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115-524: In late August 2006, the league approved the conditions to negotiate the sale of the team. The new owners moved the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania , beginning with the 2008 season, where it became known as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs . In 1991, Ottawa businessman and then Ottawa 67's owner Howard Darwin was successful in applying to the IL for an expansion franchise to begin play in 1993, at

230-557: A Indigenous Peoples tribe, fished for trout and hunted for deer, grouse, and other game. In 1736, this large area north of Philadelphia was deeded by 23 chiefs of the Five Civilized Tribes to three sons of William Penn , founder of the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania : John Penn , Thomas Penn , and Richard Penn . The price for the land included shoes, buckles, hats, shirts, knives, scissors, combs, needles, looking glasses , rum, and pipes. On May 18, 1732,

345-465: A Moravian bishop. In 1747, Bethlehem was the first U.S. city to feature a decorated Christmas tree . On December 7, 1937, at a grand ceremony during the Great Depression , the city adopted the nickname Christmas City USA in a large ceremony. It is one of several Lehigh Valley locations, including Egypt , Emmaus , Jordan Creek , and Nazareth , whose names were inspired by locations in

460-504: A vital component used in the manufacturing of steel . The furnace opened in 1847 under supervision of Samuel Lewis, an expert in iron production , and was followed by the opening of other Allentown plants for production of a wide variety of metal products. In 1860, several smaller iron companies merged to create the Allentown Rolling Mill Company, which became Allentown's largest iron company and contributed to

575-571: A cost of $ 5 million. The Lynx became the second IL franchise to play in Ottawa, after the former Ottawa Giants and Ottawa Athletics of the 1950s. The application was contingent on the City of Ottawa building a baseball stadium for the team. Lynx Stadium was completed in time for the 1993 season. The Lynx began play in 1993 , serving as the top farm team for the Montreal Expos . The team won

690-722: A crowd of 7,461 people, losing to the Syracuse Chiefs , 8–5. The Ottawa Lynx ultimately won exactly 1,000 games before leaving Ottawa. The Lynx won the Governors' Cup , the championship of the International League, once by defeating the Norfolk Tides in 1995. Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Allenschteddel , Allenschtadt , or Ellsdaun ) is the county seat of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania , United States. It

805-674: A higher crime rate than Easton , the Lehigh Valley's third-largest city. In 2018, Bethlehem had a violent crime index of 273.0, while Allentown's violent crime index was 338.4 and Easton's was 254.1. For reference, the United States' average was 368.9 in 2018. Bethlehem became a center of heavy industry and trade during the Industrial Revolution . Bethlehem Steel (1857–2003), founded and based in Bethlehem,

920-502: A lawsuit from the City of Ottawa if they moved the Lynx, filed a lawsuit of their own against the City of Ottawa on October 17, 2006, seeking $ 10.75 million in damages claiming that the city failed to provide enough parking spaces, which, the team alleged, was a violation of its lease. The location far from the city centre might have contributed to the attendance problem. The team played its last game in Ottawa on September 3, 2007, in front of

1035-744: A limited amount of anthracite being mined until 1818, when the company began constructing the Lehigh Canal to transport coal from Mauch Chunk , later renamed Jim Thorpe, down the Lehigh River to the river's confluence with the Delaware River in Easton . The opening of Lehigh Canal in 1818 quickly transformed Allentown and the surrounding Lehigh Valley from a rural agricultural area dominated by German -speaking people into one of America's first urbanized industrialized areas and expanded

1150-520: A major regional and national center for banking and finance. In 1860, William H. Ainey founded Allentown Savings and served as its first president. In 1864, Second National Bank of Allentown was formed, and Ainey was elected its first president, a position he held until his death. Ainey contributed to Allentown's industrial and retail growth, helping finance Iowa Barb Wire Company, which was later absorbed by American Steel & Wire , Pioneer Silk Factory, Palace Silk Mill, and Allentown Spinning Company. In

1265-532: A manufacturer of paper cartridges and muskets for the Continental Army relocated to Allentown from neighboring Bethlehem , and a shop of 16 armourers was established on Little Lehigh Creek , which was used to repair Continental Army weapons and manufacture saddles and scabbards for their use. Allentown holds historical significance as the location where the Liberty Bell , then known as

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1380-439: A million attendees from all over the world, and features hundreds of musical acts from all genres. In 2011, the city opened Steel Stacks, a 10-acre campus on the former grounds of Bethlehem Steel , that showcases music, art, festivals, films and educational programming throughout the year. It is located in the backdrop of the blast furnaces of the former Bethlehem Steel plant. Lehigh University 's Zoellner Arts Center offers

1495-634: A piano factory, flour mills, breweries, and distilleries all opened in Allentown during the Civil War era. In 1883, Allentown Boiler Works was founded in Allentown by Charles Collum. Collum and his partner John D. Knouse built a large facility at 3rd and Gordon streets in Allentown's First Ward near the Lehigh Valley Railroad yard near what later became Kline's Island. The company manufactured iron products, some of which were used in

1610-487: A public meeting in Easton to take steps to support the federal government . At the meeting, citizens voted to establish and equip the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry , a new military unit, placing Captain Samuel Yohe of Easton and Thomas W. Lynn in charge and awarding them the respective ranks of colonel and major. Tilghman H. Good of South Whitehall Township , previously captain of the Allentown militia known as

