Zinc, once used to make brass and construction materials, was a booming industry in the early 1900s, and the New Jersey Zinc Company was the largest U.S. producer of the chemical element. One of their locations was in Palmerton, which was actually named after Stephen Palmer, who was once the head of the company. Due to zinc smelting and other industrial activities, Palmerton was left with an enormous smelting residue pile known as the “Cinder Bank.” This bank is made up of the 33 million tons of rocky waste left by the New Jersey Zinc Company. A decline in the demand for zinc and a raised awareness of hazards led to the end of zinc smelting in Palmerton in 1980.
The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum’s new exhibit, The Zinc Industry in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, is offering an in-depth explanation of the New Jersey Zinc Company, the role it played in the development of Palmerton and an exploration of the lives of the men and women who lived and worked there.
432 W. Walnut St., Allentown | 610.435.1074 | lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org
