One of the last barns in Lower Macungie Township still used for agriculture is owned by Mark and Kathy Lichtenwalner and is located at 4939 Indian Creek Road.  This barn was featured on the September Barn Tour sponsored by the Lower Macungie Historical Society. Today, the barn is used for potato storage in the basement and equipment storage on the first floor. The farm was purchased in 1930 by Ellis and Florence Lichtenwalner for business usage.  They did not live on this farm, but, instead, lived on a nearby farm on Macungie Road.  It is estimated the original barn was built in the 1870s, …

Tomorrow is Fastnacht Day.  We can eat them for breakfast, then some for lunch, and more for dinner; and still have some for snacks in between…without feeling a bit guilty.  Why? Because we are supposed to! Fastnacht Day, or Fat Tuesday, is a day to forget about dieting and feast on fastnachts. Eating one on this day also brings good luck in the year ahead.  A fastnacht is a type of doughnut served the day before Lent begins. When the Germans came to America, they brought with them the tradition of emptying their pantry of lard, sugar, fat and butter; all of which were fasted during this …

The Schantz barn, which is located on the Lower Macungie Township Municipal Campus near the Community Center, was the starting point of the barn tour sponsored by the Lower Macungie historical society last month. Jonas Wescoe, original owner of the property, built the barn in 1846, according to a date stone on the rear end wall. The barn contained bays for horses and cows on the basement level, and bays on the second floor for farm equipment and buggies, along with a threshing floor and grain bins. According to “Barns of Lower Macungie Township” compiled by the Lower Macungie Township …

Take a good look: the photo shows a 19th century hose cart circa 1885-1890 on display at the Macungie Historical Society’s museum located in the Macungie Institute. The Macungie Fire Department used it, Museum Curator Dale Eck recently explained, though it had to be pulled by four men when needed at a fire. The hose cart contains brackets used to carry buckets, additional hoses, nozzles and various other tools required to fight a fire. In the early 19th century copper rivets replaced the stitching on hoses, and 15-m (50-foot) lengths coupled with brass fittings allowed fire fighters to get …

The borough of Macungie and the Commix Hotel in Salisbury Township had roles in a famous historical event in 1799, the Fries Rebellion. In 1798, tensions between taxpayers and the goverment began to escalate when Congress imposed $2 million in new taxes on real estate and slaves to help pay for an undeclared war with France, known as the Quasi-War, fought mostly at sea. Citizens discovered they had to pay this new tax when assessors came to their homes.  Since few Pennsylvanians owned slaves, the tax was assessed upon houses and land---the value of houses was determined by the number and size…

Today America celebrates Labor Day -- a day to appreciate the contributions workers make to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. Labor Day was first observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York, an early trade union organization.  Peter McGuire, prominent figure in the American labor movement, introduced a resolution calling for workers to lead a parade through New York streets on the first Monday of September—that day chosen because it is halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.  More than 30,000 workers marched in the parade. Labor Day …

The Macungie Institute was built in 1856 as a private school for local children.  The original building was what is now the auditorium—the section with the name on it. To look at pictures, it is unrecognizable.  There was a bell tower on the roof, four windows and a door where the name of the building is now.  Thirty years later, in 1886, the building doubled in size. In 1941, an addition that included indoor bathrooms was put onto the building.  It was remodeled to look as it does currently, and it was renamed Macungie School. As such, it served the community until 1989. The Borough of …

Editor's Note: On Monday, Patch contributor Peggy Heminitz reported that the Lower Macungie Commissioners have accepted a bid for the historic Lichtenwalner Farm. She generously agreed to share her memories of time she spent there as a 4H member when she was young. The Charles Lichtenwalner farm on Brookside Road was recently sold by Lower Macungie Township to Kevin Millheim for $228,000. I had an opportunity to walk the grounds one last time before the new owner takes over—peering into the windows and wishing I could walk through the house just once more.  It brought tears to my eyes when I …

The Macungie Memorial Park Association was incorporated on Nov. 27, 1944, according to a hand out from the Macungie Institute.  Its purpose “is to provide and maintain recreational facilities in honor of all service men and women.” The park is a non-profit organization and is supported by revenues from events and shows, rentals of pavilions and the main building (Macungie Memorial Hall), and through donations.  It is maintained by many volunteers who do a variety of jobs—small and large. Park grounds include a memorial to fallen soldiers, five ball fields, a soccer field, swimming pool, seven…

The Lower Macungie Township Historical Society (LMHTS) is preparing seven historic barns for a tour to be held 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 17. The experience promises to reveal to the public just how fascinating these old buildings really are as they explore every dark corner and potato cellar. According to Gregory Huber, historic barn consultant, author and LMHTS board member, all barns on the tour are of a Pennsylvania Standard Barn construction.  This barn type is a two-level bank barn with a symmetrical roof and second floor cantilevers over the first floor stables, thus making it a "…