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Allentown, Pennsylvania
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- For the song by Billy Joel, see "Allentown (song)."
- For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh, see Allentown (Pittsburgh)
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 106,632. It is the county seat of Lehigh County.
Located on the Lehigh River, Allentown is the largest of three adjacent cities that make up a region of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey known as the Lehigh Valley, with the cities of Bethlehem and Easton nearby.
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Encyclopedia
- For the song by Billy Joel, see "Allentown (song)."
- For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh, see Allentown (Pittsburgh)
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 106,632. It is the county seat of Lehigh County.
Located on the Lehigh River, Allentown is the largest of three adjacent cities that make up a region of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey known as the Lehigh Valley, with the cities of Bethlehem and Easton nearby. Allentown is north of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the United States, and west of New York City, the nation's largest city.
Two four-year colleges, Cedar Crest College and Muhlenberg College, are located in Allentown. Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, a very popular amusement park, is located just outside of the city.
Air transport to and from the city is available through Lehigh Valley International Airport .
History
Founding
The area that is today the center of Allentown was laid out as Northampton Town in 1762 by William Allen, a wealthy shipping merchant, former mayor of the city of Philadelphia and then-Chief Justice of the Province of Pennsylvania. The property was part of a plot Allen purchased in 1735 from his business partner Joseph Turner, who had acquired the land from Thomas Penn, son of William Penn. Allen hoped that Northampton Town would displace Easton as the seat of Northampton County and also become a commercial center due to its location along the Lehigh River and its proximity to Philadelphia. Allen gave the property to his son James in 1767. Three years later, in 1770, James built a summer residence, Trout Hall, in the new town, near the site of his father's former hunting lodge.
On March 18, 1811, the town was formally incorporated as a borough. On March 6, 1812, Lehigh County was formed from the western half of Northampton County, and Northampton Town was selected as the county seat. The town was officially renamed "Allentown" in 1838 after years of popular usage. Allentown was formally incorporated as a city on March 12, 1867.
Liberty Bell
Allentown holds historical significance as the location where the Liberty Bell (then known as the Pennsylvania State House bell) was successfully hidden from the British during the American Revolutionary War. After George Washington's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was defenseless, and that city prepared for British attack. The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ordered that eleven bells, including the State House bell and the bells from Philadelphia's Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, be taken down and removed from the city to prevent the British, who would melt the bells down to cast into cannons, from taking possession of them. The bells were transported north to Northampton-Towne, and hidden in the basement of the Old Zion Reformed Church, in what is now center city Allentown. Today, a shrine in the church's basement marks the exact spot where the Liberty Bell was hidden. It features a full-size official replica of the Liberty Bell, flanked by the flags of the original thirteen colonies.
American Industrial Revolution
Prior to the 1830s, Allentown was a small town with only local markets. The arrival of the Lehigh Canal, however, expanded the city's commerce and industrial capacity greatly. With this, the town underwent significant industrialization, ultimately becoming a major center for heavy industry and manufacturing. While Allentown was not as large as neighboring Bethlehem at the time, the local iron industry still brought many jobs to the city. Railroads, such as the Lehigh Valley Railroad, were vital to the movement of raw materials and finished goods, and employed a significant workforce during this time. This period of rapid economic growth in the region was halted by two events, the Panic of 1873 and the Long Depression.
In addition to the iron and railroad industries, Allentown also had a strong tradition in the brewing of beer and was home to several notable breweries, including the Horlacher Brewery (founded 1897, closed 1978), the Neuweiler Brewery (founded 1875, closed 1968) and Schaefer Beer, whose brewery was later sold to Guinness.
Early 20th century to present
Economic recovery in the early 20th century was brought about by the silk and textile industry. The Adelaide Silk Mill, one of the largest in the world at the time, opened in Allentown in 1881. By 1928, there were over 140 silk and textile mills in the Lehigh Valley, making it the second largest industry in the region. By the 1930s, the silk industry was in worldwide decline, as synthetics were taking the place of silk. Catoir Silk Mill, the last silk mill in Allentown, closed in 1989. In 1905, Mack Trucks moved to Allentown, beginning Allentown's focus on heavy industrial manufacturing. Today, Allentown's economy, like most of Pennsylvania's, is primarily based in the service industry.
