Justified Killings In Allentown's Dodge City

Earlier in the week it was announced that a shooting death in August was justified, and that no charges would be filed.  A stabbing yesterday is being evaluated to see if it was justified.  I have no knowledge or interest in these particular cases,  but what grabs my attention is the number of potential predators downtown with lethal weapons.

In the old TV series Gunsmoke, all the cowboys carried a gun, and if the other person drew first, the shooting was deemed self-defense.  The marshall,  Matt Dillon would often comment that eventually civilization would come to the west, and men wouldn't have to carry guns.  I suppose in some ways civilization must have left downtown Allentown.

Signs Of The Times In Allentown

The other day I posted that Ray O'Connell was helping John Ingram's manager install a sign on Tilghman Street. Actually, Ingram's manager, Ed White, is doing quite well without any help. Scott Armstrong sarcastically noted on Facebook that the Phoebe Home must be supporting Ingrams, because his signs go down the 19th Street Hill. Likewise, apparently Sunoco Gasoline Corporation and The Lakes Apartments must be on board with his campaign, as his signs line Cedar Crest Blvd.

It's not the first time a candidate has been loose with sign placement, but it may be the most flagrant.  I must confess that as a blogger who concerns himself with local politics, among other topics,  I find this sign controversy funny.  Now,  if someone injected me with truth serum,  I might even admit that I find the signs themselves amusing.

Hurricane Maria And Pawlowski

As I reported before,  Pawlowski has been courting the minority voters, especially the large Puerto Rican community.  He does very well with them;  While some may be uniformed about his legal dilemma,  others simply don't care.  A sizable group of these constituents winter on the island,  and spend the spring and summer here in town. Maria has been a disaster and heartbreak for Puerto Rico, but for Pawlowski, that storm has a rainbow.  With the damage on the island,  many will stay here and/or return in time for the election.

I believe that Pawlowski will win the Puerto Rican vote in a landslide.  Although, Hispanics now comprise about half the population,  his opponent(s) are still viable because the Hispanic voter turnout has been historically low.  They support Pawlowski,  but if he can get them to the polls remains to be seen.

A CyberVisit To Allentown

The responses and comments to the political posts are usually within a day or two. The historical posts have a much longer shelf life. People using search engines find something of their youth often years after I wrote the post. I still occasionally get a comment from someone who worked at a Mohican Market, often somewhere in upstate New York. Yesterday, a former post on the 6th Ward received such a comment.

 Hello molovinsky, I found your blog today. I was born in the 6th ward in 1933. My grandfather, who died very young, long before I was born, was Emanuelle Markowitz and was, I believe, the first religious head of Aguda Achim. His wife was Ida Markowitz. We lived at 234 and then 244 Hamilton St. and went to Harrison Morton grade school before departing permanently to New York City. Arnold Fein (brother is Barry)

 My grandparents lived on Second Street in around 1900, and belonged to the Agudas Achim congregation. After Arnold and I exchanged a couple comments, I invited him to send me a note about Allentown via email.

  Yeah, Michael, I went back for a visit about 3 yrs. ago. All of lower Hamilton St,is part of a highway and the Jersey RR Station ,I was told, failed as a restaurant.The stores I remember on Hamilton between 2nd and 3rd were, Queenies Luncheonette, Bucky Boyle's Bar, Harry Gross Shoes,an A&P on the corner of 1st (Front?)and Hamilton, a "holy roller" storefront church, a travel agency with a large steamship model in the window,Taylors Plumbing Supply (now Weinstein's-I visited the place when I was there), a "Giant" supermarket on 5th and Hamilton across from the P.O., Francis the barber on the hill,the Colonial theatre,etc.Harrison Morton is still there and 2nd St.off Hamilton is still the same including the "A Treat" sign on the little store near HM, which I remember. Some friend's names from that time are: Stanley and Nancy Kulp (Culp?) who lived in an old wooden house next to the Lehigh Valley RR Freight terminal across from Taylor's. Michael Miller, Bobby Kressler, George Mevrides(sp?), Andrew Kent,Dickie Catalina(whom I'll never forget as the guy who came running out on Hamilton St. on 12/7/ shouting, "the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor"), the 4-5 Delaney kids,Dickie Gross who lived in a stone house on 2nd St.just off Hamilton where his father had his dental practice, Lucille Wiener, Phyllis Malatrott,Victoria Minner,Ronald DiLeo whose father was a Dr., (told me my first "off color" joke in the 1st grade while we were standing side by side at a HM urinal)), Marvin Karll, 2 HM footballers (who were not friends as such), Barney Garulla(sp?) and Albert Casium, whom I believe was Albanian.Other places were the slaughter house, Arbegast and Bastion (sp?). Couldn't miss that!, Riverfront Park, and a horse watering trough on the corner of Hamilton and Front(?)Lots of others. Something priceless about childhood, no matter where it's spent.

