Uncle Jerry and the Great Allentown Fair

Posted by on Jun 19, 2015 in | Comments Off on Uncle Jerry and the Great Allentown Fair Described as an “enterprising Pennsylvania Dutchman” by Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker, the Honorable Jeremiah Roth (1833–1907) was best known as the father of the Great Allentown Fair. Though he was not a founding member of the fair, “Uncle Jerry,” as most people affectionately called him, worked tirelessly during the 23 years he was at its helm to ensure its success and promote its...
read more

The Anthracite Iron Furnaces of Alburtis

Posted by on Nov 30, 2013 in | Comments Off on The Anthracite Iron Furnaces of Alburtis As it stands today, the ruin of Lock Ridge Furnace at Alburtis, in Lehigh County, looks more akin to a misplaced Norman fortress than a nine­teenth century anthracite iron furnace. The partially re­stored walls, reinforced by heavy metal bolts, give the venerable Pennsylvania structure a false touch of the medieval. The productive history of the anthracite iron furnaces began in December 1866...
read more

Allentown’s Boom Decade

Posted by on Nov 29, 2013 in | Comments Off on Allentown’s Boom Decade Allentown underwent rapid development in the 1850’s. Population grew at the rate of 116 percent from 3,779 in 1850 to 8,025 in 1860. This expansion in population was matched by territorial growth in 1852 as a sizable section of land to the east of the original borough – the land lying between the Jordan and Lehigh rivers – was annexed. The economic basis for this development...
read more