1725-716: A reputation for flamboyance, offering the latest European fashion apparel. The opening of Hess's was following by the opening of a second major department store in the city, the Zollinger-Harned Company, located in the Zollinger-Harned Company Building on Hamilton Street. In the late 19th century, Allentown also emerged as a major center for the beer brewing industry. Notable Allentown breweries included Horlacher Brewery (founded 1897, closed 1978), Neuweiler Brewery (founded 1875, closed 1968), and Schaefer Beer , whose brewery

1840-544: A road from Easton in the east to Reading in the west. The 1753 survey reported that a log house , owned by Allen and built around 1740, existed near the western banks of Jordan Creek . The house was used primarily as a hunting and fishing lodge by Allen, but he also used it to entertain prominent guests, including James Hamilton , his brother-in-law, and John Penn, then governor of the Province of Pennsylvania. In 1752, Northampton and Berks counties were formed; Easton

1955-475: A tannery and tan yard, a woolen mill, a card weaving plant, two gunsmiths, two tobacconists, two clockmakers, and two printers. In 1855, the first railroads to reach Allentown were opened, presenting the Lehigh Canal with direct competition for coal transport. Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad ordered four locomotives, and train stations were built in Allentown, Easton , and Mauch Chunk . In September 1855,

2070-516: A tributary of the Delaware , flows through Bethlehem. Monocacy and Saucon Creeks empty into the Lehigh River in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of Philadelphia and about 80 miles (130 km) west of New York City . Bethlehem has a humid continental climate ( Dfa ). Summers are typically hot and humid, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter

2185-503: A variety of musical and dramatic events through the year. On the first Friday of the month, the businesses of the Southside Shopping District host First Friday, a celebration of arts and culture. Stores, restaurants and art galleries stay open late and offer special discounts, refreshments, gallery openings and more. The Lehigh Canal provides hiking and biking opportunities along the canal towpath which follows

2300-413: A visitor in 1783, "One gets a glimpse of many good stone houses, many of them very neat, and everything about the premises shows good order and attention. The people are mainly German who speak bad English and distressing German ." In 1795, the U.S. Gazetteer described Allentown as: A handsome and flourishing town of Northampton County, pleasantly situated on the point of land formed by the junction of

2415-678: Is a city in Northampton and Lehigh Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania , United States. As of the 2020 census , Bethlehem had a total population of 75,781, making it the second-largest city in the Lehigh Valley after Allentown and the seventh-largest city in the state. Among its total population as of 2020, 55,639 were in Northampton County and 19,343 were in Lehigh County. The city

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2530-538: Is a popular destination for recreation and entertainment. The Banana Factory houses studios of area artists and is open to the public every first Friday of the month. Touchstone Theatre, also on Bethlehem's SouthSide, houses the Valley's only professional resident theatre company, which produces and presents original theatre performances. Bethlehem hosts Musikfest , the nation's largest free music festival, annually each August. The festival spans 10 days, attracts roughly

2645-418: Is a tendency to enunciate the 'v' with open lips, to soften the hard 'g' into 'ch,' and to use too frequently such words as 'already,' 'yet,' and 'once.' Here also are heard such colloquialisms as 'the pie is all,' (all gone) and 'it wonders (mystifies) me.' In October 1945, following the end of World War II , Western Electric opened a plant on Union Boulevard in Allentown. Six years later, on October 1, 1951,

2760-538: Is cold. Precipitation is distributed fairly uniformly throughout the year, with thunderstorms in the summer, showers in spring and fall, and snow in winter. The average high temperature varies widely, from 37 °F (3 °C) in January to 85 °F (29 °C) in July. The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F (41 °C), while the lowest recorded temperature was −16 °F (−27 °C). Bethlehem falls under

2875-401: Is located along the Lehigh River , a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River . Bethlehem lies in the geographic center of the Lehigh Valley, a metropolitan region of 731 sq mi (1,890 km ) with a population of 861,899 people as of the 2020 census that is Pennsylvania's third-most populous metropolitan area and the 68th-most populated metropolitan area in

2990-421: Is prominently celebrated in the city annually. The city was christened as Bethlehem on Christmas Eve , 1741 by Nicolaus Zinzendorf , a Moravian bishop. In 1747, Bethlehem was the first U.S. city to feature a decorated Christmas tree . On December 7, 1937, at a grand ceremony during the Great Depression , the city adopted the nickname ' Christmas City USA in a large ceremony that included Marion Brown Grace,

3105-477: Is the third-most populous city in Pennsylvania with a population of 125,845 as of the 2020 census and the most populous city in the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation as of 2020. Founded in 1762, Allentown is located on the Lehigh River , a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River . It

3220-505: Is the largest of three adjacent cities, including Bethlehem and Easton in Lehigh and Northampton counties, in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Allentown is located 48 miles (77 km) north of Philadelphia and 78 miles (126 km) west of New York City . In the early 1700s, the area that is present-day Allentown was a wilderness of scrub oak , where the Lenape ,

