Kolapechka Park

What’s in a name? When the name is Kolapechka, there’s a lot of history in the name.

The son of Shawnee Chief Paxinosa, Kolapechka was trusted by Native Americans and settlers. The Shawnee tribe was noted for its ferocity, yet, Moravian missionaries had an alliance with them. Kolapechka escorted the missionaries through then hostile territory. He later became a messenger to the Governor of Pennsylvania. Through his integrity and his efforts, Kolapechka is credited with helping Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley to avoid major conflict during a time when there was unrest and war between Native Americans and settlers.

To honor his legacy by naming this park after him is a fitting tribute. Kolapechka Park is a multi-use park in a pleasant country setting. Located in southeastern Pennsylvania, in North Whitehall Township, between the small towns of Ironton and Schnecksville, the park’s paved perimeter trail takes walkers past baseball fields, a soccer field, a dog park, a playground and a picnic area. The path has benches conveniently located along the trail for walkers to take a break and enjoy the country scenery or simply take time to relax and watch a baseball or soccer game. The perimeter walking path also has additional connecting paved paths that lead to the fields, the playground and the dog park. The perimeter path can also be accessed from a second parking lot near the soccer field.

The playground is divided into age appropriate sections. One play area is designed for children ages 2-5. Among the fun activities, children can climb on a pretend tractor with a small sliding board. Another section of the playground is designed for 5-12 year-old children. Here, children will thrill to assorted ways to climb, swing and slide. There’s also an accessible playground with specialized play equipment. The accessible playground, and the dog park with two size specific areas, were designed and executed by two Girl Scouts and their leader, with community support by local leaders.

During winter, the path may be snow-covered, so bring your snowshoes and enjoy a walk in the brisk air. Be sure to stop by the park sign and read more about what’s in the name, Kolapechka.