Palmerton Memorial Park Association

Realizing for many years that Palmerton's outdoor recreational facilities were very inadequate, that the Kunkle‘s Grove swimming pool was much too small, and the Lehigh Canal swimming pool holes very unsanitary, the Directors of the Palmerton Board of Trade, at a regular meeting on March 15, 1940, discussed the need for a new and modern swimming pool in Palmerton and the president was instructed by the Directors to appoint a committee to investigate completely the situation and submit a report covering its study.

The problem was repeatedly and more fully discussed at subsequent meetings of the Board of Directors before the above committee was finally appointed by President Homer R. Kern on June 26, 1941. This committee was called the Board of Trade’s Recreational Improvement Committee and consisted of Styles S. Butz, Arthur Smith, Herman Riebe, Frank Shindel. Raymond F. Smith, and Ira J. Bleiler, chairman.

The committee presented its report at the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trade in October 1941. Among the various recommendations presented was one which developed into the foundation upon which the present Palmerton Memorial Park Association was organized, namely: “That, if the Board of Trade believes that a new swimming pool is a vital civic necessity, then a larger committee or organization should be formed consisting of a representative from each of the various civic minded groups and organizations of the town so as to make this undertaking a truly Palmerton project, and thus perhaps avoid the difficulties experienced by an earlier group who initiated the present Kunkle’s Grove pool.

In 1943, the Board of Trade revived the swimming pool and recreational area idea to be planned as a post war project. Numerous meetings were held between the Board of Trade Directors and the Borough Council to discuss the many phases of the problem. The first of these meetings was held on May 19, 1943, with a later meeting on September 1st. The Board of Trade recommended that the 18-acre tract of land bounded on the East by Third Street, on the North by the Borough line, on the west by the Alliance Sand Co., and on the south by the Charles George property, be purchased by the Borough for the development of a swimming pool site and recreational area.

Early in 1944 the property was purchased, preliminary plans drawn, and an engineering estimate made of the cost for a 100 percent development of the area. This latter work was done by the Engineering Department of the New Jersey Zinc Co., at no cost to the Borough.

Neighboring towns were visited by the Borough Council and the Board of Trade’s Committee to inspect their swimming pools and recreation facilities, obtain data on operation and maintenance costs, and such other information as might be of value to Palmerton in its proposed undertaking.

At a meeting of the officers and the committee of the Board of Trade on February 28, 1945, it was agreed that the preliminary work had progressed sufficiently, and enough knowledge had been acquired to now prepare plans for the formation of a large civic organization to carry on to a successful conclusion the idea started by the Board of Trade in 1940. Furthermore, the Citizens Service Committee, in a letter addressed to the Board of Trade, suggested that the proposed recreation area be dedicated as a LIVING MEMORIAL to those from the Palmerton Area serving their country during the present war as well as those who served in World War I. This proposal was unanimously approved and a few days later Mr. C. P. Fiske accepted the Board of Trade’s invitation to act as temporary chairman of a planning committee composed of representatives of the Board of Trade, the School Board, the Borough Council, the Citizens Service Committee, and the American Legion. The first meeting was held on March 7 and the second on April 4, 1945. At the latter meeting it was decided to call the permanent organization, when formalized, the Palmerton Memorial Park Association, and to incorporate that name.

On May 2, an organization meeting was held in the Neighborhood House with 112 citizens present, representing the various organizations of the community. By-Laws were adopted, officers and trustees elected, and another step taken toward the ultimate fulfillment of the first real civic project ever attempted by the people of Palmerton and vicinity.

The following officers and trustees were elected at that meeting: C. P. Fiske, President; Homer R. Kern, first vice-president; Robert E. Kirkhuff, second vice-president; Emily Werthan, third vice-president; Ira J. Bleiler, secretary; Paul F. Ebert, Treasurer. Trustees George S. Haslam, Harold H. Rahn, C. E. Grimes, Ralph Williams, John S. Naratil, Helen Hostetter, George W. Ashman, Charles Boyer and Burgess F. S. Longsdorf. Steve Sawka, replaced Ralph Williams in November, 1945, due to the passing of Mr. Williams.

Seventy-five years later, the gem of Palmerton is more popular than ever!  Each year, thousands of people flock…