3335-566: The 1810 U.S. census , the city's population exceeded 700 residents, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania granted Northampton Towne legal standing on March 18, 1811, incorporating it initially as the Borough of Northampton in what was then Northampton County . The new borough's government first undertaking was ordering that cows in the city be moved from public streets to pastures, which proved unpopular with city residents. The following year,

3450-652: The Bible . Prior to European settlements, the areas around present-day Bethlehem and its surrounding locales along the Delaware River and its tributaries in eastern Pennsylvania were inhabited by various indigenous peoples , including the Algonquian -speaking Lenape , which had three main divisions, known by the dialects , the Unami , Unalachtigo , and Munsee . They traded with the Dutch and then British colonialists in

3565-538: The International League championship in 1995, the only time it would do so. During this period, the Lynx featured such future Major League Baseball players as Rondell White , Cliff Floyd , Matt Stairs , Kirk Rueter , and F.P. Santangelo . The Lynx eventually retired two numbers: Santangelo's 24, and Jamey Carroll 's 3. In 2000, Darwin sold his shares in the team to Ray Pecor for $ 7 million. According to news reports, Pecor lost $ 1 million annually on

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3680-521: The Jordan Creek and Little Lehigh . It is regularly laid out and contains about ninety dwellings, a German Lutheran and a Calvinist (Zion) Church, an Academy and three merchant mills. In 1792, land north of Allentown was purchased by Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company for coal mining , but it initially proved difficult to transport the region's high quality anthracite coal over the primitive trail system that then existed, resulting in only

3795-696: The Lehigh River in Bethlehem. Both the Lehigh Canal and the Monocacy Creek are popular for sport fishing, and both are stocked annually with trout. The Historic Moravian Bethlehem District, also known as the Moravian Church Settlement, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024 as an extension of the Christiansfeld Moravian Church Settlement in Denmark. Lehigh Valley RFC,

3910-465: The Lehigh River . The bridge featured two suspended lanes, one for east and one for westbound traffic, and a toll house at the bridge's western end. In 1829, Lehigh Canal , a 46.6 miles (75.0 km)-long canal on the Lehigh River's east side, was completed for both ascending and descending navigation. Its construction was the most important factor in making anthracite coal , one of the nation's most important domestic and industrial fuels, available to

4025-594: The Mid-Atlantic region in present-day Connecticut , Delaware , Long Island , Maryland , New Jersey , and the lower Hudson Valley in New York , and other regions in Pennsylvania . On April 2, 1741, William Allen , a wealthy Philadelphia merchant and political figure, who later founded the city of Allentown , deeded 500 acres (200 ha) along the banks of the Monocacy Creek and Lehigh River to

4140-679: The Moravian Church . On Christmas Eve of that year, David Nitschmann and Nicolaus Zinzendorf , leading a small group of Moravians , founded the mission community of Bethlehem at the confluence of the Monocacy and Lehigh rivers. They established missionary communities among the Native Americans and unchurched German -speaking Christians and named the settlement after the Biblical town Bethlehem of Judea , said to be

4255-478: The U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 19.4 square miles (50 km ), of which 19.3 square miles (50 km ) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km ) (0.88%) is water. Because large volumes of water were required in the steelmaking process, the city purchased 22,000 acres (8,900 ha) of land in the Pocono Mountains , where its water is stored in reservoirs. The Lehigh River ,

4370-757: The USDA 6b Plant hardiness zone . Bethlehem is divided into five main areas: Center City , West Side, East Side, South Side , and North Side. The West Side is located in Lehigh County and the other four neighborhoods are in Northampton County . As of the 2020 census, there are 75,781 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city is 72.7% White , 9.2% African American , 0.3% Native American , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 3.1% Asian American , 9.8% from other races , and 7.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race are 29.9% of

4485-462: The Union Army to defend the nation amidst the Civil War's escalation. On August 5, 1861, Andrew Gregg Curtin , Pennsylvania's Civil War -era governor, granted Tilghman H. Good authority to create the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment , a new unit commonly known as the 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Good secured help from William H. Gausler of Allentown, who was commissioned as a major with

4600-605: The 1850s, officially only members of the Moravian Church were permitted to lease land plots in Bethlehem. But a member of a group of families who were Huguenots also settled in Bethlehem. In the late 1700s, Bethlehem established grist and saw mills, known as Calvin's Mills. The historic Brethren's House, Sisters' House, Widows' House, and Gemeinhaus (Congregation House), with the Old Chapel, are remnants of this period of communal living. The Moravians ministered to

4715-422: The 2009 openings of Wind Creek Bethlehem casino and SteelStacks, a 10-acre campus dedicated to music and the arts, on property that was previously part of Bethlehem Steel 's global manufacturing headquarters prior to the company's 2001 liquidation. Outside center city Bethlehem, there are five additional shopping centers: Bethlehem has a long historical relationship with the celebration of Christmas , which

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4830-626: The Allen Rifles and commander of the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment , was placed in charge of the 1st Pennsylvania's Company I, which included his former Allen Rifles subordinates and members of the Jordan Artillerist, another Allentown-based militia. In April 1861, these Allentown units were deployed in response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to defend the national capital in Washington, D.C. , following

4945-491: The Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter. After the Civil War's end, many of these soldiers were named Pennsylvania First Defenders in recognition of their role as one the first five units to answer Lincoln's call for volunteers to defend the national capital. After protecting Washington, D.C., from April to July 1861, they were honorably discharged and returned home. However, a significant number of them reenlisted with

