At the turn of the last century Allentonians could take a day trip out to Griesemerville, and spend the day at the Duck Farm and Hotel. The trolley, operated by Reading Traction Company, actually went
through the Duck Farm building. That same trolley would continue west and go
through or under the Dorney Park roller coaster. Today, Griesemerville is known as Union Terrace, or more precisely, Joseph S. Daddona Lake and Terrace. The Hotel portion still exists as an apartment house. Heading west, cross the Reading Road stone arch bridge, built in 1824, and the former hotel is the first building on your right. Note the bridge in the lower left of the above news clipping. This blog is proud to have played a part in preserving the bridge, and my hope is that the County of Lehigh will formally recognize the bridge's historic value, and secure it's future. Collectors of Lehigh Valley historic memorabilia can still find Duck Farm postcards.
news clipping courtesy of Danny Ruth
Thanks for posting this. I think that the small tree near the center of the bridge is still alive.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the pictures of allentowns history past, and the stories that you have put to them. As many readers know local medie outlets never tell the Hole story or any truths in local happenings in allentown pa because of home rule?
ReplyDeleteThis the headline were mainly on the heat and the help out there for people in need of a fan or free ways to keep cool¿ There were no stories of the happenings in the area in center city that I trudge daily. There were many sites of police pesents and even police behind cars and many had guns drawn on subjects. This is like the 4th of july shooting and not a story by wfmz/call¿
They make me out to run around with a tinfoil hat on, yet I am a citizen that sees crimes go on charged and univestigated daily cause the actors are in there loop somehow¿
Thank you MM for the only read this weekend, and I hope you let this one out,
redd
I am confused as to whether or not there was a second Griesemersville and a hotel in ear Spangsville. I just bought a book about Oley and it includes pictures and information about a Griesemersville community and a hotel on Oley Turnpike. Can you please clarify?
ReplyDelete@8:25, sorry, i have no knowledge of that. griesemersville here in allentown was small intersection which was on the reading road, connecting allentown with points west.
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