Geography
Topography
Allentown is located at 40°36'6" North, 75°28'38" West (40.601697, -75.477328). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.5 km² (18.0 mi²). 45.9 km² (17.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. Bodies of water include the Jordan Creek and its tributary, the Little Lehigh Creek, which join within the city limits and empty into the Lehigh River. Other bodies of water within the city limits include Muhlenberg Lake in Cedar Creek Parkway and a pond in Trexler Park.
The city sits within the Lehigh Valley, a geographic region bounded by Blue Mountain, a ridge of the Appalachian mountain range, which varies from 1,000 to in height about north of the city, and South Mountain, a ridge of 500 to in height that borders the southern edge of the city.
The city is the county seat of Lehigh County. The adjacent counties are Carbon County to the north; Northampton County to the northeast and east; Bucks County to the southeast; Montgomery County to the south; and Berks County and Schuylkill County to the west.
Climate
Allentown's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year.
January lows average and highs average . The lowest officially recorded temperature was in 1912. July lows average and highs average , with an average relative humidity (morning) of 82%. The highest temperature on record was in 1966. Early fall and mid-winter are generally driest, with October being the driest month with only 74.7 mm of average precipitation.
Snowfall is variable, with some winters bringing light snow and others bringing numerous significant snowstorms. Average snowfall is per year, with the months of January and February receiving the highest at just over each. Rainfall is generally spread throughout the year, with eight to twelve wet days per month, at an average annual rate of .
Cityscape
Neighborhoods
Center City, which includes the downtown area and the 7th Street retail and residential corridor, is the city's central business district and the host to various city, county and federal government centers. To the east of Center City are "The Wards," the areas that developed as residential areas during the city's industrial boom of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Just east of the Lehigh River are the city's East Side neighborhoods, most of which border the various routes to nearby Bethlehem. South of Center City, and across the Little Lehigh Creek, are the city's South Side neighborhoods, which border Emmaus. Lastly, there is the West End, which traditionally comprises most neighborhoods west of 15th Street.
Culture
Arts
The Allentown Symphony Orchestra performs at Allentown Symphony Hall, located on North Sixth Street. The city also has a rich musical heritage of civilian concert bands, and is home to the Allentown Band, the oldest civilian concert band in the United States. The Allentown Band, as well as the Marine Band of Allentown, the Municipal Band of Allentown and the Pioneer Band of Allentown, all regularly perform at the bandshell in the city's West Park.
The Allentown Art Museum, located on North Fifth Street, is home to a collection of over 13,000 pieces of art, along with an associated library.
Sports
Baseball
Allentown has a history in the sport of professional baseball that dates back to 1884. In 2008, Allentown unveiled Coca-Cola Park, a $50.25 million, 8,100-seat stadium. The stadium was constructed in east-side Allentown to serve as the home field for the Philadelphia Phillies' AAA-level Minor League baseball team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The IronPigs, a member of the International League, are the first Major League-affiliated club to play in the city since 1960.
Basketball
Allentown hosted the Allentown Jets, an Eastern Professional Basketball League team, from 1958 to 1981. The Jets were one of the most dominant franchises in the league's history, winning eight playoff championships and twelve division titles. The teams home games were played in Rockne Hall at Allentown Central Catholic High School.
Hockey
On February 12, 2009, the owners of the Philadelphia Phantoms, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, announced their interest in moving the team to Allentown. Should the move come to fruition, the team would play their home games at a proposed new arena to be built on either the Lehigh River front or adjacent to Coca-Cola Park. The team currently plays their home games at the Wachovia Spectrum in Philadelphia, which has been largely replaced by the newer Wachovia Center and is scheduled for demolition in late 2009.
Soccer
Allentown is also home to the Stoners, a professional soccer team. From 1979-1983, the Stoners were members of the American Soccer League. The team had a five-year league record of 76-49-25, and won the league championship in 1980. Due to increasing competition from other soccer leagues, and decreasing attendance, the team folded in 1983. The team was resurrected in 2007 as the Pennsylvania Stoners, and competes in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The team plays its home games at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown. The Easton-based Northampton Laurels FC, of the Women's Premier Soccer League, also play at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
Economy
The city serves as the location of corporate headquarters for several large, global companies, including Air Products & Chemicals, Mack Trucks, PPL, and others. The largest employer in Allentown is Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, with over 7,800 employees.
