A Walking Tour of Easton, Pennsylvania
By Doug Gelbert
()
About this ebook
There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour is ready to explore when you are.
Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on American streets.
In 1736 Thomas Penn, son of William Penn, and Benjamin Eastburn, surveyor general, selected and surveyed the “Thousand Acre Tract” of land at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. William Parsons and Nicholas Scull began their survey for a town in the 1750s at a spot called by the Indians “Lechanwitauk” or “the Place at the Forks.” The new town was to be called “Easton” in the new county of “Northampton.” The Great Square (now known as Centre Square) was, and remains, a gathering place for residents and travelers. In fact, on July 8,1776, the square was the site for one of only three readings of the Declaration of Independence. This historic event is celebrated each year on Heritage Day, when thousands gather to join in reenactments of the reading and to revel in entertainment, good food, and fireworks over the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.
With the completion of the Lehigh Canal in 1829, the lands along the Lehigh River attracted great industrial development. The movement of the coal brought capital & investment to Easton. All along Canal Street was built one of the largest industrial manufacturing centers of America during the 1830s and 40s. Easton continued to prosper as a center for industry, manufacturing, commerce, and culture at the Forks of the Delaware and along the great rail lines.
The Easton Historic District is an example of a relatively intact Victorian commercial center. Although the District contains historically and architecturally significant buildings from almost all periods of its development, edifices completed between 1830 and 1910 dominate its streetscapes. This period saw Easton’s prosperity at its height, due to its position at the junction of three major canals and five important railroads.
The Easton Historic District is situated on a peninsula that is generally bounded by the Bushkill Creek to the north, the Delaware River to the east and the Lehigh River to the south. The western limits of the District are marked by the crest of a series of hills.
The integrity of the Easton Historic District is highlighted by the fact that only twenty of its 425 buildings can be considered to be intrusions. There are forty-three significant buildings within the District, while the remainder of its structures can be considered to be contributing. The majority of the District’s buildings are utilized for commercial or residential purposes, while a number of buildings combine both functions. Although there are also many significant store buildings within the District’s boundaries, brick is the most commonly used building material.
Our walking tour will start in Centre Square, laid out in a grid pattern by William Parsons at the center of the city. The square has been the site of a courthouse for over 100 years, the place of that historic public airing of the Declaration of Independence, the location of important Indian Councils during the French and Indian War and a farmers’ market that has been operating since 1791...
Read more from Doug Gelbert
Look Up, San Diego! A Walking Tour of Balboa Park Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5A Walking Tour of Miami Beach, Florida Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Greensboro, North Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of The New Orleans French Quarter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Williamsburg, Virginia Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Look Up, Tucson, Arizona! A Walking Tour of Tucson, Arizona Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Aiken, South Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Georgetown, South Carolina Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Look Up, Salem! A Walking Tour of Salem, Oregon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Long Beach! A Walking Tour of Long Beach, California Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Nashville! A Walking Tour of Nashville, Tennessee Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Savannah! A Walking Tour of Savannah, Georgia Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Look Up, Oakland! A Walking Tour of Oakland, California Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Tampa, Florida Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Staunton, Virginia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Boise! A Walking Tour of Boise, Idaho Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Jacksonville, Florida Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of New York City's Upper West Side Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Look Up, Phoenix, Arizona! A Walking Tour of Phoenix, Arizona Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Beaufort, South Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Toledo! A Walking Tour of Toledo, Ohio Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of New York City's Upper East Side Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Madison! A Walking Tour of Madison, Wisconsin Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Look Up, Gettysburg! A Walking Tour of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of St. Augustine, Florida Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Salisbury, North Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLook Up, Chicago! A Walking Tour of The Loop (North End) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Wilmington, North Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Bordentown, New Jersey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to A Walking Tour of Easton, Pennsylvania
Related ebooks
A Walking Tour of Newtown, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of North Stonington, Connecticut Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of New Bern, North Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Connellsville, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Allentown, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Easton, Maryland Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Winnsboro, South Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of West Chester, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of the Boston's North End Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEaston Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Windsor, Connecticut Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAltoona Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Hoboken, New Jersey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Aiken, South Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEllington Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Norristown, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPittsburgh's East Liberty Valley Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Walking Tour of Carlisle, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Altoona, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Tarboro, North Carolina Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Virginia Village Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLoudoun County: 250 Years of Towns and Villages Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Front Royal, Virginia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Hope, New Jersey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Washington's DuPont Circle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Leesburg, Virginia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Walking Tour of Elizabeth, New Jersey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSteubenville Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
United States Travel For You
The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Texas Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRockhounding & Prospecting: Upper Midwest: How to Find Gold, Copper, Agates, Thomsonite, and Other Favorites Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dark Side of Disney Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Michigan Rocks & Minerals: A Field Guide to the Great Lake State Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHumans of New York: Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fodor's Bucket List USA: From the Epic to the Eccentric, 500+ Ultimate Experiences Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHumans of New York Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fodor’s Alaska Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints: A Guide to Magical New Orleans Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lonely Planet Pocket Las Vegas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's Best Road Trips in the USA: 50 Epic Trips Across All 50 States Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Magical Power of the Saints: Evocation and Candle Rituals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Huckleberry Finn Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fodor's New Orleans Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lake Superior Rocks & Minerals Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings50 Great American Places: Essential Historic Sites Across the U.S. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Man's Wilderness, 50th Anniversary Edition: An Alaskan Odyssey Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet Hawaii the Big Island Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Frommer's EasyGuide to New Orleans 2020 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrees of Michigan Field Guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How To Be Alone: an 800-mile hike on the Arizona Trail Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Connecticut Witch Trials: The First Panic in the New World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Solace of Open Spaces: Essays Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for A Walking Tour of Easton, Pennsylvania
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
A Walking Tour of Easton, Pennsylvania - Doug Gelbert
A Walking Tour of Easton Pennsylvania
a walking tour in the Look Up, America series from walkthetown.com
by Doug Gelbert
published by Cruden Bay Books at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 by Cruden Bay Books
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher.
In 1736 Thomas Penn, son of William Penn, and Benjamin Eastburn, surveyor general, selected and surveyed the Thousand Acre Tract
of land at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. William Parsons and Nicholas Scull began their survey for a town in the 1750s at a spot called by the Indians Lechanwitauk
or the Place at the Forks.
The new town was to be called Easton
in the new county of Northampton.
The Great Square (now known as Centre Square) was, and remains, a gathering place for residents and travelers. In fact, on July 8,1776, the square was the site for one of only three readings of the Declaration of Independence. This historic event is celebrated each year on Heritage Day, when thousands gather to join in reenactments of the reading and to revel in entertainment, good food, and fireworks over the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.
With the completion of the Lehigh Canal in 1829, the lands along the Lehigh River attracted great industrial development. The movement of the coal brought capital & investment to Easton. All along Canal Street was built one of the largest industrial manufacturing centers of America during the 1830s and 40s. Easton continued to prosper as a center for industry, manufacturing, commerce, and culture at the Forks of the Delaware and