5060-675: The Corporate Center, the city's new flagship business center on North 7th Street, fell victim to a large sinkhole , which led to its condemnation and ultimate demolition. Combined with challenges confronting Center City , the manufacturing economy of the Northeastern United States began suffering from deindustrialization associated with foreign competition, trade policies, and manufacturing costs. Many Allentown factories and corporations began closing or relocating. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Bethlehem

5175-562: The Delaware and prevailing in the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776, Continental Army commander George Washington and his staff traveled through Allentown, where they proceeded up present-day Lehigh Street , then called Water Street. They stopped at the foot of the street at a large spring at the present-day Wire Mill. There, Washington and his troops rested and watered their horses, and then proceeded to their post of duty. In 1777,

5290-489: The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America . Other companies in Bethlehem include the candy company Just Born . Zulily has a large logistics operation in the city that serves the United States. In the early 21st century, several shops and restaurants have opened in the city's downtown and South Side . In the mid-1970s, West Broad Street between New and Guetter Streets in center city

5405-684: The Marquis de Lafayette. On September 22, 1777, fourteen members of the Second Continental Congress signed the Moravian Sun Inn register in Bethlehem and stayed there overnight. George Washington stored his personal effects at the James Burnside farm at 1461 Schoenersville Road in Bethlehem. as of 1998 , this site is operated as a historical museum known as James Burnside Plantation. In 1845, Bethlehem

5520-659: The Penns' influence prevailed and the county seat remained in Easton. The city's original organization, whose archives are now housed at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, included 42 city blocks and 756 lots, most of which were 60 feet (18 m) in width and 230 feet (70 m) in depth. The city was initially located between present-day 4th and 10th streets and Union and Liberty streets and

5635-739: The State House Bell, was successfully hidden for nine months by American patriots to avoid its capture by the British Army after the fall of Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War . After George Washington's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was left defenseless and American patriots began preparing for what they saw as an imminent British attack on

5750-548: The U.S. Bethlehem borders Allentown to its west and is 48 miles (77 km) north of Philadelphia and 72 miles (116 km) west of New York City . There are four sections to the city: central Bethlehem , the south side , the east side, and the west side. Each of these sections blossomed at different times in the city's development and each contains areas recognized under the National Register of Historic Places . Norfolk Southern Railway 's Lehigh Line , formerly

5865-468: The U.S. formally entering World War I in 1917. The British nicknamed Mack AC 's five and seven-ton trucks the "Bulldog". Mack eventually grew to have eight manufacturing plants in Allentown and adopted the bulldog as it corporate brand. Beginning in the early 20th century, Syrian Christians from the region of Wadi al-Nasara ('the Christian Valley') began settling in Allentown, initially

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5980-604: The Union's preservation during the Civil War. Beginning in the late 18th century, the city began to slowly grow as a hub for commerce and industrialization and as a colonial-era population center. Prior to the American Revolution, there were 54 homes in Northampton Towne and approximately 330 residents. In 1782, there were 59 houses and over 100 cows were stabled in the town. The town was described by

6095-544: The Water Department, in Lower Saucon Township . In 1939, the wooden star was replaced with a star made of steel from Bethlehem Steel , at a cost of $ 5,000. It had eight rays, with the main horizontal ray 81 feet wide and the main vertical ray 53 feet high. In 1967, the current star, 91 feet high, was installed on the old steel frame and set in a concrete base 25 feet wide by 5 feet deep. Plexiglas

6210-402: The average family size was 2.95. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 14.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the city

6325-535: The basement of Zion Reformed Church at present-day 622 Hamilton Street in Center City Allentown , just prior to Philadelphia's September 1777 fall to the British. In 1803, the city, whose mail had previously been received in neighboring Bethlehem , had a post office established inside Compass and Square Hotel in the present-day Penn National Bank building at 645 Hamilton Street in Allentown. In

6440-417: The birthplace of Jesus . " Count Zinzendorf said, 'Brothers, how more fittingly could we call our new home than to name it in honor of the spot where the event we now commemorate took place. We will call this place Bethlehem.' And so was Bethlehem named after the birthplace of the Man of Peace." Bethlehem was started as a typical Moravian Settlement Congregation, where the Church owned all the property. Until

6555-450: The borough of Bethlehem began a concerted effort to merge with its neighboring municipalities. In 1904 Bethlehem absorbed West Bethlehem followed shortly after in 1905 by Hottlesville. South Bethlehem would attempt to resist merger and incorporated themselves as their own city in 1913, however, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania struck down their incorporation as unconstitutional in 1915 and in 1917 South Bethlehem would be annexed. Following

6670-406: The campus of Lehigh University and on the historic grounds of the nation's earliest Moravians . Other Bethlehem festivals include The Celtic Classic, which celebrates Celtic culture, food and music, and the SouthSide Film Festival , a film festival. The city also hosts the North East Art Rock Festival, or NEARFest , a three-day progressive rock music event. The Bethlehem Area Public Library

6785-538: The census of 2000, there were 71,329 people living in the city, including 17,094 families and 28,116 households. The population density was 3,704.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,430.3/km ). There were 29,631 housing units at an average density of 1,538.8 per square mile (594.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 81.85% White , 3.64% African American , 0.26% Native American , 2.22% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 9.44% from other races , and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.23% of

