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Early History of Upper Macungie The original residents of Upper Macungie were Native Americans of the Lenni Lenape tribe, a regional branch of the Algonquin Nation, sometimes referred to as Delaware Indians. They named the region “Maccongy” which translates to “bear swamp” or “bears’ feeding place.” European settlers began arriving in the early 1700s and pronounced the name as “Macungie.” Fertile soil and abundant water sources attracted German immigrants and by 1743 the population of Macungie was 650. These early settlers laid the cultural foundation of the area, long recognized for a strong heritage known as Pennsylvania Dutch (The “Dutch” reference has nothing to do with Holland. It evolved from word for German: Deutsch). The township was divided in 1832 into Upper and Lower Macungie. By 1845, the population of Upper Macungie was 1,769 and while still mostly farms and woodlands, there were two grist mills, two saw mills and several tanneries. To this day, familiar names like Breinigsville, Trexlertown and Fogelsville, as well as dozens of street and landmark names, are testimony to the omnipresence of our Pennsylvania Dutch forbears. And while Upper Macungie today is a community that embraces all, thousands of our longtime residents can still trace their lineages (and their very German surnames) back to the original settlers. |
