Portland Cement
Upper Nazareth Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
This industry was born in the Lehigh Valley. David O. Saylor first made portland cement at Coplay in 1871. Here also was the first use of the rotary kiln process commercially Nov. 8, 1889. This region has continued to lead in the industry.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
The Lehigh Valley's limestone and cement rock gave rise to America's portland cement industry, and this region led the way. David O. Saylor first produced portland cement at nearby Coplay in 1871, and in 1889 the area saw the first commercial use of the rotary kiln, a breakthrough that made mass production possible. For decades the valley's kilns supplied the concrete that built modern American cities.
Why it matters
The cement made here literally paved the foundations of modern America—its roads, dams, and skyscrapers—marking the Lehigh Valley as a birthplace of an industry that reshaped the built landscape.
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Related people
- · David O. Saylor
Themes & tags
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