Slatington Pride

So, something usually happens when I tell someone I am from Slatington. There is a certain look in their eyes. Either it is a look of bewilderment because they have never heard of it or it’s a look of bemusement as in….oh, Slatington. Maybe a wink and a nod as in …oh, that’s too bad. Why does this happen? Where did Slatington get the reputation as the West Virginia of the Lehigh Valley? Why is the assumption that Slatington is nothing but rednecks and hillbillies? I was once in a restaurant and I overheard two radio marketers talking about how the farther north from Allentown, the less sophisticated are the people. They said that people in Slatington would buy art that matches their sofa rather than art for art’s sake. (Admission: I’ve done that. Haha)

I didn’t come to Slatington’s defense that day. But I would like to now. Slatington is a beautiful little town of 4,000. It’s built mostly on hills and on the banks of the Lehigh River. Overlooking the town is Blue Mountain. Driving into Slatington from the south, you proceed down a steep hill through the middle of town. It is filled with houses, large and small, that contain beautiful architecture and style. This drive is Main Street and you continue through the one block business district, around the bend, over the General Thomas Morgan Bridge, into what is known as downtown. The street continues until it reaches the Lehigh River and the bridge into Walnutport. This drive was an old Native American trail, known as Old Warrior’s Path. How cool is that!

It was a wonderful place to grow up. It had it’s share of characters, like all small towns do. But it also had some people that did great things. Slatington produced inventors, classical musicians, great businessmen, and professional athletes. There was a time, before my school days, when Slatington was known to have the best educational system in the Lehigh Valley. I could go on and on about my hometown, but that is for other posts.

My question remains, how did Slatington get it’s reputation as inferior and laughable? I think I know the answer. I think it is human nature to need to look down on someone else to build your self up. I did it earlier in the post by using West Virginia as an example of a backward place. Slatington is just a little town tucked away in the corner of Lehigh County, easy to pick on. To validate my point, Slatingtonians (yes, that’s what we are called) looked down on the towns farther to the north. People that lived in Lehighton were known as boobas. Oh my!

I don’t know if this will ever stop. It does seem to be human nature. But I guess we can all stop and think about the things we say and do that affect other people. We can also try to appreciate the beauty of all places and the people that live in them. Our differences make us greater.

Happy Saturday! If you have some free time this weekend why not take a drive down Old Warrior’s Path. You may find it charming.