New National Historic District banners unveiled in Slatington

Slatington’s Main Street corridor is all dressed up.

That’s largely in part to the 28 new banners that were recently installed along the borough’s main thoroughfare.

In honor of its new look, a banner unveiling and check presentation were held recently at the Slatington Borough Building, at which time sponsors of the Adopt a Banner program were recognized.

The banners — blue to closely resemble Northern Lehigh School District’s school colors — were recently installed along Main Street to replace faded ones that were installed in 2005 and 2007.

Robert Stettner, secretary of Northern Lehigh Future Focus, was joined by Dan Stevens, president of Northern Lehigh Future Focus; Alice Wanamaker, assistant vice president, Northern Region of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce; and Lorie Reinert, executive director, Lehigh Valley Chamber Foundation.

Stettner noted that Northern Lehigh Future Focus, a Slatington-based community visioning group serving the Northern Lehigh area since 1999, spearheaded the banner replacement project.

In August 2004, Stettner said a large portion of the borough was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This register is the official list of our nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.

Properties listed on the register include districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture.

Slatington’s National Register Historic District consists of some 500 buildings within 165 acres, Stettner said.

“In order to educate the public and promote this newly created historic district, as well as welcome visitors to Slatington, Future Focus began the original banner project in 2005, which culminated in the purchase of 28 banners,” Stettner said.

“After 12 years and the effects of Pennsylvania weather, the old banners could no longer be displayed.”

He said that with the assistance of the Lehigh Valley Chamber Foundation, the public’s response to the Adopt a Banner program, and funding from Northern Lehigh Future Focus, 28 new banners now adorn the Main Street Corridor in Slatington.

Stettner said the total cost of the banner replacements was $3,388. Of that, the Lehigh Valley Chamber Foundation provided $1,694; $1,100 was realized from the Adopt a Banner Program, and the remaining money was furnished by Northern Lehigh Future Focus.

Downtown Graphics of Wilmington, North Carolina, manufactured the banners.

Stettner then recognized people and organizations who sponsored the banners: The Lehigh Valley Chamber Foundation for the grant allowing the banner replacement project to move forward, and their continued support of Slatington, as well as Mr. and Mrs. David Altrichter; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bechtel; Betty Blose; Ed Donnelly and Beverly Zeiser; Marilyn Kaul; Slatington Lodge No. 440 — Free and Accepted Masons; Sule’s Collision Center Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Tim Snyder; Steckel & Stopp — Attorneys At Law; and the Woman’s Club of Slatington, all of whom sponsored the replacement banners and greatly aided in the success of the Slatington Historic District Banner Replacement Project.

Over the past 11 years, the Main Street Lehigh Valley Chamber Foundation has provided $400,000 in support to more than 250 projects in every community in the Lehigh Valley and Carbon County.