Cradle of the American Silk Industry

Cradle of the American Silk Industry. Karl Stirner Arts Trail. , Pennsylvania's first silk mill opened in Scranton in 1873. The first silk mill in the Lehigh Valley was the Adelade Silk Mill in Allentown, which opened in 1881. Other prominent silk milling operations included the Bethlehem Silk Mill, the R&H Simon Silk Mill in Easton, the Dery Silk Mill in Catasauqua, the Macungie Silk Company, the Diehl Silk Mill in Bath, and the lehigh Valley Silk Mills in Fountain Hill. At one time, there were more than 300 silk mills in Pennsylvania and approximately 75 in the Lehigh Valley. At its height in 1920, the silk industry had become the largest employer in the state. One out of every 3 silk workers in the United States was from Pennsylvania. Production flattened throughout the 1920s, as overseas silk products and less costly synthetic products infiltrated the marketplace. The Catoir Silk Company, which owned the last operating silk mill in the Lehigh VAlley, closed in 1989., Over the last several decades, many old mill complexes have been creatively redeveloped for new uses, at the same time preserving the unique architectural and industrial heritage of their structures. Their sturdy construction, high ceilings, expansive open spaces, and propensity for allowing in natural light often make them well-suited for adapted reuse. In 2006, the Easton Redevelopment Authority acquired the former R&H Simon Silk Mill in order to help spur its redevelopment and reuse.