In 2008, after over 100 years in the city, Mack Trucks announced that their Allentown-based corporate headquarters would be relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina in 2009. It is expected that the move will result in the loss of approximately 600 jobs.
Shopping
Hess's department store, and the downtown area along Hamilton Street in Center City, was the primary shopping district in Allentown until the 1970s and 1980s. Around this time, increased suburbanization led to a rapid decline in the popularity of the downtown shopping district, which culminated in Hess's being sold-off in 1994 and subsequently demolished in 2000.
In 1966, the Whitehall Mall opened along MacArthur Road, just north of Allentown in Whitehall Township. It was the first enclosed shopping center north of Philadelphia when it opened, and its popularity led to the rise of a sprawling retail district along MacArthur Road that continued to expand into the early 1990s. After a major renovation in 1998, the Whitehall Mall's anchors included Bed, Bath & Beyond, Kohl's, and Sears.
In the early 1970s, Hess's South, a satellite location of the Hess's downtown store, expanded to become the South Mall, located in South Allentown, at the city's border with South Whitehall Township and Emmaus. Today, the South Mall's anchors include Gold's Gym, Petco, Staples, Stein Mart, and The Bon-Ton.
In 1976, the Lehigh Valley Mall opened, just south of the Whitehall Mall, at the intersection of U.S. Route 22 and MacArthur Road. With over 140 stores, the Lehigh Valley Mall became the largest shopping mall in the region, and presently has anchors including Boscov's, JCPenney and Macy's. A large outdoor shopping addition opened in October 2007, and includes stores such as Apple and Barnes & Noble. Most recently, The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, a large, upscale outdoor shopping mall, opened just south of the city, near Pennsylvania Route 309 and Interstate 78, in Upper Saucon Township.
Media
Print
Allentown-based print media include The Morning Call, the city's daily newspaper, and Pulse Weekly, an arts and entertainment newspaper.
Television
Allentown is part of the Philadelphia DMA (designated market area). The four major Philadelphia-based network stations serving Allentown include: KYW-TV (CBS), WCAU (NBC), WPVI (ABC) and WTXF (Fox). Other available Philadelphia stations include: WPHL-TV, WPSG, and others. Several New York City stations also serve the area, including WPIX and WWOR-TV.
Additionally, the city is served by three Lehigh Valley television stations: WFMZ Channel 69 (independent) and WBPH-TV (Christian), both in Allentown, and WLVT Channel 39 (PBS) in Bethlehem. Two cable systems, RCN Corporation (originally Twin County Cable) and Service Electric Cable TV, Inc., have served the city since the 1960s.
Radio
Allentown's radio market is ranked 68th largest in the United States by Arbitron. Stations licensed to Allentown include WAEB-AM (talk, news and sports), WAEB-FM (Top 40 music), WDIY (NPR and public radio), WHOL (tropical music), WLEV (adult contemporary music), WMUH (Muhlenberg College campus radio), WSAN (Fox Sports Radio and Philadelphia Phillies broadcasts), WZZO (hard rock music) and others. In addition, many New York City and Philadelphia stations receive reception in Allentown.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 106,632 people and 25,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,320.8/km² (6,011.5/mi²). There were 45,960 housing units at an average density of 1,000.3/km² (2,591.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.55% White, 7.85% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 13.37% from other races, and 3.55% from two or more races. 24.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
There were 42,032 households in the city, of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18, 39.4% had married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% had non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The city's average household size is 2.42 and the average family size was 3.09.
The city's population broken down by age ranges was 24.8% under 18, 11.2% from 18-24, 29.8% from 25-44, 19.1% from 45-64, and 15.1% 65 years or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there are 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,016, and the median income for a family was $37,356. Males had a median income of $30,426 versus $23,882 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,282. 18.5% of the population and 14.6% of families were below the poverty line. 29.4% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Government
Politics and elections
The city uses the "strong-mayor" version of the mayor-council form of government, which is headed by one mayor, in whom executive authority is vested. Elected "at-large," the mayor serves a four year term under the city's home rule charter. The current city mayor is Democrat Ed Pawlowski, who replaced Roy C. Afflerbach after his single-term in office from 2002 to 2006. The legislative branch, the Allentown City Council, consists of seven council members elected at large for four-year staggered terms. City Council holds regular public meetings in order to enact legislation in the form of ordinances and resolutions. The current president of the City Council is Michael D'Amore. The City Controller, who is responsible for the oversight of the city's finances, is also elected and serves a four-year term.