6900-408: The city and the greater Lehigh Valley region's emergence as a major source for iron ore. In 1850, Leh's , a shoe and ready-to-wear clothing store, was opened in the city by Henry Leh. By 1861, with the Civil War commencing, Leh's emerged as a major source of military boots for the Union Army . In addition to Leh's, eight brick yards, a saw mill, a paint factory, two additional shoe factories,

7015-415: The city became part of Lehigh County , which was partitioned from a western section of Northampton County. Throughout the early 1800s, the city grew primarily as a court and market town. Northampton Bank, the city's first bank located at the northeast corner of Center Square, was chartered in July 1814, and the first Hamilton Street Bridge, a 530 feet (160 m)-long chain structure, was constructed over

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7130-435: The city emerged in present-day Center City , which was then referred to as downtown Allentown. At least seven cinemas and stage theaters were developed on Hamilton Street between 5th and 10th streets. By the mid-1960s, Allentown's economy had been booming for decades but the city's rising taxes and regulations prohibiting expansion of the city's geographic limits began leading many of the city's residents, especially those in

7245-402: The city near the Lehigh River. Two years later, in 1843, Northampton Bank failed following excessive speculation by the bank, resulting in financial ruin for many bank customers. Five years later, on June 1, 1848, a large fire burned down most of Allentown's central business district between 7th and 8th streets on Hamilton Street. During the 1850s, however, the city began recovering. A new bridge

7360-434: The city's commercial and industrial capacity. With this, Allentown underwent significant industrialization , ultimately becoming a major center for heavy industry and manufacturing. Allentown's industrial development accelerated in the late 18th century. David Deshler, Allentown's first shopkeeper, opened a sawmill in the city in 1782. By 1814, industrial plants in Allentown included flour mills, sawmills, two saddle makers,

7475-402: The city's lax zoning and city codes. With Allentown's neighborhoods and school system declining, the city focused on attempting to develop its Hamilton Street retail district, largely ignoring Allentown neighborhoods not located in Center City. This also exacerbated the flight of Allentown families to the city's suburbs, leading to the development of shopping centers and services to accommodate

7590-525: The city. Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council ordered that 11 bells, including the State House Bell, now known as the Liberty Bell, and ten other bells from Philadelphia's Christ Church and St. Peter's Church , be taken down and moved out of Philadelphia to protect them from the British Army , which would melt the bells down to cast into munitions. The bells were transported north to present-day Allentown by two farmers and wagon masters, John Snyder and Henry Bartholomew, and then hidden under floorboards in

7705-551: The company manufactured and released the world's first transistor , which was produced at the Allentown-based plant, and the Allentown-based company emerged as a leader in the nation's post-war electronics revolution. By the mid-20th century, Allentown was a major retailing and entertainment center distinct and separate from Philadelphia and New York City . Hess's, Leh's, and Zollinger department stores led to retail sector growth in Allentown, and dozens of smaller retail stores, restaurants, hotels, banks, and professional offices in

7820-467: The construction of Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, later rebranded as Wind Creek Bethlehem . The casino has been projected to bring in approximately one million dollars in revenue per day as of 2009. Another major economic anchor to the city is St. Luke's Hospital located in neighboring Fountain Hill . That Hospital and Health Network is the second-largest of its type in the Lehigh Valley . Other major employers include B. Braun , Lehigh University , and

7935-404: The construction of high-profile construction projects, including the building of the White House in Washington, D.C. , and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point . The company's boilers and kilns were used for the production of iron products sold nationally and internationally, including to customers in Canada , Cuba , and the Philippines . Brickworks flourished in Allentown through

8050-448: The daughter of former South Bethlehem burgess Charles F. Brown and wife of Bethlehem Steel president Eugene Grace . Hundreds of citizens attended the ceremony and thousands more listened to the speeches and musical performances on the radio, which was held at Hotel Bethlehem , then a two-room log house, where the original settlers conducted their evening worship on Christmas Eve in 1741. As their benefactor, Count Zinzendorf, observed

8165-495: The defense of the nation's capital following Lincoln's assassination on April 15, 1865. Other known Union Army units from Allentown included the 5th, 41st, 128th , and 176th Pennsylvania Infantries. On October 19, 1899, Allentown erected and dedicated the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Hamilton and S. 7th streets in the Center City , where it still stands, in honor of these Union soldiers from Allentown and local Lehigh Valley towns and boroughs who were killed in defense of

8280-644: The demand in these expanding suburban communities. In 1966, Whitehall Mall , the first closed shopping mall north of Philadelphia, opened in Whitehall Township. Ten years later, in 1976, the even larger Lehigh Valley Mall opened north of U.S. Route 22 in Fullerton . Stores in Allentown's downtown shopping district began closing, replaced with stores whose customers were less affluent. Large areas of Allentown's downtown were subsequently razed and replaced with parking lots. The downtown business district

8395-609: The early 20th century. Pennsylvania Guide , compiled by the Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration , described the Pennsylvania Dutch community's impact on Allentown's linguistic landscape, reporting in 1940 that: Allentown is among the few large Pennsylvania cities where newspapers still carry columns written in the dialect. Although English predominates on the streets, there

