A Molovinsky Memoir

I put yesterday's post about Harry Molovinsky on the Allentown Chronicles Facebook page. A woman whose father also worked for the park department commented that Harry took some harassment being the only Jew working for the park department in the 1940's.

Jews attending William Allen twenty years later were still frequently reminded that they were Jewish. Although I grew up spending time with my father's siblings and their children, I knew virtually nothing of my father's cousins. 

It is my understanding that my grandfather Aaron came to Allentown first in 1891, and when he had earned enough, sent for his parents and siblings from Lithuania. A butcher like my grandfather, his brother Jacob opened a meat market on 2nd Street. Harry also was a meat cutter before getting a job cutting grass with the parks. Sisters included Florence, Bessie and Annie. The entire family, including my great grandparents, lived on 2nd Street.

shown above are my father's cousins, sons of Jacob, who all served (WW2) at the same time

City Of Allentown Hires Molovinsky

No, rest assured that they didn't hire me. On the contrary, because of this blog, they would like to drag me in front of an eager district magistrate, and throw the book at me. 

However, they did hire my father's Uncle Harry in about 1935.  At that time, same time that they were building the magnificent WPA structures which the city is now allowing to go to seed, Earl Price was the City Forester, and in charge of maintaining the parks. 

By 1900,  my great grandparents and all their offspring were living in the Ward.  I'm now the last Molovinsky left in Allentown, so this blog cannot embarrass any family members.  It can, however, if I do my job correctly, cause some distress among those who are failing to properly honor the city's history.

Harry Molovinsky is in the back row, fifth from the right, in the light colored jacket.

use of photo courtesy of the Price family

reprinted from September of 2022

Allentown, A Forgiving City

On Friday night Ed Pawlowski put up on Facebook that he's back in town, and by Saturday morning he had over 700 likes and 250 positive comments. Someone recently said that if he could run again, he would win. Never mind that he was convicted for pay to play, and every contract was awarded on contributions to his political ambitions, not value to the city.

I have no issue with his return, he has served his time. He remains so popular because he empowered a lot of people with appointments to committees and authorities. Those appointments weren't based on merit, but to put together a coalition to get re-elected. I assume many of the congratulatory comments are from renters as opposed to homeowners, who are less impacted by real estate taxes.

I know someone who keeps complaining that we have become a one party town, and suffer from the consequences of that reality...There is nothing about this post that will make him doubt that conclusion.

ADDENDUM JULY13, 2026:As of Monday morning, Pawlowski's post has 1.3K likes and 413 positive comments.

Mackenzie Truth Bending

Ryan Mackenzie was photo-opting in Bethlehem about affordable housing. He is confident that the bill will pass, but omitted details that his Commander and Boss was holding it hostage trying to pass a Voter ID law before the midterms.

Meanwhile in Turkey, the boss was double talking that he was flying out on the old Air Force One so that the troops in Europe could get a peek at his new toy. He wants the new toy in the foyer of his library in Miami, and Ryan wants a second term.

Mackenzie may well not get my vote. For my vote he will have to elaborate on how Trump has refused to sign it, and has held it hostage. Mackenzie can't have it both ways, wanting credit for affordable housing, but not reprimanding Trump for his interference. Mackenzie refers to working with both sides of the aisle, but my concern is about talking out of both sides of one's mouth.

The Franklin Park Windfall

Allentown (Partnership) is receiving $4mil from the Bezos Foundation, and will pony up another $mil toward making over Franklin Park. Everyone is happy about it, except this blogger. My issue is the imbalance between the excesses and the neglect. 

Neglect is city wide, from the crumbling steps in Lehigh Parkway to the meager pool schedules. Excesses are city wide, from the Destination Playground to the new dual skateboard bowls. Politics, political correctness and delusion are not in short supply. Less than a decade ago, contractual corruption resulted in a short shelf life for some projects. The current crumbling Rose Garden Ponds were in better shape before they were rebuilt than now, only a decade later.

Perhaps the Bezos Foundation will allow the Park Department to keep some funds in escrow for future maintenance of whatever is built. At any rate, the city should not be dependent on grants for maintaining existing facilities, as was the case with Bogert's Bridge. The Park Department should concentrate on maintenance rather than always looking to build another shiny object.

The Roasting Of Harry Trexler

In a recent discussion of the weed wall in Cedar Park, someone commented that Harry Trexler must be turning over in his grave. In reality, poor Harry has been on a rotisserie for decades, which ironically he pays for.

In 1985, when the Trexler Trust allowed Allentown to demolish Mary Trexler's cherished greenhouse, he turned over in the grave. When sitting members of the Trust were in Ed Pawlowski's kitchen cabinet, they started discarding traditional guidelines for the parks. Creek decisions were outsourced to the Wildlands Conservancy.

The original creek banks sheltered by willows are a thing of the past. Hundreds of trees have been closely planted together, even farther out from the banks, making the former traditional grass cutting impossible. The city/park department has even started a Forestry Master Plan. The Trexler Trust and its new Parknership are on board with these plantings, recently funding more trees. For the most part, the Parknership has been involved with recreation....Perhaps it should have been called the Playship.

West Park Storm Report

The West Park Civic Association's Facebook page, showing the storm damage to the park, was widely shared. Having lived by the park for many years, and being opinionated about the park department, I decided to survey the park myself.

I'm glad to report that damage was mostly limited to one quadrant, and the park/arboretum was mostly spared. The city was there with both ample equipment and manpower cleaning up.

While the park is a gem, the civic organization is one of the saving graces in Allentown. I'm sure the same can be said for other groups in Allentown, but I'm more familiar with the West Park group.

shown above 1950 era post card