Crime
In 2006, the known criminal offenses in Allentown, as reported to the FBI, included around 800 violent crimes and over 7,000 property crimes. With the exception of aggravated assault, Allentown exceeded national averages in all criminal categories. Most notable, cases of arson in Allentown were nearly double the national average. Other crimes in Allentown that substantially exceeded national averages were robbery, murder and forcible rape. In 2007, incidents of reported crimes in the city dropped, with violent crime dropping by 18 percent and all crime dropping by 9 percent.
The total reported violent crimes in Allentown was comparable to the 2003 national average (1.01 times the average). Individual violent crime rates per capita compared to U.S. national averages were: robbery (1.54 times avg.), murder (1.47 times avg.), forcible rape (1.32 times avg.), and aggravated assault (0.57 times avg.). The total reported property crimes in Allentown exceeded the 2003 national average by 1.21 times. Individual property crime rates per capita compared to the U.S. national average were: arson (1.71 times avg.), burglary (1.23 times avg.), larceny/theft (1.22 times avg.), and automobile theft (1.08 times avg.).
Allentown's crime statistics are heightened significantly by gang-related crime and gang rival and retaliatory violence stemming from the presence of many of the nation's most violent gangs in the city. In the 1990s, anti-gang initiatives in New York City and elsewhere resulted in an increased population of gang members in Allentown, particularly in the city's center city area. Gangs including 18th Street, Black Dragons, Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Los Solidos, Mexican Mafia, and MS-13 all have a presence in Allentown and/or the Lehigh Valley region. Over 75% of the homicides in Allentown during 2007 were drug or gang-related killings. In 2008, a multimillion dollar methamphetamine ring operating in Allentown and the surrounding region, with ties to the Crips organization, was broken up by narcotics agents. The city has undertaken various initiatives, including participation in the federally-funded "Route 222 Corridor Anti-Gang Initiative" and the reorganization of the city police department, in an attempt to combat the problem. Drug trafficking, prostitution, and street drag racing are all current city-wide criminal concerns.
Education
Public schools
The City of Allentown is served by the Allentown School District, which is the fourth largest school district in Pennsylvania, with 18,118 students (based on 2005-2006 enrollment data).
The city maintains two public high schools for grades 9-12, William Allen High School, which serves students from the southern and western parts of the city, and Louis E. Dieruff High School, which serves students from the eastern and northern parts. Each of these Allentown area high schools competes athletically in the Lehigh Valley Conference. Both schools play their home football games at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
Allentown School District's four middle schools, for grades 6-8, include: Francis D. Raub Middle School, Harrison-Morton Middle School, South Mountain Middle School and Trexler Middle School. The city is served by 16 elementary schools, for kindergarten through fifth grade, including: Central, Cleveland, Hiram W. Dodd, Jackson, Jefferson, Lehigh Parkway, Lincoln, McKinley, Midway Manor, Mosser, Muhlenberg, Ritter, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Union Terrace and Washington. The Roberto Clemente Charter School, also located in the Allentown School District, is a Title I charter school which provides educational services to mainly Hispanic students in grades 6 through 12.
The Allentown School District is currently undertaking a 10 year, $120 million facilities improvement plan. The plan includes renovation of all 23 schools in the district. Most of the schools to be renovated will be expanded. Two additional elementary schools and a fifth middle school are expected to be built.
Private schools
Allentown has two parochial high schools, Allentown Central Catholic High School and Lehigh Valley Christian High School, though both schools draw students from both Allentown and the city's suburbs. Other Allentown-based parochial schools (serving all grades) include: Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena School, Holy Spirit School, Lehigh Christian Academy, Mercy Special Learning Center, Our Lady Help of Christians School, Sacred Heart School, Saint Francis of Assisi School, Saint Paul School, and Saint Thomas More School. Parochial schools in Allentown are operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. The Grace Montessori School is a pre-school and early elementary Montessori school run as an outreach of Grace Episcopal Church. The Swain School, a non-sectarian private school founded in 1929, is also located in Allentown.
