How Lehighton PA came about

When most people think of Carbon County they tend to think of one place and that would be Jim Thorpe because of the rich history and tourist spot, well I have news for everyone their is another place that is just as rich in history and tourist spot as well. This place was huge hub in it's day and still very much is the place that I'm speak about is Lehighton  PA, now most people would over look this spot saying that I'm nuts or something but I'm not in fact I'm going to fill you in on the history of this little town which is not so little either.
In fact there are some famous people that have come from Lehighton and possibaly still live those people would happen to be Kerry Getz, pro skateboarder and Franz Kline, 20th-century artist.

All the information that I’m about to post here came from Wikipedia I will include the link to the site. I  did not write any of this it’s right from the site I’m only borrowing the information from them. I do
not own any of the information that  I’m about to post. Here is the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehighton,_Pennsylvania

Lehighton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, 86 miles (138 km) north by west of Philadelphia. In the past, it developed early industries because of water power from the Lehigh River. With the location of a repair facility here and its regional operations, the Lehigh Valley Railroad became for years a major employer of thousands of people from the area. Post-World War II railroad and industry restructuring led to job and population losses.
From a peak of nearly 7,000 in 1940, the population was 5,537 at the 2000 census. Lehighton is the most populous borough in Carbon County and still the business hub of the county.
Lehighton is located in northeast Pennsylvania 26 miles (42 km) north/northwest of Allentown and 35 miles (56 km) south of Wilkes-Barre.
Lehighton's elevation varies from 470 feet on Routes 443 and 209 up to 725 feet near the northwest part of town by Mahoning Township border

At the time of European encounter with historic American Indian tribes, this area was part of the territory of the Lenape (also called Delaware, after their language and territory on the Delaware River. Their bands occupied much of the coastal mid-Atlantic area in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.)
Lehighton was built on the site of the German Moravian Brethren's mission station Gnadenhütten (cabins of grace) founded in 1746. It was established as a mission to the Lenape by Moravians from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, lower on the Lehigh River. The German name was transcribed as "Canatanheat" by missionary John Brainerd.
During the French and Indian Wars (Seven Years War), Native allies of the French killed 11 missionaries and Lenape (Delaware) converted Christians at Gnadenhutten on 24 November 1755. They destroyed the mission village and only four of the fifteen residents escaped. (During the American Revolutionary War, in 1782 Pennsylvania militia raided another Moravian mission village, also called Gnadenhutten, in present-day Ohio. Suspecting the Lenape of being allied with the British, the militia killed 96 unarmed men, women and children in what became better known as the Gnadenhutten Massacre.)
The Lehigh River was a source of water power for developing industries in the 19th century. Lehighton had silk and lace mills, a meat-packing house, shirt factory, automatic-press works, car shops, stoneworks, and foundries. In 1900, the population was 4,629 people. By 1940 it reached 6,615.
The coming of the railroad made it easier for businessmen to get their products to major markets. For many years the Lehigh Valley Railroad had a major repair facility in Lehighton. The coming of the railroad was a major economic boost for the town. It was the area's largest company, employing several thousand workers at the repair facilities or operating and maintaining the railroad. Restructuring in the railroad industry led to the repair facilities being moved to another location. Lost jobs meant that some people had to move elsewhere for work.
In typical post-World War II developments, the Lehighton downtown declined after Carbon Plaza Mall was built in nearby Mahoning Township. Suburban housing developed, pulling more businesses from downtown. After struggling for three decades, the downtown is experiencing a rebirth as people appreciate the qualities of a compact central location and historic architecture.
The town holds an annual civic event, "Bike Night", featuring more than 28,000 motorcyclists.
In late September through October, the Country Junction store sponsors "The Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival". It features hayrides, walks in haunted woods, and cornfield mazes.
The town is also on a north-south bird migration pattern, and birds can be frequently seen flying south in mass in the fall. One particularly tall grey rooftop overlooking the Lehigh River on the Rt. 209 bridge is a frequent stop for migrating birds.
Typically, summer lasts from late May until mid September. The humidity is high only for 1–2 days at a time. Winter lasts from November through March and varies greatly in length and severity. Average snowfall is 63 inches (1.6 m) per year and can occur anytime from mid-October to as late as April. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable. The autumn foliage season is only 2–3 weeks long and is at its peak anytime from early to mid-October.
Winter daytime highs average 27.8 °F (−2.3 °C) in January and the lows are 13.9 °F (−10.1 °C) Summer daytime highs average 81.2 °F (27.3 °C) in July and the lows are 55.6 °F