Then and Now: Hellertown’s Biggest Changes

Even though January is one of darkest and coldest months of the year, it’s also the one that requires the most reflection, optimism and nostalgia. With the new year still rosy, now is the time to appreciate how far you have come and all there is to anticipate about the future. The same is true for Hellertown, which has undergone so many significant changes throughout its 250-plus years. In 1872, 130 years after Christopher Heller first settled here, Hellertown was officially incorporated as a borough, and it is still going strong in 2026. Let’s take a walk back through its history to look at some of the highlights!

When Christopher Heller died in 1778, he left behind a town that was highly agricultural, which would soon develop a grist mill, distillery and a prosperous linseed oil trade. But the character of Saucon Valley changed considerably with the arrival of the North Pennsylvania Railroad (N.P.R.R.), which constructed a route from Philadelphia to Bethlehem in 1858. This new route not only supported the pre-existing farming industry in Coopersburg, Hellertown and the Saucon townships, but also connected the northern coal regions to the area, which allowed greater quantities of anthracite coal and iron ore to be moved south from Pennsylvania’s coal region. Thomas Iron Works, a local iron forge whose furnaces operated along what is currently the Saucon Rail Trail in Hellertown, thrived thanks to N.P.R.R.’s Bethlehem line and helped usher in the town’s industrial era. When the Bethlehem line was shut down in 1920, Thomas Iron Works ceased operation. What was once a branch of the North Pennsylvania Railroad ultimately became part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and was later repurposed into the Saucon Rail Trail, which opened to the public in 2011.

While the North Pennsylvania Railroad brought great industrial change to Hellertown and the Saucon townships, Exit 67 on I-78 connected the town in a new way, and brought visitors and residents to the area from New Jersey and New York. Until the late 1980s, the swath of land that would become the interchange was occupied by remnants of the Bethlehem Airport. Though the airport no longer operated, its large hangar was still being used for storage, and the restaurant Jerry’s Airport Inn continued to function. But Jerry’s closed in 1987, and on Nov. 21, 1989, the hangar was knocked down to make way for exit 67. Though the highway’s presence has increased the hustle and bustle around once-quiet Hellertown, it has also made local businesses more accessible, as visitors from out of town can pull off the highway and directly into Vassi’s for a gyro or Aloha Jay’s for a warm donut.

Any friend of mine who visits Hellertown always mentions the local parks as one of their favorite parts of the area’s charm. I take them walking through the meadows of Polk Valley, stone skipping at Dimmick Park and to Detwiller Plaza to hear the clock tower chime the hour. Though no one park is responsible for Hellertown’s natural beauty, the town’s first Chief Burgess, Morris J. Dimmick, helped make parks an important component of the town’s identity by constructing the East End Recreational Center in 1931. Featuring a pool, pavilion and recreational center, the park attracted many visitors and enjoyed much success. The town council renamed it Morris J. Dimmick park in his honor in 1966.

Though Hellertown has changed considerably since its founding as a borough, along with neighboring Lower Saucon Township it continues to evolve and be a place many people are proud to call home. What are some of your favorite Hellertown memories? What do you predict will happen in Hellertown this year?