Higher education
Two four-year colleges are located in Allentown: Cedar Crest College and Muhlenberg College.
Infrastructure
Airports
The city's primary airport, Lehigh Valley International Airport , is located three miles (5 km) northeast of Allentown in Hanover Township. The city is also served by Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport, a two-runway general aviation facility used predominantly by private aviation.
Roads
Four expressways run through the Allentown area, with associated exits to the city: Interstate 78, which runs from Harrisburg in the west to New York City's Holland Tunnel in the east; the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, (which is part of I-476), runs from Plymouth Meeting outside Philadelphia in the south to Interstate 81 at Clarks Summit in the north; Pennsylvania Route 309, which runs from Philadelphia in the south to The Poconos in the north; and U.S. Route 22, which runs from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east.
There are nine major inbound roads to Allentown: Airport Road, Cedar Crest Boulevard, Fullerton Avenue, Hamilton Boulevard, Lehigh Street, Mauch Chunk Road, Pennsylvania Route 145 (MacArthur Road), Tilghman Street, and Union Boulevard.
Buses
Public transportation within Allentown is provided by LANTA, a public bus system serving Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Several private bus lines, including Bieber Tourways, Susquehanna Trailways and Trans-Bridge Lines, provide bus service from Allentown to New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal, Philadelphia's Greyhound Terminal, Atlantic City's Bus Terminal, and other regional locations.
Rail
Historically, Allentown has been served by Central Railroad of New Jersey, Conrail, Lehigh and New England Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad, and Reading Railroad. While Allentown currently has no passenger rail service (the last public rail service, which was part of the Bethlehem-Philadelphia service provided by Conrail under contract with SEPTA, ceased operating in 1979), several of the Allentown-area stations once used for passenger service have been preserved through their current commercial use. In November 2008, the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), along with both Lehigh and Northampton Counties, commissioned a study to explore the merits of expanding the New Jersey Transit line to the Lehigh Valley, which would potentially include stops in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton.
Allentown is a regional center for commercial rail traffic. Currently, Norfolk Southern's primary hump classification yards are located in Allentown, and the city is also served by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group.
Telecommunications
Allentown and the Lehigh Valley area were once served only by the 215 area code from 1947 (when the North American Numbering Plan of the Bell System went into effect) until 1994. With the city and region's growing population, however, Allentown and its surrounding areas were afforded area code 610 in 1994. Today, the city of Allentown is covered by 610. An overlay area code, 484, was added to the 610 service area in 1999. A plan to introduce area code 835 as an additional overlay was rescinded in 2001.
Parks and recreation
City parks
Much of the city's park system can be attributed to the efforts of industrialist Harry Clay Trexler. Inspired by the City Beautiful movement in the early 1900s, Trexler helped create West Park, a park in what was then a community trash pit and sandlot baseball field in an upscale area of the city. The park, which opened in 1909, features a bandshell, designed by noted Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, which has long been home to the Allentown Band and other community bands. Trexler also facilitated the development of Trexler Park, Cedar Parkway, Allentown Municipal Golf Course and the Trout Nursery in Lehigh Parkway. Trexler was also responsible for the development of the Trexler Trust, which to this day continues to provide private funding for the maintenance and development of Allentown's park system.
City parks in Allentown include Bicentennial Park (4,600 seat mini-stadium built for sporting events), Cedar Creek Parkway (127 acres, including Lake Muhlenberg, Cedar Beach and the Malcolm W. Gross Memorial Rose Garden), East Side Reservoir (15 acres), Kimmets Lock Park (5 acres), Lehigh Canal Park (55 acres), Lehigh Parkway (999 acres), Old Allentown Cemetery (4 acres), Jordan Park, South Mountain Reservoir (157 acres), Trexler Memorial Park (134 acres), Trout Creek Parkway (100 acres), Joe Daddona Park (19 acres) and West Park (6.59 acres).
Festivals
Mayfair Festival of the Arts, an arts and crafts festival established in 1986, is held each May at Cedar Beach Park in Allentown. The Great Allentown Fair runs annually, in early September, on the grounds of the Allentown Fairgrounds, where it has been held since 1889. The first Allentown Fair was held in 1852, and between 1852 and 1899 it was held at the "Old Allentown Fairgrounds," which was located north of Liberty Street between 5th and 6th streets. The J. Birney Crum Stadium plays host to the Collegiate Marching Band Festival, held annually since 1995, as well as other marching band festivals and competitions.