8510-597: The end of World War I . The clay unearthed in various sections of Allentown and the city's suburbs proved suitable in manufacturing building brick and fire brick . Bricks were the first Allentown products shipped by rail and sold nationally. A vibrant food processing industry began emerging in Allentown following the arrival of predominantly German immigrant bakers, who were among Allentown's first settlers. In 1887, Wilson Arbogast and Morris C. Bastian formed Arbogast and Bastian, which provided large scale commercial slaughtering. With industrialization, Allentown emerged as

8625-527: The face of overseas competition and declining demand, and the company's liquidation was completed in 2003. In December 2006, Las Vegas Sands Corp was awarded a Category 2 Slot Machine License by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board . LVSC began work on the site, categorized as both the largest brownfield redevelopment project in the nation and the largest casino development investment made to date in Pennsylvania. Its mission

8740-488: The farm animals that shared the space and listened to the settlers sing the hymn, "Not Jerusalem, But Lowly Bethlehem", he proclaimed the name of the settlement to be Bethlehem. The people gathered at the 1937 ceremony heard the same words when the Bach Choir sang the old German hymn, "Jesu, Rufe Mich (Jesus, Call Thou Me)", by Adam Drese. The Bethlehem Globe-Times , which later merged into The Express-Times , paid for

8855-549: The first wide-flange structural shapes made in the United States and they pioneered the production of the now-ubiquitous "I-beam" used in construction of steel-framed buildings, including skyscrapers. It manufactured construction materials for numerous New York City and other city skyscrapers and major bridges. The company became a major supplier of armor plate and ordnance products during World War I and World War II. After roughly 140 years of metal production at its Bethlehem plant, Bethlehem Steel ceased operations there in 1995, in

8970-480: The historic Moravian Sun Inn , built in 1758, in the north. Among the blocks' attractions are the Moravian Book Shop , the country's oldest continuously operating bookstore built in 1756, and the historic Hotel Bethlehem , built in 1922. On the city's South Side, new stores and restaurants opened on 3rd and 4th streets in the early 21st century, due partly to the presence of Lehigh University and

9085-407: The land was deeded by Thomas Penn to Joseph Turner , an iron manufacturer and politician from Philadelphia. Two years later, on September 10, 1735, a 5,000-acre (20 km ) part of the land was purchased from Turner's business partner by William Allen , a wealthy shipping merchant and former mayor of Philadelphia . The land was surveyed in 1736 and again in 1753 as part of an effort to construct

9200-504: The large wooden star erected on the top of South Mountain , at a cost of $ 460. The original star was created with four wooden planks, overlapped to create an eight-point star, which was 60 feet high and 51 feet wide, mounted on two wooden poles, and lit by 150 50-watt light bulbs. PPL Corporation and the Bethlehem Water Department installed the star, which was erected at the top of South Mountain on property owned by

9315-481: The late 1870s, Allentown's iron industry collapsed, leaving the city economically depressed. Efforts were made to diversify the city's industrial base, including convincing Phoenix Manufacturing Company to open a silk mill in Allentown. Adelaide Mill at Race and Court streets prompted the opening of Pioneer Silk Mill in 1886, and the city quickly emerged as a national leader in silk manufacturing. The silk industry grew to ultimately become Allentown's largest industry in

9430-587: The late 19th century and remained the city's largest industry through the end of the 20th century. In 1914, there were 26 silk mills in the city. By 1928, after the introduction of rayon , the number of Allentown silk mills grew to 85, and over 10,000 people were employed in the Allentown silk industry at the industry's height in the 1940s. In 1896, Max Hess, a retailer from Perth Amboy, New Jersey , visited Allentown and set about developing Allentown's first department store. He and his brother Charles opened Hess Brothers at 9th and Hamilton streets. Hess's developed

9545-707: The latter part of the 20th century, presenting a major challenge to Allentown's city government and the Allentown School District as it confronted greatly diminished resources. Allentown School District's financial challenges, in turn, further increased the working class flight to Allentown's suburbs, creating a sea change in the city's demographics. With the departure of many working-class families from older Center City neighborhoods , many homes were sold to landlords who converted them into inexpensive multifamily apartments, many of which became government-subsidized housing projects that were permitted under

9660-428: The latter signed a Player Development Contract with the Norfolk Tides on September 25, 2006. In 2006, the ball club was sold to Joe Finley and Craig Stein, while Pecor maintained a minority stake. Finley and Stein declared their intention to move the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania , for the 2008 season, where a new stadium was set to begin construction that September (now built as Coca-Cola Park ). The owners, facing

9775-546: The local militias fell on the people, and requisitions for food, grain, cattle, horses, and cloth were common. During the Revolutionary War, Hessian prisoners of war were kept in Allentown in the vicinity of present-day Seventh and Gordon streets. Allentown also housed four hospital structures, including one at Zion Reformed Church and one on the grounds of the present-day Farr Building , that were used in treating wounded Continental Army troops. After crossing

9890-432: The main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad , runs through Bethlehem heading east to Easton and across the Delaware River to Phillipsburg, New Jersey . The Norfolk Southern Railway's Reading Line runs through Bethlehem and west to Allentown and Reading . Bethlehem has a long historical relationship with the celebration of Christmas . The city was christened as Bethlehem on Christmas Eve 1741 by Nicolaus Zinzendorf ,

