The town of Lehighton, Pennsylvania is full of rich and exciting history. This small town began when the Moravian Brethren society began converting Indians to Christianity. In 1746, the Moravians organized a mission in what is now South Lehighton, and named this settlement Gnadenhutten. As Gnadenhutten grew and prospered, the missionaries began a new settlement along the east side of the river, now Weissport, and named it New Gnadenhutten. The Delaware Indians and the Moravians lived together peacefully in these settlements. In 1750, a great war king of the Delaware Indians, Teedyuscung, was even baptized as a Christian. Unfortunately, Teedyuscung began to feel as though his people were being treated unfairly by other whites in the area. The Delaware Indians, led by Teedyuscung, joined forces with the Shawnees and Mohicans and prepared for war with the white people. The Moravians decided to stay in Gnadenhutten even though they knew they were in danger. In late 1755, the mission house was attacked. Ten people died, one person captured, and all of the buildings were burned to the ground. New Gnadenhutten settlers were warned of the attack and were able to escape to Bethlehem.

Many forts were built along the Blue Mountain after the massacre. Benjamin Franklin and his men built the most important fort in New Gnadenhutten and named it Fort Allen. It wasn't until after the Revolutionary War that settlers began to feel safe from Indian attacks. In 1794, Jacob Weiss, a war veteran, and Judge William Henry owned most of the land Lehighton is built on today. They planned a town which included a town square for public use. Lehighton, named after the Lehigh River, was a popular resting area for people traveling along the road from Berwick to Easton. Thus, Lehighton residents built numerous taverns to support the travelers. In the early 1800's a tannery, a general store, and a grist mill were also built. It wasn't until the Lehigh Canal was completed in 1829 that Lehighton began to grow. The building of the Lehigh Valley Railroad also helped increase the population of Lehighton. In 1866, the town was organized as a borough. A census was taken ten years later and Lehighton had a population of 1,485.

Businesses of Lehighton included the Joseph Obert Packing Company, the Lehigh Stove and Manufacturing Company, and the Baer Silk Mill, which still stands today. Other companies included Lehighton Lace, Carbon Silk Mill, Lehighton Shirt Factory, and the Carbon Iron Works. The first school house was opened by the Moravians in 1820, and several other school buildings were built several decades after that. Many churches were also built in the 1800's and still exist today. Newspapers began being published in the 1870's. Finally, the earliest fire company was built in 1874. Many people residing in Lehighton today have ancestors that were a major part in starting the town of Lehighton. We are among the luckiest people in the world to live in a town as full of history as Lehighton.