Vera Cruz, Pennsylvania

The Vera Cruz Tavern in Vera Cruz, Pennsylvania

Vera Cruz is a small village in Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania to the south of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. It uses the Emmaus zip code of 18049.

History

Early jasper mines

The area near Vera Cruz was originally inhabited by the 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 1680s.^[2]

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 led 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][4]

Public education

Vera Cruz is part of the East Penn School District. Students in grades nine through 12 attend Emmaus High School. Students in grades six through eight attend either Eyer Middle School or Lower Macungie Middle School.

Notes

References

• Discover Emmaus, Pennsylvania issued by Emmaus Main Street Program

	Upper Milford Township	Emmaus	Lanark
	Macungie ; Shimerville		Limeport
	Vera Cruz
	Old Zionsville	Zionsville	Dillinger

Municipalities and communities of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States County seat: Allentown Cities Allentown Bethlehem‡ Boroughs Alburtis Catasauqua Coopersburg Coplay Emmaus Fountain Hill Macungie Slatington Townships Hanover Heidelberg Lower Macungie Lower Milford Lowhill Lynn North Whitehall Salisbury South Whitehall Upper Macungie Upper Milford Upper Saucon Washington Weisenberg Whitehall CDPs Ancient Oaks Breinigsville Cementon Cetronia DeSales University Dorneyville Egypt Fullerton Hokendauqua Laurys Station New Tripoli Schnecksville Slatedale Stiles Trexlertown Wescosville Unincorporated communities Balliettsville Center Valley Colesville‡ East Texas Emerald Evergreen Park Fogelsville Gauff Hill Germansville Hensingersville‡ Hosensack Ironton Kuhnsville Lanark Limeport Locust Valley Lynnport Neffs New Smithville Old Zionsville Orefield Pleasant Corners Powder Valley Scherersville Schoenersville‡ Shimerville Summit Lawn Vera Cruz Walbert Wanamakers Werleys Corner West Catasauqua Zionsville Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Coordinates: 40°30′19″N 75°29′48″W / 40.5053°N 75.4967°W / 40.5053; -75.4967