The Biology and History Of Wehr Dam

The Wildlands Conservancy is fond of telling municipalities that mill dams create warm water above them, and serve no purpose. Also obsolete, by modern design, in Wehr Dam Park, now know as Covered Bridge Park, is the covered bridge. A recent writer to The Morning Call noted the beauty of the water flowing over the dam and under the bridge. The Wildlands Conservancy has said that the dam has no aesthetic value, but they're also wrong even about the biology. Not far downstream from the dam, the creek disappears into it's limestone bed during dry periods. This natural disappearing stream phenomenon makes the dam a moot point in regard to upstream fish migration. What we're left with then is extraordinary beauty and history,  that needs to be preserved. Since mill dams and wooden covered bridges are obsolete, and they're not making any more of them, let's defend this irreplaceable legacy with which we were entrusted.
photograph by K Mary Hess

Saving South Whitehall's History

In 1952, South Whitehall lost Wehr's Mill, constructed in 1862. Last week, on July 2, 2014 the Commissioners signed the township's historic overlay ordinance, designed to provide protection for historical structures and sites, by cooperating owners. When Wehr's Covered Bridge was designated a National Historic Site in 1980, the application specified 1.45 acres. Whether or not the dam is included in this area is unclear, but the historical significance of the dam is unquestionable. It was the most elaborate dam built for any mill, on either the Jordan or Cedar Creeks. A concrete slab, inscribed and dated by none other than William Wehr himself, remains near the former mill site. In their haste to harvest another dam demolition grant, the Wildlands Conservancy told the Commissioners that the 1904 dam is neither historic or aesthetic, but the public knows that their iconic dam has both those attributes, in abundance.

undated photograph of the former Wehr Mill

In Defense Of The Irreplaceable

Yesterday, residents of South Whitehall received a well designed card promoting concerts in The Covered Bridge Park. In a recent letter to the editor, Dale Heffelfinger wrote; The Jordan Creek flowing over Wehr's Dam and then under Wehr's Covered Bridge is an often-photographed location that has appeared on calendars and in literature touting our wonderful lifestyle. To remove Wehr's Dam is unconscionable. This weekend as we celebrate our country's history, let us hope that the South Whitehall Commissioners decide to defend the historic dam.
photograph by K Mary Hess

Dam Hard Convincing South Whitehall

Last evening I again tried to convince South Whitehall Commissioners that Wehr Dam must be saved, for both historical and aesthetic reasons. Visiting that dam has become a generational tradition for thousands of valley residents. Although the Wildlands Conservancy has not been given explicit permission to demolish the dam, the commissioners have allowed them to continue planning for it's removal. Ironically, last night the commissioners also passed an ordinance creating an historic overlay district, including Wehr Covered Bridge. Had they been willing to add two simple words to the ordinance, and dam, they would have been fulfilling the spirit of the ordinance, not just the letter. At their meeting with the Wildlands Conservancy the commissioners asked how to deal with the residents who might want to keep the dam. The Conservancy replied that they must be educated about the fish and natural habitat. I believe that the commissioners must be educated about the values and traditions of their constituents.

Ezekiel's Tomb

Ezekiel's Tomb is south of Baghdad, in Al Kifl. The tomb dates back to the 6th Century B.C., during the Babylonian exile. Prior to creation of Israel in 1948, 100,000 Jews still remained in Iraq; Today, there are eight.

Last year Hebrew lettering was covered over in fresh plaster, in a process to turn the ancient Jewish shrine into a mosque. Fortunately, word leaked back to Israel and to the Jews of Iraqi descent. That community's history in Iraq spanned 2,700 years, 1,000 years before the birth of Islam. The renovation is now under international scrutiny, and hopefully the Jewish elements will remain. The photo shows Iraqi Jews in front of the tomb in 1932.

Conflicting reports: There are conflicting reports, both about the condition and intentions for the shrine. Here is an article from The Jerusalem Post, dated May 2010, which claims that there has been no damage (recent) to Jewish inscriptions.
NY Times recent article, Oct. 19, 2010

reprinted from September 2013

Whose Your Worm In Harrisburg?

It doesn't matter where you live in the Lehigh Valley, or whether your representative is a Republican or Democrat, either way, you have a worm representing you. Yesterday, they passed a budget with no pension reform. Two bills, one from the house, the other from the senate, offered a path away from the state's biggest problem, the pension liability. Both bills would have honored the current pension with existing employees, but would have gone to a 401 type plan for all new hires. The Democrat excuse was that it did nothing to alleviate the liability for existing employees, estimated to be as high as $50billion, for their pension life. They instead favored issuing more bonds and again deferring the state's full contribution. The Republicans also ignored the bills, also pandering to the strong unions, especially the teachers. Corbett is not an attractive candidate this year, but credit him for standing behind pension reform. The Republicans in the General Assembly, both representatives and senators, had enough seats to pass pension reform, but chose not to. The union pandering Democrats never considered it. Whose your worm?

St. Matthew's Monastery

St. Matthew's Monastery in Kurdish Iraq, one of the oldest Christian Institutions in the world, was built by Christians fleeing persecution in 363 AD. Today, 16 centuries later, Christians are once again seeking shelter there. In the last decade it has been estimated that half the Christians have left Iraq. Since the Baghdad Church bombing in October, some Christians are afraid to be seen wearing a cross; Others have fled with little more than the clothes on their back. Pray for them.

St. Matthew's is part of the Syriac Orthodox Church

reprinted from December 2010. Things have only gotten worse for the Christians in Iraq, many more have fled.

reprinted from May 2013.   The situation in Iraq has become even more perilous. Those Christians unable to leave Iraq have mostly taken shelter in north section of the country, under control of the Kurds. 

Morning Call Features Two Letters On Wehr Dam

The Wildlands Conservancy has noble goals. In Whitehall Township on the Jordan Creek, the group recently removed several small nuisance dams that were of little historic and aesthetic value. Wehr's Dam, however, is of high historic and aesthetic value and is at the center of a park in a tranquil setting in South Whitehall Township. The Jordan Creek flowing over Wehr's Dam and then under Wehr's Covered Bridge is an often-photographed location that has appeared on calendars and in literature touting our wonderful lifestyle. To remove Wehr's Dam is unconscionable. The Wildlands Conservancy should switch from Plan A (dam removal) to Plan B (remediation). Plan B is to pump the silt from the upstream side of the dam and build a fish ladder, which possibly could be incorporated as part of the original mill race. Fish are not stupid. Given the opportunity, they will find their way up the fish ladder. Residents of South Whitehall and the Lehigh Valley should get involved with this issue and make sure you get what you want. Perhaps the decision should be decided by a voter referendum rather than by a small group of people.
Dale Heffelfinger
Whitehall Township

 South Whitehall Township is usually good at communicating with its residents. Notices regularly arrive, announcing new township policy and initiatives. As an advocate for keeping Wehr's Dam and not allowing the Wildlands Conservancy to demolish it, I'm shocked at how few township residents know that the dam is in jeopardy. If township officials would notify the residents of their deliberation allowing the dam's destruction, they would quickly find out how near and dear this historic icon is to the people of South Whitehall. The commissioners and township have a duty to disseminate this information.
Michael Molovinsky
South Whitehall Township

The Morning Call featured Wehr Dam today in their letter section.  They coupled two letters with a photograph of the dam by Harry Fisher.