Allentown Archeology

When it comes to the history of industrial Allentown, the railroad buffs are among the current experts. Our heavy manufacturing base moved it's materials on the tracks of several railroads. The Front Street area was crisscrossed with tracks and sidings. The West End Branch ran along Sumner Avenue, crossed Tilghman Street, looped around 17th Street and ended near 12th and Liberty. The Barber Quarry Branch ran along the Little Lehigh until it then followed Cedar Creek. It crossed Hamilton Street near the current Hamilton Family Restaurant and ended at what is now the Park Department Building. The rail buffs are current day archeologists, looking for remnants of those glory days. Shown above is a portion of the Barber Quarry pier and track. This is at the bottom of Lehigh Street hill, near the former bank call center, near the former Acorn Hotel, in a former city still called Allentown.

related posts
The Train of Lehigh
Parkway
The World of Mirth
Lehigh Valley Railroad Piers
Depot at Overlook Park

reprinted from March 2011

Lehigh Parkway Elementary School

This past Thursday I returned to my first alma mater, Lehigh Parkway Elementary School, where I graduated in 1953. At that time, Lehigh Parkway Elementary School only went up to 2nd grade. For the remainder of elementary school, 3th through 6th, we Kids Of The Parkway took the school bus to Jefferson Elementary, at S. 8th and St. John Streets. The school has since been enlarged, with two additional sections. The security personnel were diligence in granting me entry, despite having made prior arrangements. Although my old and faded 2nd grade picture, marked NO Entry, is still taped to the principal's door jam, it seemed implausible that they could recognize me, 59 years later. I was there to see the Dome Theater, an inflated dome where the kids see a 180 degree omni-max type production. The edu-tainment is provided by a Michigan company, which has six such domes circulating the country. The operator and school have a choice of twenty six different presentations, depending on age and interest of the audience. In the coming months I'm going to attempt to visit Jefferson, Raub and Allen.

Kids Of The Parkway

There were hundreds of us, we were the baby boomers. The neighborhood was built for returning GI's, and the streets were named after the planes of WW2; Liberator, Catalina, and Coronado. The twin homes were wedged between Jefferson Street and the southern ridge above Lehigh Parkway. Now called Little Lehigh Manor, we knew it simply as Lehigh Parkway, and we had our own school.

Historical Fact:
The original part of the school building contained four classrooms, a teacher's room, and a health room. It replaced the Catalina Avenue School which existed in a home near the present site. Lehigh Parkway received national publicity because it was being build as a result of the new neighborhood. Thus, the "Neighborhood School Concept" was born.








Because of the school and the park, the neighborhood was really self contained. The Lehigh SuperMarket on Lehigh Street was within walking distance. Soon, FoodFair would build their first large Supermarket, also on Lehigh Street, which was even closer. Today it has developed into The Parkway Shopping Center. We kids enjoyed our own Halloween Parade and Easter Egg hunt.






Because there were so many of us, Parkway Elementary only went through 2nd. grade. We would take the bus to Jefferson Elementary for grades 3 through 6.

Historical Fact:
Jefferson Elementary used to be a high school, and for years, it had separate girls' and boys' entrances. These entrances were turned into windows at some point, but the exterior of the building still has the two entrances marked.

These were some of my friends from 3th grade. They all lived in the Parkway. Not only were they all boys, only yesterday, 56 years later, I learned the name of the girl I'm holding hands with in the May Day picture above.

Historical Facts from Allentown School District Website

ADDENDUM: other Parkway Neighborhood Posts,
Time Capsule
Allentown On My Mind

reprinted from January 2010

The Successful Revisionism of Edwin Pawlowski

Last night, City Council took the only option that they and Mayor Ed Pawlowski had to counter bad governance by his predecessor, Roy Afflerbach, so says The Morning Call. Since Ed has been mayor, the paper is on no less than it's sixth reporter, none of which were from the area. This morning, the Call's readers find this; The lease plan is the boldest step taken in Pawlowski's effort to stop Allentown's financial hemorrhaging as a result of several generous pensions for city police and firefighters. Under contracts negotiated under former Mayor Roy Afflerbach.... After taking office, Pawlowski renegotiated contracts with both departments, but the damage was done. Pawlowski did not renegotiate the contracts. They expired, and the new ones negotiated under his watch are supposedly less generous, time will tell. In 2005, Pawlowski the candidate for mayor, had a power point presentation about the future costs of the police pension. He said that if elected, he would make adjustments to meet that cost his number one job. He never said that he would wait 8 years, then propose leasing Allentown's primary asset for 50 years. Last night's lease approval is because of Pawlowski's failure to fulfill his first campaign pledge, and having an actual plan beyond a power point presentation. Eight years and six reporters later, he gets away with this revisionism, but for this post, by a blogger who sat on the podium with him in 2005.

Tonight's Water Vote In Allentown

Earlier this week, Julio Guridy said I'm not sure how I'm going to vote on the water lease. That quote brought a smile to my usually dour face, I'm sure how he's going to vote. Julio should be forgiven for that incredible utterance, it's not easy presiding over civil unrest. I know that, because often I was on the other side of the dais, leading the torches and pitchforks. The circus, called Allentown City Council, never really judges the dog and pony shows on their merit, and in real time. Those decisions are made before hand, by a higher pay grade. Although the fat lady sings tonight, one council member may be allowed to join Eichenwald, and vote against the lease. 6 to 1, or 5 to 2, it won't matter, but could help Ray O'Connell in the primary, after a recent disclosure.

photocredit:The Morning Call

Callahan's Official Blogger

The Callahan Campaign For Northampton Executive has designated Bernie O'Hare as it's official blogger. Callahan told me this afternoon that He's everywhere I go, it's a little unsettling. . The hope is that with the official status, O'Hare will limit himself to campaign events. Callahan's wife and family hope to regain some of their privacy. O'Hare has published 73 posts on Callahan since the campaign began, including 67 photographs of the candidate.