One of our loyal readers recently asked me about the history of Treichlers. I refreshed my memory by dusting off a 1920 volume of “History of Northampton County.” So here is a brief look at the cozy village.

The village takes its name from Henry Treichler, who owned and operated a grist mill there. The mill dated back to 1794. The most famous owners of the mill were Jacob Mauser and his family. They operated the mill from 1885 to 1967. Mauser also had a mill in Laurys Station and on Canal Street in Northampton. The firm was recognized for Mauser’s Best Flour, a staple on the shelves of many former neighborhood stores. Both the Laurys mill and Northampton mill were destroyed by fire. The flagship mill in Treichlers was last owned by Conagra. The landmark mill closed a few years ago, and the milling era ended in the village.

The village was known for many fine residences; many are still in Treichlers. Homes were owned by G.B. Mauser, H.J. Lerch, W.W. Kuntz and J.J. Moyer. The present owners of the Kuntz home are friends of mine, Bob and Nan Mentzell. Bob was an excellent social studies teacher at Northampton High School and serves on the Northampton School Board.

The Kuntz family established the first mill there. Jacob Kuntz was born in what is present-day Germany in 1692. His son Frederick was a captain during the Revolutionary War. The village was named Kuntzford at that time.

In 1920, the village had two stores operated by Henry Frederick and Irvin Newhard. Our older readers may recall when his son Elvin satisfied many a taste bud when he founded Newhard Foods in Coplay. His first popular offering was delicious crabcakes. Dale was the former highly respected superintendent of the Allentown State Hospital.

Beyond the village was a beautiful farm owned by the famous silk magnet D.G. Dery. The old Gourmet Inn and former seminary properties were owned by Dery. Many of our readers may be familiar with the old Dery mansion in Catasauqua.

The village also was a railroad stop for the Central New Jersey Railroad. A post office continues to serve the needs of the residents.

If you want more information, the Lehigh Township Historical Society published a fine book on Lehigh Township history in 2002.

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See you in two weeks!