Chapter 52
Section 52 of a Guidebook of Art, Architecture, and Historic Interests in Pennsylvania, edited by Margareta Archimbeau. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by Tatiana Chichilla. Lehigh County. Formed March 6, 1812, named for Lehigh River from an Indian name, Likawikink, where there are forks. Indian trails forked in various directions below Bethlehem. The Blue Mountains are north and the Lehigh Hills south, containing large deposits of slate and cement. Chief Industries, Agriculture, and Manufacturing. Allentown County seat at junction of Jordan and Little Lehigh Creeks, population 73,502, was settled in 1751 by Chief Justice William Allen, a friend of the Penns.
Is entered from the south by, it is said, the largest concrete bridge in the world, erected by a trolley company, 2,650 feet long and 120 feet high, built in 1913. The city has an abundant supply of pure water pumped direct from the spring to the residences, daily flow 12 million gallons. Courthouse, Colonial with cupola, 5th and Hamilton Streets. First Presbyterian Church, north 5th Street near Hamilton, Renaissance. Jail, north 4th Street near Linden, feudal architecture with tower 100 feet high, brown sandstone. Architect, G.A. Ashbach. Allen Park, 4th and Walnut Street, contains Trout Hall, stone, built 1770 by James Allen, son of the founder, which will be occupied by the Lehigh County Historical Society.
West Park and River Park are also in Allentown. West of the city is Dorney's Park, along Cedar Creek. In center square is the Soldiers Monument to the men of Lehigh County in the Civil War. On the pedestal are bronze bar reliefs depicting scenes of war and reconciliation, and medallion busts of Generals Meade, McClellan, Hancock, and Hartranft. United States Post Office, at the corner of 6th and Turner Streets. Classic, built in 1906. Brick and Indiana limestone. Architect, George B. Page, Philadelphia. Several fine churches of brick or stone show Italian and Gothic architecture. The Zion Reformed, Gothic, stone, built 1840, Hamilton Street between 6th and 7th, is notable for having sheltered the Liberty Bell and the Christ Church bells during British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777.
Marked by tablet, placed by the Liberty Bell chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. The Rhodes House, 107-109 North 7th Street, built 1762 by a revolutionary patriot, is the oldest building in the city. Muhlenberg College with Preparatory School, is beautifully located at 26th and Chews Streets, on campus of 72 acres. The buildings, brick and stone, were built from 1903 to 1915. Administration building, English Renaissance. Architects, Ruhl and Lange. Contains portraits, including one of Dr. Muhlenberg by Gilbert Stuart.
The late Peter A. Gross in 1914, provided by Will for the founding of an art school in Muhlenberg College, and an art museum in Allentown. Allentown College for Women, Walnut Street between 30th and 31st Streets, Classic. And the new high school, North 17th Street, Classic Ionic, are fine buildings. At 17th and Chews Streets are the State Hospital, Georgian, brick and Indiana limestone, and the nurse's home, Memorial to Judge Edward Harvey. Said to be the best equipped for the purpose in the United States. Architects, Ruhl and Lange.
Road from Rittersville to Bethlehem passes Central Park, overlooking Lehigh River and the historic Geisinger Farm, where Solomon Jennings settled in 1736. He was a participant in the Indian Walk of 1737. Bethlehem, see Northampton County. State Road from Allentown to Slatington passes through Wernersville, near where Linford Lardner built in 1740 a hunting lodge, Grouse Hall, and where the Jordan Reform Church was founded in 1752, present stone building erected 1808. Through Guthsville, Guth Homestead Still Standing, built 1745.
Through Seekersville, on left is Colonel H.C. Trexler's Game Preserve of 2000 acres, containing buffalo, elk, deer, and trout hatchery. To Schnecksville, former home of Professor Rudy, founder of the Rudy School, Paris in 1865, an international association of professors, he was a fellow of the French Academy. Here is Landspring Park. The next village, Neffs, has an ancient graveyard, burial place of many revolutionary patriots. Then to Slatington, heart of the Slate region. A chain bridge built over the Lehigh River in 1826 leads to Lehigh Gap.
Another state road from Allentown goes through Catasauqua. Here in 1914 was celebrated the 75th anniversary of the successful uniting of the state's two chief resources, the use of anthracite coal in the iron furnaces, by David Thomas from Wales. Coke has since replaced anthracite, but the furnaces and the general method are much as Thomas left them. These were the mother furnaces of the Bethlehem Steelworks, Cambria Ironworks, Thomas Ironworks at Hawken Dockwa,
and the stupendous development of the iron trade in this country. A private art collection owned by D.G. Derry, Esquire, comprises an important collection of paintings, statuary, bronzes, ivories, Chinese porcelains, and jades. Continue on state road through Mickleys to Egypt. Union Church, Lutheran, and Reformed, founded 1734 in Longchurch. Present brick building erected 1785.
Nearby is Deschlers Fort, built 1760, and the Troxel Stechel House, stone, built 1756. A mile north is Tablet, placed by Lehigh County Historical Society, marking place where occurred the last Indian massacre in this county of three families in 1763. End of section 52.
