Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority and Hokendauqua property owners have received approval from the National Park Service in Washington, D.C., regarding the listing of Hokendauqua’s Thomas Iron Company Town in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hokendauqua Thomas Iron Company Town Historic District is roughly bounded by Front, Center, Carbon, Vine and South streets, Whitehall.

Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners began the process of pursuing the listing in the National Register in 2018. Since then, the Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority has championed the efforts, along with local and state officials in the township, holding several public meetings to explain what the listing actually meant for property owners.

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Board approved the nomination for this proposed historic district by a unanimous vote to move the project forward for consideration for the prestigious registry. The State Historic Preservation Office submitted the nomination to the NPS.

The property received the distinguished honor Sept. 19.

National Register recognition will bring awareness to this unique neighborhood of homes and celebrate one of the many historic areas and buildings in Whitehall Township. The majority of the homes in the potential listed district were built by the Thomas Iron Company and are unique in their style and cohesiveness.

The boundary of the district also includes civic buildings associated with the company and the Thomas Company workers. Additionally, it includes a few noncontributing homes located within the proposed boundary by circumstance.

The National Register is an honorary designation that can be an effective planning, educational and promotional tool for communities, businesses and local governments and a source of pride for residents. The listing will have no effect on what property owners can do with their property. There are no regulations or restrictions that accompany the listing.

The nomination was funded through a grant under the Lehigh County Local Share Account Program managed by Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority through Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, and State Reps. Jeanne McNeill, D-133rd, and Zach Mako, R-183rd, all supported the nomination, along with Whitehall Mayor Michael Harakal Jr., Lehigh County Board of Commissioners, National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem and numerous Whitehall Township residents, including the First Presbyterian Church, located on Front Street in the historic district.

The listing can be found online at the NPS’ National Register Program enhanced electronic submissions system, called the Cultural Resources Submission Portal. Instructions for using and the link for accessing the portal may be found at nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm.

The listing is identified by SG100008170. Its single nomination ID is NPSID#SG100008170.

If you are interested in learning more about why Hokendauqua’s Thomas Iron Company Town is important or about the National Register Nomination process and the impacts of listing, visit wticda.org or contact WTICDA at 484-245-4098 or wticda@gmail.com.