Stadiums
The city has two large capacity outdoor stadiums. Coca-Cola Park, with an overall capacity of 10,000, was constructed in 2007 and is the home field for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA-level minor league team affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. J. Birney Crum Stadium, used for Lehigh Valley Conference football and other purposes, has a seating capacity in excess of 15,000. The city has no large indoor stadium, but major indoor sporting and concert events are held at Stabler Arena, in neighboring Bethlehem.
Other recreational sites
Other recreational sites in Allentown include Allentown Municipal Golf Course, Cedar Beach Pool, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Fountain Pool, Irving Pool, Jordan Pool and Mack Pool.
Notable residents
Allentown is the birthplace of, or home to, several notable Americans, including:
- Frank N. D. Buchman, founder of the Oxford Group and Moral Re-Armament religious movements
- Leon Carr, Broadway composer and television advertising songwriter
- Michaela Conlin, actress, Fox's Bones
- Peter Gruner, professional wrestler known as Billy Kidman
- Lee Iacocca, former chairman of Chrysler Corporation
- Keith Jarrett, jazz musician
- Michael Johns, health care executive and former White House speechwriter
- Brian Knobbs, former professional wrestler
- William Marchant, playwright and screenwriter
- Ed McCaffrey, former professional football player, Denver Broncos, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers
- Lara Jill Miller, voice actress, Cartoon Network's The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
- Andre Reed, former professional football player, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins
- Amanda Seyfried, model and actress, The CW's Veronica Mars, HBO's Big Love and Mamma Mia!
- Richard A. Snelling, former Governor of Vermont
- Walter O. Snelling, chemist and explosives expert who discovered propane gas
- Christine Taylor, actress and wife of actor Ben Stiller
- Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell, fantasy and erotica artists
- Donald Voorhees, Emmy-nominated orchestral conductor
- Lauren Weisberger, author, The Devil Wears Prada
Allentown in popular culture
Allentown's reputation as a rugged blue collar city has led to many references to the city in popular culture:
- Allentown is the hometown of up and coming showgirl Peggy Sawyer in the long-running, Tony Award-winning Broadway musical 42nd Street and its associated Academy Award-nominated movie. When Sawyer expresses her desire to leave Broadway to return to Allentown, the show's director and entire cast successfully dissuade her by singing the famed musical number "The Lullaby of Broadway."
- In the musical Bye Bye Birdie, character Rosie Alvarez is from Allentown. In the song "Spanish Rose," she sings: "I'm just a Spanish Tamale according to Mae/ Right off the boat from the tropics, far, far away/ Which is kinda funny, since where I come from is Allentown, PA."
- The TV production company Medstar Television, which produces the series Forensic Files, is headquartered in Allentown. Locations throughout the city have been used as settings for dramatic re-enactments of crimes profiled by the show.
- Allentown is mentioned in the opening lyric of the Frank Zappa song "200 Years Old," which appears on his 1975 album Bongo Fury.
- On the January 17, 2009 episode of Saturday Night Live, in the skit "Good Excuse," a guest is urged to tell his girlfriend, as an excuse for his breakup with her, that his company is relocating to Allentown.
- Allentown was home to the character Duane Doberman in The Phil Silvers Show, a CBS comedy series that ran from 1955 to 1959.
Landmarks and popular locations
- 19th Street Theatre (opened 1928), 527 N. 19th St. Home of Civic Theatre of Allentown, which stages plays and hosts fine arts film series.
- Albertus L. Meyers Bridge (built 1913), 8th & Union Sts. Also known as the Eighth Street Bridge, once the longest and highest concrete bridge in the world.
- Allentown Art Museum (built 1934), 31 N. 5th St. Collection of over 13,000 works of art, along with an associated library.
- Allentown Cemetery Park (established 1765), 10th & Linden Sts. Burial site of the city's earliest residents, including American Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans.
- Allentown Fairgrounds (established 1889), 400 N. 17th St. Home of the Allentown Fair (started 1852), Allentown Farmers Market, Agri-Plex exhibit hall and The Ritz restaurant.
