Fleetwood Historical Timeline
October 5, 1737 Johanis Schlegel lands in Philadelphia.
1738 Johanis builds a stone home.
1775 Peter Wanner builds the Fleetwood House, a small stone building. It becomes known at the Yellow Hotel, then the Green Hotel, and finally the Blue Hotel.
1804 William Sholl built a 2½ story stone building, with a front porch and two doorways on North Franklin Street. It was called the Farmers and Drovers Hotel. The shield of the building had two black crows painted on it.
1815 Coxtown (now Fleetwood) was incorporated as a borough.
April 25, 1841 Cornerstone laid for St. Paul’s Union Church.
1844 The Grand Central Taproom was built at the intersection of Main and Richmond Streets. It still is there today and remains a very popular business.
February 6, 1852 Coxtown (later Fleetwood) Post Office Opens. It was located in the Messersmith store. The store was later demolished and replaced by the Kutz Hosiery (top two floors) and a general store (bottom floor).
October 2, 1855 James Hill, inventor and artist born.
1857-1859 Reading and Lehigh Railroad Company built line through Blandon and Fleetwood.
1858 The Union Hotel is built on Main Street by Levi Templin
1859 The Fleetwood Railroad Station was built.
1866 Moses Folk Carriage Works began on the corner of Washington and Franklin Streets. Later the site became Seaman’s Chevrolet.
April 15, 1867 Fleetwood Cemetery is chartered.
1867-1933 The Blandon Rolling Mill operated by several different owners.
May 11, 1868 Town Elders approved plan for Fleetwood’s town layout.
March 22, 1869 The name of the town was changed from Coxtown to Fleetwood.
October 4, 1873 Fleetwood incorporated as a Borough.
1877 The borough’s first school house is built. The four-room school cost $6,000.
1882 American House Hotel built near railroad.
October 3, 1883 George Messersmith, Ambassador and Asst. Secretary of State, born in Fleetwood.
1892 The first high school class graduates.
October 11, 1893 Knights of Golden Eagle Lodge formed.
October 16, 1902 First Electric Train (Trolley) ran through Blandon and Fleetwood to Allentown.
January 31, 1907 Fleetwood Building and Loan chartered.
November 7, 1907 First National Bank in Fleetwood was chartered.
April 1, 1909 Fleetwood Metal Body Company started.
August 25, 1910 Fleetwood Nest of the Orioles began.
August 12, 1914 Fleetwood Volunteer Fire Company #1 was formed.
November 6, 1919 Fleetwood Real Estate Company chartered.
May 20, 1920 Fleetwood Grange formed. Also the first movie house is built at 30 West Main Street
August 20, 1921 Current building of the First National Bank in Fleetwood opened.
December 16, 1921 Fleetwood Chocolate Factory opened.
January 25, 1922 Fleetwood American Legion organized.
January 4, 1930 Fleetwood Police Department formed.
July 22, 1935 Fleetwood Recreation Board formed.
October 27, 1939 Fleetwood Branch of the Lions Club organized.
1949 Fleetwood Building Block is founded.
January 9, 1958 Fleetwood Auxiliary Police organized.
May 31, 1961 Fleetwood Community Pool opened.
1972 Pennsylvania Dutch Cookie Corp. is established.
October 15, 1991 FLEETWOOD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY FORMED.
July 9, 2004 President Bush visits Fleetwood.
December 24, 2005 Historical Fleetwood Tannery building burns.
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By Sandra Stitzer
