Souderton

Located midway between Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley,

Souderton was settled by predominantly German immigrants.

Farmers and craftsmen with an entrepreneurial spirit, they took full

advantage of opportunities to provide goods and services to a growing

community. In 1852, Henry O. Souder offered the free use of his land to

the North Penn Railroad, diverting the Gwynedd to Bethlehem route

through the bountiful Indian Valley and transforming Souderton into

a lively commercial center. Incorporated in 1887, the borough soon

boasted a booming economy. First a hub for cigar manufacturing and

later textiles, Souderton rapidly expanded. Feed mills, lumberyards,

bakeries, a bank, and a large department-store-lined Main Street.

Today, these same stores and mills house a new generation of artists,

designers, and impresarios, reflecting a vibrant, enterprising downtown.

Souderton traces the commercial evolution of the town while capturing

the remarkable people and events that created this community and

transformed Main Street–the hill and the hollow–from the site

of a colorful soapbox derby to the venue of an international cycling

Grand Prix.