Posted November 7, 20159 yr Another Eastern Pennsylvania industrial twin-cities thread. Bethlehem Settled in 1841 by Moravian missionaries -- who within about 20 years sent more missionaries to establish the first white settlements in Ohio. Home of Moravian College and Lehigh University, and birthplace of the once-powerful Bethlehem Steel. The population is 75,000, making it the second-largest city among the 800,000 people in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metropolitan area. It's been between 70,000 and 75,000 since the 1960 Census. The upper part of two downtown districts -- Broad and New streets, with a 10-story bank building (the city's tallest) on the left. Old-style mixed-use the other direction on Broad Street More on Broad Even the alleys have interesting residential Broad and New This, too Two blocks down, on Main Street The Sun Inn, built 1756 Historic Main Street Mix of styles Hotel Bethlehem at the end -- built in 1922 and said to be haunted (as I learned online while I tried to find out how old it was) Main stops at Church Street Looking up Market from Main Hotel again The central church of the founding Moravians, across from the hotel Old-time Moravian in front of the church Looking up Main Church Street at the end of Main Church Street buildings "Colonial Industrial Corner," which includes the 1792 Waterworks building of the first muniicipal water pumping station in the country More Church Street in the next few shots Sudden change of architectural styles on Church Street -- public library at Church & New Municipal buildings across the plaza from the library Overlook from the plaza -- across the Lehigh River to Lehigh University, a kind of third downtown, and the blast furnaces and the rest of the remnants of Bethlehem Steel Residential on Church Street Church and New Market Street, looking toward Main Same A block down from where we started Allentown Its 119,000 people make it Pennsylvania's third-largest city. The population every census since 1790 except one -- it fell from 109,000 to 103,000 in 1980, but was up to 105,000 in 1990. Founded in 1762 and was the temporary home of the Liberty Bell when it was moved to protect it from the invading British in the War of 1812. Center of iron-ore mining, pig iron, steel, etc., beginning in the 1840s, and long a brewing center. Also, maker of Mack Trucks for a century, until the HQ moved to North Carolina in 2008. Hamilton and 6th streets -- just east of the heart of downtown Americus Hotel building, across the street Looking up Hamilton to Public Square and the Soldiers & Sailors Monument New development at Public Square PPL -- Pennsylvania Power & Light -- building from Public Square Looking north from the square Back down Hamilton toward the hotel. More new-build on the left PPL again Hamilton Back toward the square PPL PPL from the other side. Sorry. It kinda dominates the skyline and streetscape Back east on Hamilton. Really, downtown is almost all on Hamilton, as you'll see in later pics Odd public building Looking west on Hamilton, well away from the core of downtown The other side of the street Residential alley off 10th Street, just north of Hamilton 10th Street buildings More 10th Street, including the not-so-grand Hotel Grand PPL from Linden Street, which is in stark contrast from Hamilton, one block south Linden street businesses More of Linden -- the Parking Garage District. If Hamilton is the front porch of downtown Allentown, Linden is the back alley Center City Diner, Linden and 9th -- nice place to stop for pastrami on rye Across 9th from the diner More Linden Looking north on 8th Parking garage contrast Old & new at 7th & Linden, a block off Public Square Blocks north of the Square Offices of the daily paper -- Allentown Morning Call Back where we started, on 6th Rowhouse neighborhhoods, with PPL in the distance City of hills, and downtown is on one of them, so the PPL building is widely visible
November 8, 20159 yr Great stuff and great history in that area. If they had rail service to New York and Philly, I'd consider living there. Ironically, SEPTA still owns a rail corridor from Bethlehem into Philly, with the section from Lansdale to Center City still operated with frequent service. And NJT has been considering extending service from High Bridge, NJ to Easton/Phillipsburg which would put it a stone's throw from Allentown/Bethlehem. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 9, 20159 yr I love these Eastern smaller cities. They're often much denser and more urban than many cites four times their size. Downtown has some seriously impressive scale for a city of that size! “To an Ohio resident - wherever he lives - some other part of his state seems unreal.”
November 9, 20159 yr Both are great cities, along with Easton and Phillipsburg. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 9, 20159 yr No Steel Stacks? Bethlehem iss definitely the more 'heritage' town of the two, with great preservation of its building stock, the amazing Steel Stacks, and is a bit more upscale (and white) than Allentown. Allentown is quite diverse and has been pumped full of Hispanic and Middle Eastern immigrants. It definitely feels a bit grittier and working class than Bethlehem but also bigger and more hearty and has a ton of amazing historic streets just waiting to be rediscovered. I think (and hope) Allentown is going to really take off n the next 10 years.
December 2, 20159 yr Great work. PPL is one of my favorite buildings, I am not really sure why. It's kind of a basic deco tower, but even a basic one is pretty cool. And I like the way it blends in even as it dominates the skyline.
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