Celebrate Emmaus being named as one of the Top 100 Places to Live

The Borough of Emmaus will host a Public Celebration recognizing the borough as one of the Top 100 Places to Live, as ranked by Money Magazine, on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 10:00 am at the Emmaus Public Library (outside), 11 E. Main Street, Emmaus.

The public is invited to join in the celebration! Rain or Shine!

Emmaus is a quaint historic community of nearly 12,000 residents nestled on the northern slope of South Mountain. It is 50 miles north of Philadelphia and 20 miles west of the Delaware River. Formed in 1759 as a closed Moravian village on land owned by the church, Emmaus became incorporated as a Pennsylvania borough in 1859. Arrival of the railroad this same year expanded the town’s opportunity for manufacturing and other business. These initial industries included iron mining, iron furnaces, foundry and machine companies. In the late 1800’s industry expanded to include silk manufacturing, cigar factories, bottling companies and others.

The Borough has a total area of 2.9 square miles and is situated 260 feet above sea level. The Borough is easily accessible via two busy Lehigh County roadways – Cedar Crest Boulevard and Lehigh Street, both of which intersect with Interstate 78.

The Borough has a council/mayor system of governance with the 7-member Borough Council exercising the vast majority of governmental power, particularly its budgeting process.

The 1940 census statistics showed 7,000 people living in the Borough, with 2007 numbers reaching nearly 12,000. Residential and business construction has reached the borough line in all directions, so significant continued population growth in the Borough is unlikely.

The Borough is home to several residences and other properties that were constructed in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s and are protected from commercial and other development expansion.

The Borough is part of the East Penn School District and comprises 25% of the district’s population.

Please call Borough Manager, Bruce Fosselman at 610-966-6357 for further details.