Vera Cruz, Pennsylvania

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The Vera Cruz Tavern, the oldest building in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
The Vera Cruz Tavern, the oldest building in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Vera Cruz is a small village to the south of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located at the intersection of Main Road and Vera Cruz Road in Upper Milford Township, Pennsylvania and is notable for being the location of the oldest tavern in Lehigh County.

Vera Cruz is part of the East Penn School District. Students in grades nine through 12 attend Emmaus High School.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early jasper mines

The area near Vera Cruz was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape. Historically, Vera Cruz was the location of one of the earliest jasper mines on the continent. The jasper mines date to 8000 BC [1]. At the height of the Delaware Indians jasper mining activities, more than 100 small jasper pits were operated in the area of Vera Cruz, primarily in what is now Jasper Park. The quarries were eventually abandoned in the 1680's [2].

[edit] The naming of Vera Cruz

Prior to 1851, Vera Cruz was an unnamed village at a prominent crossroad, located in what was then Milford Township, Pennsylvania. While a group of regular loungers were sitting at what was previously Alexander Weaver's store, their eyes turned to a newspaper with the title of "Revolt in Vera Cruz (Mexico): 12 Killed, 20 Injured," which lead to their conversation turning to the topic of Mexico. After a sound of angry voices outside, the loungers rushed outside to see the commotion and saw two citizens engaging in a fight. Alexander Weaver jokingly remarked, "Now we have a name for our village. Why not call it Vera Cruz?" Ever since that incident, the name Vera Cruz has remained [3].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Outstanding Scenic Geological Features of Pennsylvania. PA Geology. Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
  2. ^ Preservation Pennsylvania PA At Risk 1994. Preservation PA (Fall 1994). Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  3. ^ Vera Cruz, Pennsylvania Centennial Committee (2001). Vera Cruz Centennial History Book. 
Discover Emmaus, Pennsylvania issued by Emmaus Main Street Program