Souderton (Images of America)

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.