It’s quite a ways from Wales to Slatington - 3,436 miles, to be exact.

That distance wasn’t about to keep several visitors from Wales away from the Northern Lehigh area.

The Slatington History Preservation Committee found out that several visitors from Wales would be in the Lehigh Valley this month.

Judy Snyder, president of the committee, contacted the group sponsoring their visit, and invited them to Slatington.

The committee gave its visitors a tour to show them slate and Welsh related buildings, along with graves, as many people from Wales settled in Slatington and helped develop the slate industry.

The visitors, John Owen Jones and Stephen Todd, of Pontardawe, Swansea Valley, Wales, met with members of the committee Monday afternoon at the United Presbyterian Church of Slatington.

“The scenery reminds us of South and North Wales,” Todd said.

Owen Jones said this was their first trip to Pennsylvania.

“It’s a great pleasure to meet them,” Owen Jones said. “It’s amazing to realize the impact the Welsh had on this area, and the heritage.”

Snyder said it was an exciting opportunity for the committee to meet with the visitors.

“We wanted to show them the Welsh history in Slatington such as the grave sites, some of the quarries, some of the churches, and tell them about the Welsh, when they came over here, about what time, and what they all did,” Snyder said. “I’m happy that they wanted to hear the history of the Welsh in Slatington.”

Borough Mayor Jeralyn Schoch, who attended the function, said she was pleased that the visitors chose Slatington among it stops.

“I’m very excited to have them (attend this),” Schoch said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for our town.”