Time Line of 500 Bridge Street, Weissport, Pennsylvania.

1786 Construction of Stream Race to run Sun Flower Saw Mill. Prior to 1875, the property was initially developed with a stream race for a lumber mill (Sun Flower Saw Mill), with the original owners being Yeakel and Albright (George O. Albright –founder of Hickory Run State Park).

1891 A powerhouse (the site of the Vertex Hosiery Mill subsequent to 1913) is added to the race to provide electrical lighting to the town.

1896 the original race is enlarged and a planning mill that stretched between the power house and Bridge Street is constructed. A large storage and processing area is located west of the planning mill in the area of the current parking lot. This is when the current two story brick structure first appears on the maps.

1902 The portion of the planning mill between the powerhouse and two story brick structure burns down. The two story brick structure is being used as a lumber and general store as well as space being used by silk throwers.

1908 The power house is used for storage, the two story brick building is used for furniture repair and table finishing. An Annex of the two story brick building is used for silk throwing.

1915 The mill races are abandoned, the power house is converted to accommodate silk throwers.

1918 W.F. Hofford Inc. (established in 1909) takes over complex at 500 Bridge Street, Weissport, Pennsylvania.

1928 Original Power House is Demolished and replaced by the current structure that housed The Vertex Hosiery Company.

1933, August 23rd The flood of ‘33 appeared over the banks of the Lehigh River. All the valuable silk from the W.F. Hofford Mill was moved to higher ground for safety of the valuable product. Vertex Mills was temporarily shut down when water flooded the plant.

1939 The Vertex Building and the two story structure are connected and the entire facility housed W.F. Hofford Inc. Rear of building is first shown on maps as Dye House-Weissport Dye Works. Water tower is shown on maps.
1940 W.F.Hofford founder of Masonic Lodge, part of the church council, town inspector, and entrepreneur dies at age 77.

1942, May 22-23, The flood of ‘42 appears over the banks of The Lehigh River and pushes forward the creation of the Lehigh Valley Flood Control Project, and the creation of the levy we know today.

1955 Weissport, formally operating independently merges with Lehighton.

1980’s Water tower demolished from site.

Pay Scales:
In the mid 1920’s 12 cents an hour
In the mid 1930’s 20 cents an hour for the first 220 hours
26 cent an hour for the next 220 hours
32.5 cents an hour there after

Information will be updated as time allows for additional research and discovery at the local libraries and town offices.