Souderton, a town (population in 1959, 4,623, 6,730 in 2000; coordinates: 40° 18′ 36.77″ N, 75° 18′ 45.65″ W) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, midway between Philadelphia and Allentown, was incorporated as a borough in 1888. Mennonites from the surrounding area, mostly west of town, made up a goodly portion of the earlier inhabitants. There are over 1,400 baptized Mennonites of the Mennonite Church (MC) and General Conference Mennonite (GCM) groups and an unaffiliated church, living in Souderton. Probably 40 per cent of Franconia Conference Mennonites (MC) use Souderton as a shopping center. At least five Mennonite congregations were established in the area in the first half of the 18th century, namely, Franconia, Rockhill, Salford, Line Lexington, and Plains, all 3-5 miles away. Agriculture, marketing, and industry are the principal means of livelihood.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 582. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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