With the possibility of the return of passenger rail service to Souderton can you tell me how the train first came to Souderton?

The North Pennsylvania Railroad Company planned to lay track from Lansdale to Bethlehem and was actually going to by-pass Souderton totally. An astute businessman, however, Henry O.Souder, donated some of his land to divert the track here. The first train, "TheCivilizer" came through town in 1857 and the railroad named this stop Franconia. In 1863 the stop was renamed Souder's and finally changed to Souderton in 1876.