Lehigh Parkway, the largest park in Allentown, built during the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project, in 2012
Cedar Creek Park in west-side Allentown in 2019
Franklin Park at 218 N. 14th Street in 2021

Allentown, Pennsylvania is nationally-known for its park system.

History

Much of the initial planning and funding of Allentown's park system began in the early 20th century, supported by Harry Clay Trexler, a local industrialist who was inspired by the City Beautiful movement. Trexler brought in B. A. Haldeman, a nationally known city park consultant, to Allentown, and Haldeman provided the plans for the development of the growing city. J. Franklin Meehan of Philadelphia was the landscape architect who laid out many of the city's first public parks.[1]

In 1906, Trexler hired Meehan to lay out a park on the land, which opened in 1909. West Park features a bandshell, designed by Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, which has long been home to the Allentown Band and other community bands.[2] Soon after, it became apparent that a need existed for recreational facilities for children and young people. Meetings of the Allentown City Council were held about this and several proposals were presented and discussed.

Allen Park, located in the vicinity of Trout Hall, was the first city park in Allentown, although it did not become city property until 1908.[1] A 6.59-acre (26,700 m2) park in what was a community trash pit and sandlot baseball field became Allen Park, the city's first public park[2] established in an upscale area of the city.

In 1912, the city's first public playground was established at Fountain Park.[1] During the summer vacation months, all Allentown School District school grounds are open as neighborhood playgrounds.

Trexler also facilitated the development of Cedar Creek Park, the Allentown Municipal Golf Course and the Trout Nursery in Lehigh Parkway.

Following Trexler's death in 1933, Trexler's summer estate, a 142-acre tract was willed to the City of Allentown and was renamed Trexler Memorial Park. The Harry C. Trexler Trust continues to provide private funding for the maintenance and development of Allentown's public park system.[3]

List of parks and recreation facilities

The following is a list of city parks and recreation facilities located in Allentown:[4]

