Today, I am driving through Ormrod in North Whitehall Township. The former Giant Cement Company homes still border the highway, recalling an era when cement provided jobs for the village.

Many of the workers were newly arrived immigrants. The Lehigh Portland Cement Company, which owned the plants, prospered there for more than 60 years.

The Lehigh Portland Cement Company was organized by Gen. Harry C. Trexler, a famous Lehigh Valley industrialist and philanthropist. The company owned local plants in Ormrod, West Coplay, Fogelsville and Sandt’s Eddy. The first president was Gen. Trexler, and George Ormrod was vice president.

George Ormrod was born in 1839 in Preston, Lancashire, England. His father died in his youth, but he was able to attend an engineering school in Manchester.

He came to America as a young man and was hired by an anthracite mining company in Tamaqua. Ormrod would later build coal collieries and become a stockholder, director and president of a coal company.

A visionary, he came to Emmaus and constructed a blast furnace and forge. His daughters would marry men who were involved in the management of the Lehigh Portland Cement Company. Highly respected by Gen. Trexler, he was chosen as Lehigh’s vice president.

Ormrod died in 1915. His son Donald joined the Lehigh board upon his father’s death.

The village of Ormrod’s location had an excellent supply of cement rock, and the company was able to attract hardworking local and immigrant employees. The first Lehigh Ormrod plant was constructed in 1898. The demand for cement was so great a second plant was added in 1902. A third plant was added in 1903.

The village was named in honor of George Ormrod because of his leadership in the Lehigh Valley cement industry.

The cement era in the village sadly ended in 1958. Many years ago, I spoke to a gentleman whose family resided in a company home in the village. The plants were practically in their backyard. His father and brothers could easily walk to work each day.

After the plant closed, he would drive past the old plant and company homes on occasion, remembering cherished memories of the past.

In two weeks, we will be looking back to events in our local communities in 1941.