Macungie, Pennsylvania

History

Macungie was founded as Millerstown in 1776 by Peter Miller. On November 15, 1857, the village of Millerstown was incorporated as a borough.

During Fries's Rebellion in 1800, the U.S. Marshal began arresting people for tax resistance, and arrests were made without much incident until the marshal reached Millerstown, where a crowd formed to protect a man from arrest. Failing to make that arrest, the marshal arrested a few others and returned to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with his prisoners. Two separate groups of rebels independently vowed to liberate the prisoners and marched on Bethlehem. The militia prevailed, and John Fries, leader of the rebellion, and others were arrested.

In 1875, the borough was renamed Macungie to avoid confusion with another town by the same name: Millerstown in Perry County, Pennsylvania. Macungie lies in the eastern part of the historic Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Macungie is derived from "Maguntsche", a place name used as early as 1730 to describe the region that is now present-day Macungie and Emmaus, Pennsylvania. "Maguntsche" is a Lenape word, meaning either "bear swamp" or "feeding place of the bears". The borough's current seal depicts a bear coming to drink at water near some cattails.

Other names (and alternate spellings) for Macungie have included Kunshi, Kunski, Maccongy, Machk-unschi, Machts, Machts Kunski, Macongy, Macungy, Macunjy, and Mauck-Kuntshy.

The Valentine Weaver House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Geography

Macungie is located at 40°30′50″N 75°33′9″W (40.513945, -75.552491).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²), all of it land. Macungie is almost completely surrounded by Lower Macungie Township except for a very small area in the SE that neighbors Upper Milford Township. Swabia Creek flows from the west through the borough, receives Mountain Creek, and flows out of the borough to the northeast before draining into the Little Lehigh Creek.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,039 people, 1,366 households, and 835 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,057.0 people per square mile (1,185.2/km²). There were 1,418 housing units at an average density of 1,426.4 per square mile (553.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.87% White, 1.35% African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.

There were 1,366 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $51,721, and the median income for a family was $56,848. Males had a median income of $44,821 versus $34,722 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,965. About 1.7% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Borough government

Mayor:

Borough council:

Industry

Macungie is the headquarters for the Allen Organ Company, a global manufacturer and distributor of organs. The primary manufacturing facility of Mack Trucks is located in neighboring Lower Macungie Township.

Education

The Borough is served by the East Penn School District. Emmaus High School serves grades nine through 12. Eyer Middle School and Lower Macungie Middle School serve grades six through eight. Students in kindergarten through grade five attend either Macungie Elementary School, Shoemaker Elementary School, or Willow Lane Elementary School.

Salem Christian School, a private Christian school serving preschool through high school, is based in Macungie.

Transportation

Pennsylvania Route 100 crosses it NW-to-SE as Main Street. Other outlet streets include Church Street to the SW, Chestnut Street to the SW and east, Walnut and Lehigh Streets east to Brookside Road, and Willow Lane to the north.

Recreation

Notable people