South 4th and West Union Streets
Map location: 40°36′05″N 075°27′52″W / 40.60139°N 75.46444°W / 40.60139; -75.46444 (Allen Park)
Part of Trout Hall and Lehigh Country Heritage Museum
3200 block West Tilghman Street
Map location: 40°35′49″N 075°32′05″W / 40.59694°N 75.53472°W / 40.59694; -75.53472 (Allentown Municipal Golf Course)
A public 18-hole golf course and clubhouse
North 4th and West Court Streets
Map location: 40°36′14″N 075°28′07″W / 40.60389°N 75.46861°W / 40.60389; -75.46861 (Arts Park)
On Allentown Arts Walk across from Allentown Art Museum, now home to a duo of monumental bronze statues by the French painter and sculptor Jean-Léon Gérôme, "Metallurgical Worker" and "Metallurgical Science", painted in 1903, which celebrates steel workers and the steel-era that was an inluential Allentown-area industry for most of the 20th century
510 West Linden Street
Map location: 40°35′15″N 075°28′32″W / 40.58750°N 75.47556°W / 40.58750; -75.47556 (Bicentennial Park)
A softball park, currently home of the Philadelphia Force
North Front and West Linden streets
Map location: 40°36′38″N 075°27′22″W / 40.61056°N 75.45611°W / 40.61056; -75.45611 (Bucky Boyle Park)
Two baseball diamonds, large playarea
South Albert Street
Map location: 40°35′56″N 075°26′59″W / 40.59889°N 75.44972°W / 40.59889; -75.44972 (Canal Park)
A large, wooded driving park between Lehigh Canal and Lehigh River with substantial green space
Along Parkway Boulevard, West End of Allentown
Map location: 40°35′35″N 075°30′40″W / 40.59306°N 75.51111°W / 40.59306; -75.51111 (Cedar Creek Park)
Large park over 90 Acres, from Lake Muhlenburg west to Cedar Crest Boulevard. Developed in the late 1920s by Mayor Malcom Gross, Sr.[1] Includes tennis courts, children's play area, Cedar Beach public swimming pool, Allentown Rose Garden, and large areas for picnics and recreation activities.
South Bradford and East Maple Streets
Map location: 40°36′23″N 075°27′02″W / 40.60639°N 75.45056°W / 40.60639; -75.45056 (East Side Memorial Little League)
Baseball diamond
South Halstead and East Union Streets
Map location: 40°36′34″N 075°26′27″W / 40.60944°N 75.44083°W / 40.60944; -75.44083 (East Side Reservoir)
Large area for picnics and recreation activities
1140 East Clair Street
Map location: 40°37′01″N 075°26′11″W / 40.61694°N 75.43639°W / 40.61694; -75.43639 (East Side Youth Center)
Youth Center, baseball, soccer recreation fields
North 2nd and West Hamilton streets
Map location: 40°36′20″N 075°27′34″W / 40.60556°N 75.45944°W / 40.60556; -75.45944 (Fellowship East Playlot)
Neighborhood playground
Lehigh Street and Martin Luther King Drive
Map location: 40°35′52″N 075°27′54″W / 40.59778°N 75.46500°W / 40.59778; -75.46500 (Fountain Park)
Large, drive-thru park with public swimming pool, picnic, and recreation areas
218 North 14th Street
Map location: 40°36′05″N 075°29′17″W / 40.60139°N 75.48806°W / 40.60139; -75.48806 (Franklin Park)
Former Franklin Elementary School and now a combination children's playground and asphalt parking lot
South Ott Street and East Texas Boulevard
Map location: 40°35′03″N 075°30′28″W / 40.58417°N 75.50778°W / 40.58417; -75.50778 (Hamilton Park Playlo)
Large park with two baseball diamonds, tennis courts, basketball court, a children's play area, and a picnic and recreation area
Keck and Juniata Streets
Map location: 40°35′07″N 075°28′25″W / 40.58528°N 75.47361°W / 40.58528; -75.47361 (Howard Keck Juniata Playlot)
Neighborhood playground and a picnic and recreation area
North Irving and East Tilghman streets
Map location: 40°37′12″N 075°26′25″W / 40.62000°N 75.44028°W / 40.62000; -75.44028 (Irving Park)
Established in 1940,[1] including a city swimming pool, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and a picnic and recreation area
Ithaca and 31st Street Southwest
Map location: 40°33′18″N 075°28′36″W / 40.55500°N 75.47667°W / 40.55500; -75.47667 (Ithaca Playlot)
Neighborhood playground, picnic and recreation area
West Gordon Street and American Parkway
Map location: 40°36′43″N 075°27′56″W / 40.61194°N 75.46556°W / 40.61194; -75.46556 (Jordan Meadows)
Large park including tennis and basketball courts, running track, athletic field, wooded areas and picnic areas along Jordan Creek
Michigan Avenue and North Street Extension
Map location: 40°37′11″N 075°28′39″W / 40.61972°N 75.47750°W / 40.61972; -75.47750 (Jordan Park)
City public swimming pool and a large park with numerous baseball diamonds, tennis and basketball courts, and picnic and recreation areas along Jordan Creek
South St. Elmo and West Union streets
Map location: 40°35′32″N 075°29′46″W / 40.59222°N 75.49611°W / 40.59222; -75.49611 (Joseph S. Daddona Lake and Terrace)
Formerly Union Terrace Park. Large, 21 Acre park built by WPA over a former mosquito wetland.[1] Park features WPA built grass and stone outdoor amphitheater. Includes Union Terrace Lake, baseball diamonds and recreation fields, also areas for picnicking and recreation.
South Austin Street
Map location: 40°36′07″N 075°26′42″W / 40.60194°N 75.44500°W / 40.60194; -75.44500 (Keck Park)
Driving park loop though wooded area. also large grassy area for picnicking and recreation
Allentown Drive and North Dauphin Street
Map location: 40°37′32″N 075°27′32″W / 40.62556°N 75.45889°W / 40.62556; -75.45889 (Kimmets Landing)
Former Lehigh Canal lock. Wooded area, parking and small grassy areas for recreation

References

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as: KML GPX (all coordinates) GPX (primary coordinates) GPX (secondary coordinates)
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Allentown, 1762–1987, a 225 Year history, Volume II, 1921–1987, Lehigh County Historical Society, 1987.
  2. ^ a b Whelan, Frank (May 29, 2005). "West Park the iconic home for Allentown bands". The Morning Call. pp. E.1. ProQuest 393163310.
  3. ^ "Allentown, PA - Parks". Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  4. ^ Allentown Park inventory

External links

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