10005-580: The mall has been converted into offices for PowerSchool, a software company based in Folsom, California , and the Internal Revenue Service . Retail business in downtown Bethlehem on Main Street south of Broad Street has experienced growth. The two-block shopping area is anchored by the campus of Moravian University , Central Moravian Church in the south, Bethlehem Common indoor mall, and

10120-509: The merger with South Bethlehem, the new consolidated City of Bethlehem was incorporated. Bethlehem Steel executive Archibald Johnston was elected the new city's first mayor. Northampton Heights was incorporated into the city in 1920 after significant local resistance and a failed proposed merger between Northampton Heights and Hellertown to make a rival city. With the annexation of Hottlesville , Macada , Altonah , and Shimersville , Bethlehem's present borders were established. According to

10235-529: The nation's largest industrial markets in New York City , Philadelphia , and elsewhere. In 1855, the first railroad was built on the Lehigh River's west side, and rail soon began to surpass river transport as the means for transporting anthracite through the city. In 1838, the city's name was officially changed to Allentown. But it soon faced major challenges. In 1841, a flood swept away Hamilton Street Bridge and inflicted substantial damage on areas of

10350-656: The only Pennsylvania regiment to fight in the Union Army 's 1864 Red River campaign across Louisiana . While sustaining numerous casualties during the Red River campaign in the spring of 1864, the 47th Pennsylvania helped turn the Civil War in the Union's favor with victories in General Sheridan's 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign across Virginia, including in the Battles of Berryville , Opequan , Fisher's Hill , and Cedar Creek and then again contributing to

10465-410: The population. As of the census of 2010, there were 74,982 people living in the city. There were 31,221 housing units, with 5.9% vacant. The racial makeup of the city was 76.4% White , 6.9% African American , 0.3% Native American , 2.9% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 10.0% from other races , and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.4% of the population. As of

10580-406: The population. There were 28,116 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and

10695-490: The post- World War II baby boom generation , to flee Allentown for its suburbs. Salisbury , South Whitehall , and Whitehall townships each had large areas of farmland that were prime locations for residential real estate development. Much of Allentown's working class began migrating to these newer, less-expensive housing developments in Allentown's suburbs, which offered lower taxes, more green space, less crime, and newer schools. This demographic trend continued throughout

10810-524: The railroad became operational with the Central Railroad of New Jersey providing transport between Allentown and New York City . Transport between Allentown and Philadelphia was made available through Perkiomen Railroad, which operated between Norristown and Freemansburg . In the 1840s, iron ore beds were discovered in hills around Allentown, and a furnace was constructed in 1846 by Allentown Iron Core Company for production of pig iron ,

10925-559: The regiment's central command staff, and John Peter Shindel Gobin , a senior officer with the Sunbury Guards in Northumberland County , who was repeatedly cited for valor and was promoted to colonel and ultimately commanding officer of the regiment. Companies A and E of the regiment were recruited primarily from Easton and Northampton County; Companies B, G, I, and K were largely recruited from Allentown; Company C

11040-571: The regional Lenape Native Americans through their mission in the area, and to others further east in the New York colony . In historic Bethlehem's God's Acre cemetery, converted Lenape were buried alongside Moravians. In 1762, Bethlehem built the first waterworks in America to pump water for public use. In the autumn of 1777, during the American Revolutionary War , many patriots fled from Philadelphia to Bethlehem and

11155-431: The result of missionary activity in their villages by Pennsylvanian missionaries. The Syrian community eventually became a significant component of the city, largely concentrated in Allentown's Sixth Ward. There were an estimated 5,200 Americans of Syrian descent in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley in 2015. Like several other regions in Pennsylvania, Allentown residents continued speaking Pennsylvania German well into

11270-792: The surrounding area as the British Army advanced from the east. The Marquis de Lafayette recovered from an injury received at the Battle of Brandywine in Bethlehem, and several of the most prominent members of the Continental Congress fled north to Bethlehem before the congress eventually reconvened in Lancaster . Before, during, and after the American Revolution , Bethlehem was visited by George Washington and his wife Martha , Alexander Hamilton , Benjamin Franklin , John Adams , Samuel Adams , John Hancock , and

11385-853: The team due to low attendance. In 2003, the Lynx were not given any assurances from either the Montreal Expos or Major League Baseball on the long-term future of the Expos. They became the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles on September 24, 2002. As a result, Montreal shifted its affiliation to the Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League . The Lynx's working agreement with the Orioles ended when

11500-418: Was $ 35,815, and the median income for a family was $ 45,354. Males had a median income of $ 35,190 versus $ 25,817 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 18,987. About 11.1% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over. In the Lehigh Valley , Bethlehem had a lower crime rate as of 2018 than Allentown , but

11615-682: Was a prosperous village that was incorporated into a free borough in the County of Northampton . After the Unity Synod of 1848, Bethlehem became the headquarters of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America. On March 27, 1900, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem presented the United States debut of German Lutheran composer Johann Sebastian Bach 's Mass in B Minor in the city's Central Moravian Church. Bethlehem

