News and Information

2025 Board of Directors Election Held

At the March Board of Directors meeting, elections were held for expiring and empty Directors’ seats.

Nominations for renewal were Sandra Malone and Donald Mills for new three-year terms. Nominations for two empty Director’s seats were Michael Heller and Bruce McIntosh, also for three-year terms.

After the election, all were confirmed as Board members.

Congratulations to the candidates and thank you for your dedication and support of Hellertown Historical Society.

Hellertown Historical Society Unveils New Logo, Honoring Community and Preservation

The Hellertown Historical Society has unveiled its new official logo, marking a fresh chapter in preserving the borough’s rich history. Designed by Warren Policarpio and selected from ten global submissions, the logo features the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill, Walnut Street Bridge, and an open book, symbolizing preservation, education, and community collaboration.

According to Saucon Source, “The design process for the Hellertown Historical Society logo began with a deep understanding of the organization’s mission to preserve the borough’s rich history, landmarks, and community spirit.”

Read more about the unveiling here:
https://sauconsource.com/2025/03/13/hellertown-historical-society-unveils-new-logo/

For more on HHS events, membership, and ways to get involved, visit:
https://hellertownhistoricalsociety.org

Grant Funding Assistance for HHS

In the past year, our non-profit organization received generous grant funding that has significantly impacted our ability to serve our community. Through the support of our grantors, we have made meaningful strides in fulfilling our mission and are deeply grateful for their commitment to our cause.

-Northampton County awarded a Hotel Tax Grant (Fiscal Year: 2024) $6,100 grant for outdoor interpretive signs installed at six locations around the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill Complex.

-The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) awarded a $10,000 Keystone Historic Preservation Planning (Fiscal Year: 2024) grant to apply for the inclusion of the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill Complex on the National Park Service National Register of Historic Places.

-A Community Development Block Grant of $85,000 (Fiscal Year: 2024) was awarded to Hellertown Borough, in coordination with HHS, to build a new handicapped access ramp at the Mill Museum, replacing a decades-old ramp and supporting ADA compliance.

-A Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation grant of $5,000 (2024) grant was awarded to produce educational videos of twelve historic buildings in Hellertown, including Hellertown Borough Hall, the Heller-Wager Grist Mill Complex, Detweiler Plaza, and many others that will be included in this project.

-A Northampton County Hotel Tax (Fiscal Year 2025) grant of $10,000 to contract for marketing and public relations services. primarily for education and visitor programming.

The Society continuously researches additional grant funding opportunities, which are prime funding used to perform maintenance, repairs, and upgrades to the Grist Mill complex and support the Society’s mission and goals.

Through these grants, generous donations, and the support of our community members and businesses, the Hellertown Historical Society is making great strides in preserving Hellertown’s heritage.

Election Day Bake Sale Huge Success

Hellertown Historical Society’s Election Day Bake Sale for November netted record funds well in excess of $1000.00. This was most likely due to the large voter turnout. None of this would have been possible if not for our volunteers, planning committee and chairperson, we thank all of you for your support of our organization. And we are also grateful for the generous outpouring of support we received both from baked treat donations and purchases made during the day which added to this success. It truly is an honor to be part of such a warm and caring community. We thank all of you for your generous spirit.

HHS Wins First Prize in Halloween Parade

Hellertown Historical Society re-entered their replica Walnut Street “Pony” Bridge float , used two years ago, in this year’s Hellertown Halloween Parade, this time decorated for “Fall Harvest”, the parade’s theme. We were selected as Best Appearing Float by the parade judges and awarded $100 in prize money. Special thanks to our volunteers who worked tirelessly to build the float, decorate it and participate in the parade. Thank you to the judges, organizers and volunteers of the parade for an outstanding community event. And thank you to the many parade viewers who were overjoyed to see our entry this year! Watch for our float to return again soon.

HHS To Be Awarded Grant

Donations to the initiative may be made by clicking the button below. When donating, please use the “Write a note” section to specify your donation is for “Historic Preservation”. The link accepts PayPal or credit/debit cards. Please accept our thanks for your generosity.

Visiting a historic site can be an enriching experience, allowing you to step back in time and gain a deeper understanding of the past. The Heller-Wagner Grist Mill tour offers you a unique glimpse into the lives and cultures of those who came before us. Historic sites have the power to captivate and inspire, leaving you with a newfound appreciation for the world we live in today.

All donations support the Hellertown Historical Society’s mission to preserve the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill, Pony Bridge, the Grist Miller’s House, Wash House, and related historical buildings and to preserve Hellertown’s heritage through the collection, preservation, and exhibition of selected mill-related and Hellertown related documents, artifacts, and photographs for viewing by the public and to provide educational opportunities about Hellertown’s heritage.

HHS Volunteers Starting Site Tours

Call our office at 610-838-1770 for tickets and information Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday mornings 9:30-11:30.

Local Family Gifts HHS with $5,000.00

Hellertown Historical Society sincerely thanks long-time resident Michael Heffner and his family for their generous donation to our historic preservation and education initiatives. Their support is invaluable in preserving our town’s rich history for future generations.

HHS President Larry Sutton, left, is pictured with Michael Heffner and his family after presented with the $5,000.00 check.

HHS Honors Two Board Members

Hellertown Historical Society honors two long-term members of their Board of Directors. Earl Hill and Stacie Torkos, both past HHS Presidents, have ended their tenure on the Board of Directors recently. At the regular Board Meeting for March 2024, each was presented with a plaque signifying the Society’s appreciation for their dedication, support and service to the Society’s Board of Directors.

HHS Elects 2024-2025 Officers

The Board of Directors for Hellertown Historical Society held elections for Executive Officers for the 2024-2025 term at the April 12 meeting. The new Officers elected are:

President – Larry Sutton

Vice-President – Dennis Scholl

Secretary – Tina Krasnansky

Treasurer – Greg Stauffer

Congratulations to all the candidates!

Continuing a Legacy of Education

On December 12, the HHS Board of Directors unanimously approved funding in the amount of $10,000 in support of the Education Committee’s planned upgrades for the Society’s public tour and field trip programs. The funding will come from the Marcella Dimmick Fund which has previously been used to benefit other education-focused endeavors. The Education Committee, Board of Directors, and HHS treasurer will continue to discuss funding over the course of this month and the next to ensure all areas of improvement are adequately met. Discussions with the Borough regarding a handicapped-accessible access ramp to the HHS museum are also planned.

Miss Dimmick was a 1931 graduate of Hellertown High School and 1935 graduate of Moravian College. After graduating, Dimmick worked within the Saucon Valley School District as a guidance counselor and teacher of English, French, and History for over 40 years. Miss Dimmick always had a passion for local history and was a Member of the HHS Board of Directors before her passing in 2020 at the age of 105.

Continuing Miss Dimmick’s lifelong devotion to education and historical preservation is no small task. It is the hope of everyone at HHS that these funds and plans for our future ensure that Hellertown’s rich history is open and accessible to everyone both locally and worldwide.