- Allentown Post Office (built 1933-34), 5th & Hamilton Sts. Classical Moderne-style building with Art Deco ornamentation. Interior murals of local historical scenes by New York artist Gifford Reynolds Beal.
- Allentown Symphony Hall (built 1896), 23 N. 6th St. Owned by the Allentown Symphony Association, a 1200-seat performing arts facility that is home to the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, as well as Pennsylvania Sinfonia, Community Concerts of Allentown, Allentown Band and Community Music School of the Lehigh Valley.
- Bogert's Covered Bridge (built 1841), S. 24th St. & Fish Hatchery Rd. One of the region's oldest covered bridges, a span over the Little Lehigh Creek in Allentown's Lehigh Parkway.
- Frank Buchman House, 117 N. 11th St. Home of Frank N. D. Buchman (1878-1961), founder of the Oxford Group and Moral Re-Armament religious movements.
- Butz-Groff House (built 1872), 111 N. 4th St. Dark stone Victorian home in what was once the center of Allentown's most fashionable residential district. Built by attorney Samuel A. Butz and later owned by his grandson, Joseph C. Groff.
- Cedar Crest College (founded 1867), 100 College Dr. Liberal arts college with an campus on the city's western edge.
- Centre Square and Soldiers & Sailors Monument (built 1899), 7th & Hamilton Sts. Monument honoring American Civil War veterans from the 47th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.
- William F. Curtis Arboretum (started 1915), 100 College Dr. Located at Cedar Crest College, a collection of 140 species of trees registered with the American Public Gardens Association.
- Earl F. Hunsicker Bicentennial Park (built 1939, renovated 1976), Lehigh & S. Howard Sts. Originally Fairview Field, home to the city's Minor League Baseball teams, 1939-47. As Bicentennial Park, hosted the Allentown Ambassadors, 1997-2003.
- Hess's Department Store (closed 1996 and demolished in 2000).
- Homeopathic Healing Art Plaque, 31 S. Penn St. Marks the location of the world's first medical college exclusively devoted to the practice of homeopathic medicine. Established in 1835, the college went bankrupt in 1845 and relocated to Philadelphia, where it developed into what is today Hahnemann University Hospital.
- J. Birney Crum Stadium (built 1948), 22nd & Turner Sts. Home football field of Allentown's three high schools, a 15,000-capacity stadium once the largest in Pennsylvania.
- Muhlenberg College (founded 1848), 2400 Chew St. Liberal arts college located on an campus in Allentown's West End.
- Old Allentown Cemetery (established 1846), N. Fountain & Linden Sts. City's second oldest cemetery, located next to Allentown Cemetery Park. Burial site of Tilghman Good (1830-87), two-term mayor and commander of the 47th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers during the American Civil War.
- Old Court House County Museum, 5th & Hamilton Sts.
- Old Zion Reformed Church and Liberty Bell Shrine Museum, 622 Hamilton St. Located on Hamilton Street in center city Allentown, the temporary hiding place of the Liberty Bell in 1777-78 during the Revolutionary War.
- Portland Place (built 1902), 718 Hamilton St. Former headquarters of Lehigh Portland Cement Company, remodeled in the art deco style in 1939-40. Over the front door was a glass relief by artist Oronzio Maldarelli, the largest glass mural panel in the world at the time. When the company (now Lehigh Cement Company) relocated, the sculpture was installed in the building's new lobby.
- PPL Building (built 1928), 9th & Hamilton Sts. Allentown's tallest building (23 stories), headquarters to PPL Corporation.
- Revolutionary War Plaque (erected 1926), 8th & Hamilton Sts. On the side of the Farr Building, marks the site of a hospital for Revolutionary War soldiers in 1777-78.
- Sterling Hotel (1890), 343-45 Hamilton St. Three-story, Romanesque-style brick hotel. Now a popular bar and music venue. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places, 1984.
- Trout Hall (built 1770), 414 Walnut St. Oldest house in Allentown, built by James Allen, son of William Allen, the city's founder.
- Yocco's Hot Dogs (opened 1922). Regionally-popular restaurant chain with six Lehigh Valley locations, including three in Allentown.
Museums and cultural organizations
Sister cities and twin cities
Allentown has two official sister cities as designated by Sister Cities International:
Allentown also has two designated "twin cities":
External links
- Allentown travel guide from Wikitravel.
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