11730-505: Was built across the Lehigh River, and brick buildings were constructed to replace wooden ones that were burned in the 1848 fire. In 1852, the first Allentown Fair , now one of the nation's longest continual annual fairs, was held. On April 13, 1861, with tensions between the nation's North and South intensifying following the South's secession and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter , residents of Lehigh and Northampton counties called

11845-426: Was converted to a pedestrian plaza. The buildings on the south side of the block were torn down and replaced by an enclosed mall and an eleven-story office tower. The tower, at One Bethlehem Plaza on the corner of Broad and New, continues to operate, but the 80,000-square-foot mall, which was erected in response to the development of suburban shopping malls, failed. Since then, the block has been reopened to traffic, and

11960-549: Was formed by Allentown-area patriots. Following the Declaration of Independence 's unanimous signing by the Second Continental Congress , British governing control in Allentown began to break down as patriot militias expanded their resistance. The patriot militias also pressured Tories out of the city, and expanded their ranks, which were ultimately incorporated into the Continental Army . The burden of supplying

12075-464: Was initially named Northampton Towne. Many streets on the original plan were named for Allen's children, including Margaret (present-day 5th Street), William (now 6th Street), James (now 8th Street), Ann (now 9th Street), and John (now Walnut Street). Allen Street (now 7th Street), the city's main street, was named for Allen himself. Hamilton Street was named for James Hamilton, deputy governor of colonial-era Pennsylvania from 1748 to 1754. Gordon Street

12190-413: Was installed to protect the 250 50-watt light bulbs. In the summer of 2006, the city repaired the base. A crew of municipal electricians changes the bulbs every two years. Beginning in the mid-1990s, the star was lit from 4:30 p.m. until midnight, every day of the year. Bach Choir of Bethlehem , founded in 1898, attracts thousands of visitors to the annual Bethlehem Bach Festival, held annually on

12305-514: Was later acquired by Pabst and Guinness and is now owned by Boston Beer Company , brewer of Samuel Adams beer . In 1905, Jack and Gus Mack moved Mack Trucks , their motor company, from Brooklyn to Allentown, taking over the foundries of Weaver-Hirsh on South 10th Street. By 1914, Mack Trucks developed a global reputation for manufacturing sturdy and reliable trucks and vehicles. Many were sent to Western Front battlefields in France prior to

12420-469: Was named for Patrick Gordon , an earlier deputy governor of colonial Pennsylvania. Chew Street was named for Benjamin Chew , and Turner Street was named for Allen's business partner Joseph Turner. Allen hoped that the city would displace Easton as the seat of Northampton County and become a major national center for commerce due to its location along the Lehigh River and its proximity to Philadelphia, which

12535-422: Was named the county seat of Northampton County, and Reading the county seat of Berks County. In 1762, the land, including present-day Allentown, was named and laid out by Allen. A rivalry between the Penns and Allen may have inspired Allen to acquire the land and found the city. In 1763, a year after Allentown's founding, an effort was made by Allen and others to move the county seat from Easton to Allentown, but

12650-531: Was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh -based U.S. Steel . The company was a powerhouse in the mid-twentieth century, with over 30,000 employees at its peak. Bethlehem Steel was also one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world and one of the most powerful symbols of American industrial manufacturing leadership, and it manufactured over 1,100 warships used in World War II . Bethlehem Steel began producing

12765-462: Was one of the four leading Moravian communities in the Northeastern United States ; Emmaus , Lititz , and Nazareth , each in Pennsylvania, were the three others. In 1865, after the end of the Civil War , the Borough of South Bethlehem was formed. In 1886, the Borough of West Bethlehem in Lehigh County was formed. In 1901, the Borough of Northampton Heights was incorporated. Starting in 1904,

12880-470: Was rebuilt in an attempt to compete with the newer suburban shopping locations. A multiblock row of stores known as Hamilton Mall was developed, featuring newly covered sidewalks and managed traffic patterns. But the effort was unsuccessful, and two of the city's major department stores, Leh's and Zollingers, were forced to close by 1990. The third, Hess's, was sold to The Bon-Ton in 1994, which closed its Hamilton Mall location two years later in 1996. In 1993,

12995-599: Was recruited from Northumberland and Juniata counties; Company F was primarily composed of men from Catasaqua ; and Companies D and H were recruited from Perry County . The 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers achieved Union victories at the Battle of St. Johns Bluff in Florida (October 1–3, 1862) before suffering a costly defeat in the Second Battle of Pocotaligo in South Carolina (October 21–23, 1862). They were

13110-487: Was then the nation's largest and most influential city. In 1767, Allen granted the land to his son James. Allentown played a central role in both inspiring the American Revolution and supporting the subsequent Revolutionary War . Some of the first Patriot resistance to British colonialism in the Thirteen Colonies began in and around present-day Allentown. On December 21, 1774, a Committee of Observation

13225-451: Was to create reinvestment and urbanization in the area. At a projected cost of $ 743 million, the historic Bethlehem Steel plant is being redeveloped as a fully integrated resort , to include 3,000 slot machines, over 300 hotel rooms, 9 restaurants, 200,000 square feet (19,000 m ) of retail outlet shopping, and 46,000 square feet (4,300 m ) of flexible multi-purpose space. In 2007, the casino resort company of Las Vegas Sands began

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