejected
View Election May 18, 1982
View Charter Commission Election: [For or against the election of a government study commission for the City of Allentown] May 10, 1994
View Election: "Shall Lower Macungie Township, which is presently a township of the second class, become a township of the first class?" Nov 7, 1995 Rejected
View Election: "Shall the Home Rule Charter contained in the report, dated February 13, 1996, of the Government Study Commission, prepared in accordance with the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law, be adopted by the City of Allentown?" Apr 23, 1996
View Resolution 30, 2006: Meeting the provisions of Section 206 of the First Class Township Code Nov 21, 2006
View Election: "Shall Lower Macungie Township, which is presently a Township of the second class, become a Township of the first class?" Nov 6, 2007

Research Log

Detail Type/Notes Log Date Coverage
Election Docket bk. 1922-1959 (1922–1959)
Law Library Visit
Miscellaneous Book (Rec.Dd.) bk. 5, p. 1–5, p. 200 (1850–1853)
Miscellaneous Book (Rec.Dd.) bk. 8, p. 300–8, end (1869–1870)
Miscellaneous Book (Rec.Dd.) bk. 14, p. 180–14, p. 300 (1879–1880)
Quarter Sessions Docket bk. R–X (1912–1924)
Road Docket bk. 4–6 (1869–1930s)
Road Docket bk. 9 (1961–1998)

National Archives

Detail Source Set Government File Unit From To
View 1940-1950 Cns. Minor Civ. Div. Corr. Lehigh County 17500451 845 858
View Cns. Mp. 1940 Lehigh County 5837813 1 1
View Cns. Mp. 1950 Lehigh County 36433200 1 1
View Cns. Mp. 1950 Urbanized Area, Allentown-Bethlehem 36433368 1 1

Other Event Links

Detail Type Description Successful? Date
View New Township North Whitehall Township Proposed 1846 Division no* 1846
View New Township North Whitehall Township Proposed 1864 Division no 1864
View School District Dissolution Hokendauqua Independent School District Proposed 1868 Dissolution unknown 1868
View New School District South Whitehall Township-Whitehall Township Proposed 1869 Independent School District no* 1869
View New School District Whitehall Township Proposed 1869 Independent School District (Butz) unknown 1869
View New School District Whitehall Township Proposed 1869 Independent School District (Marsteller) unknown 1869
View Boundary Realignment Lehigh County-Northampton County Proposed 1879 Boundary Ascertainment unknown 1879–1895
View New Borough South Allentown Borough Proposed 1905 Creation no 1905
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance of 16 January 1907 (Page 57) no 1907
View Annexation Bethlehem Borough Ordinance 57 no 1912
View Annexation South Whitehall Township-Allentown City Proposed 1927 Annexation no 1927
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 86 no* 1928
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 2554 no 1929–1930
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 9860 no 1947
View Annexation Allentown City Resolution 9867 no 1947
View Annexation Coopersburg Borough Ordinance 193 no* 1958
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10067 and 10103 no* 1963
View Annexation Slatington Borough Ordinance 340 no 1963
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10177 no* 1963–1964
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 11019 no* 1966
View Annexation Allentown City Ordinance 10761 no 1965–1967
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 448 no* 1968–1971
View Annexation Emmaus Borough Ordinance 450 no* 1969–1971
View Home Rule Catasauqua Borough Proposed 1972 Home Rule no* 1972
View Home Rule Allentown City Proposed 1980 Home Rule no* 1980
View Home Rule North Whitehall Township Proposed 1980 Home Rule no* 1980
View Home Rule Upper Macungie Township Proposed 1979 Optional Plan no* 1979–1980
View First Class Township Lower Macungie Township Proposed 1995 1st Class no 1995
View Boundary Realignment Salisbury Township-Upper Saucon Township 2000s Boundary Realignment unknown~ 2002–2009