Laurys Station (previously Slate Dam) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) in North Whitehall Township in Lehigh County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It is part of the

Lehigh Valley The Lehigh Valley (), known colloquially as The Valley, is a geographic region formed by the Lehigh River in Lehigh County and Northampton County in eastern Pennsylvania. It is a component valley of the Great Appalachian Valley bound to the no ...

, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...

in the U.S. as of the 2020 census. It is located approximately north of

Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them: *Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California *Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County *Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Taze ...

and about southeast of Walnutport. Laurys Station is located along

Pennsylvania Route 145 Pennsylvania Route 145 (PA 145) is a long north–south state highway in the Lehigh Valley area of eastern Pennsylvania. It connects Interstate 78 (I-78) and PA 309 in Lanark, Lehigh County to PA 248 in Lehigh Gap, Northampton County. PA 145 ...

along the

Lehigh River The Lehigh River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania. The river flows in a generally southward pat ...

. As of the 2020 census, Laurys Station's population was 1,170.

History

Laurys Station was initially known as "Slate Dam" after the

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company (LCAN) (1988–2010) was a modern-day anthracite coal mining company headquartered in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. It acquired many properties and relaunched the Lehigh Coal Companies brand in 1988. The LCAN r ...

built a large

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

there in 1830. In 1832, David Laury established a hotel there, which became a popular resort during the summer months. Laury became the settlement's

postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

in 1853 and station agent when the

Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad was a railroad built in the Northeastern United States to haul anthracite coal from the Coal Region in Pennsylvania. The railroad was authorized on April 21, 1846 for freight and transportation of passengers, goods, w ...

opened a station there in 1855. The Lehigh Valley Railroad's four-track mainline was located directly in the middle of the town, which was situated around present-day Mauser Street. It is unknown at what point in time the apostrophe was dropped from the village name, but Laury's Station eventually became Laurys Station. Laurys Station, at one point in time, had its own amusement park on an island in the river. Founded by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company in 1891 and known as Laury's Island, it included attractions such as steamboat rides, a merry-go-round, and a large dancing pavilion. It was frequently used by social and church groups in the area for gatherings and local family reunions. The

Allentown Band The Allentown Band is a civilian concert band based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest civilian concert band in the United States, having been in continuous existence since its first documented performance on July 4, 1828, although it ...

held regular concerts there. A massive flood in February 1902 caused severe damage to the park; although repairs were made and operations continued for a few more years, the park was closed and dismantled in 1906.Author unknown.
Laury's Island to be abandoned.
Allentown, Pennsylvania ''Democrat'', 28 March 1906.

Geography

Laurys Station is located in northeastern Lehigh County in the northeastern part of North Whitehall Township. It sits within a bend of the

, which borders the community to the west, north, and east. Across the river are Lehigh Township to the north and west, and Allen Township to the east. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, Laurys Station has a total area of , of which are land and , or 6.77%, are water. Via the Lehigh River, the community is part of the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...

watershed.

Education

Laurys Station is part of the Parkland School District. Students in grades nine through 12 attend Parkland High School.

Notes

References

* {{authority control 1830 establishments in Pennsylvania Census-designated places in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Census-designated places in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1830