This was the scene which was chosen to represent Allentown's parks during the golden era of picture postcards, circa late 1940's. The card is captioned simply, Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, Pa.. Shown at the park entrance, it was called the lower entrance, was the magnificent Boat Landing.* Lehigh Parkway is still there, while Christmas lights provide a gaudy distraction, the WPA treasures deteriorate under debris. Please join Chris Casey, myself and others tomorrow morning, as we attempt to clear and reveal a portion of our proud past.
* Boat Landing is my term for structure, lower entrance near Regency Tower, meeting at 10:00 am, Saturday Oct. 10th.
I'll be there, and I am bringing Crullers from Vallos bakery!
ReplyDeleteyou will have to buy your own darn coffee!
I'll be there. This picture postcard depicts that little bridge with clearing underneath. Now, it is entirely overgrown, dirty, garbage everywhere.
ReplyDeleteRegency Apts. older neighbors will tell how they fought and lost (what a surprise)
ReplyDeletethis huge high-rise that destroyed the sky view for so many. Now, Lehigh Parkway East is a speedway; cars cutting through from Lehigh St. to West Side. Neighbors called a TV station that this week broadcasted a segment on the speeding issue. Some type of speed enforcement needs to be
enforced. Very sad for neighborhood residents.
anon 7:18, your help would be greatly appreciated, but I must clarify the location. recently I have shown two different overgrown WPA structures on this blog. The "little bridge" is a very small walk structure near the main parking lot at Robin Hood, off the Park's main entrance. The bridge shown in the above postcard is a road bridge near Regency Tower Apartment House. If one comes over the Stone Arch Bridge on Martin Luther, then goes straight, instead of bearing left to Regency Tower, they go over the bridge shown in post card. immediately beyond the bridge, to the left, is a small parking area. The "Boat Landing" is right there, looking forward to seeing you.
ReplyDeleteActually, it's just about time for the Christmas Lights to start their annual installation process. It takes city workers more than a month of very hard labor to get this annual display up and running. Folks just think it happens, but it is the hard work of many city employees that makes it so.
ReplyDelete7:28 post:
ReplyDeleteMr. Molovinsky,
Yes, thank you. We do now see the difference. That tiny bridge is right next to a Robin Hood parking lot wood stand that sometimes has the disc golf rules posted on it.
Actually, the city wanted to tear down that small stone bridge by MLK Drive to construct a more modern day larger bridge. Historians were able to stop it but who know for how long.
ReplyDeleteBlast them historical guys...they just don't appreciate Progressive and what's good for them.
ReplyDelete