 Even in Allentown.

UPDATE: More memories from "Arnie" Fein
Also, my grand parents owned a store on 2nd St. around Tilghman, before I was born. My mother always remembered the few words she knew in Slavic because some of the customers spoke only "Slavisch".Another recollection was in 1943 when a lot of us went to the JerseyRR terminal to watch a train full of German POWs being transported west. Larry and Jimmy Whitman lived above the A&P on that picture you sent. Their name was anglicized from a Polish name their parents shortened.Harry and Jean Getz, friends of my mother, owned a small shoe store between 2nd and 3rd Sts.The name of the travel agency was, if I'm correct, something like Bortz. On Walnut St. around the corner from Weinstein's was the "Perkiomen Transfer Co." The local movie house was the Townie which I believe was in the 6th ward.Further up the hill were the Colonial, the Midway and the Transit.There was a trolley named the Liberty Bell which went from 8th St. to Philly and a trolley to Bethlehem along the "Bethlehem Minsi Trail". Other memories as they come from the distant past...

 photo supplied by Arnold Fein, showing him, brother and mother at Hamilton and the current American Parkway, next to the current Weinstein Supply Company.

reprinted from August of 2012

Allentown's Complicated Mayoral Election

I drove past Ray O'Connell's car wedged in between Ed White and John Ingram's vehicles off the  side of the road.  Although, I felt like an ambulance chaser,  I phoned Ray and asked what was going on.  Seems as if Ray had stopped to help Ingrams and his manage put a sign in hard ground.  That's what I call sportsmanship.

Ray's not concerned about Ingram's candidacy. Now, of course understand that it would be difficult for a write-in candidate to complain about an independent on the ballot.  Ray is miffed that Nat Hyman has been complaining about O'Connell as a spoiler, helping Pawlowski's chances of getting elected once again. He feels that Hyman should work on getting enough votes himself to win on November 7th,  rather than worrying about who is siphoning off what votes.  Of course, Ray is hoping that if Pawlowski is elected,  that he then resigns in a plea deal, and that Ray is appointed mayor by City Council.  Meanwhile,  for an independent,  Ingram is making a concerted effort,  with multiple billboards.

It is not a simple election to cover;  With all these candidates,  I'll have to assign more staff election night.

The Trump Speech

When I asked a liberal friend what she thought of the Trump speech to the UN, she replied, Well, he stayed on script. I suppose that is about all the credit a liberal in our current political environment can muster for Trump. On Facebook, I saw the usual anti-Trump cut and pastes. One said that he read a speech he didn't write or understand. Actually, Trump understood the speech completely. There was nothing in it that he hasn't said before.  Trump is no orator; He has less of a gift for the spoken word than any president in memory. Never the less,  he gave the exact speech needed on today's world stage. He bluntly stated that both Korea and Iran are roque regimes, threatening the world and their own people.  With which of these two countries would being subtle be more effective?

The Mad Men Of Allentown

Back in the day, the titans of Allentown would fill the five barberchairs of the Colonial Barbershop, 538 Hamilton Street. That was when the town had three department stores. That was when Wetherhold and Metzger had two shoe stores on Hamilton Street. That was when Harvey Farr would meet Donald Miller and John Leh at the Livingston Club for lunch, and discuss acquiring more lots for Park & Shop. By 1995 all that was gone, but Frank Gallucci, 82, would still give some old timers a trim. The Colonial Barbershop property, closed for many years, has been purchased by J.B. Reilly. It is my pleasure to present this previously unseen portrait of Gallucci, toward the end of his career.

photocredit:molovinsky

reprinted from January of 2015

Allentown, Activism and Anonymity

There are several subjects which strangers occasionally contact me about.  One of them is Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street.  The cemetery has a myriad of problems, and exasperated family members find my name after doing a google search.  In the past I have written numerous posts,  generated a newspaper story and conducted a public meeting on the issue.

This recent caller was wondering what could be done to organize other families, and exert some pressure for more upkeep.  I suggested a group Facebook page,  perhaps calling it Families Of Fairview Cemetery.  I then suggested that he start the page, which is free, and only requires a couple clicks of the mouse. At that point he started wondering if the cemetery operator might retaliate with some legal action against him.  It's not my intention to be critical of the caller, but I  realized that once again, another person probably wanted Mikey To Do It.  I suppose it's like anonymous said here on the blogosphere.  Most people using that name for comments do not have a sensitive job,  they just don't want to stand out. Understand, that unlike this fellow,  I do not even have a family member buried there.  In fairness to him, he seems like a conscientious  guy, and may well start the page himself.  However, if he doesn't, I think that assignment will have to be picked up by someone other than myself.  This mule is looking to lighten the load.

The O'Hare/Molovinsky War

Recently, I had written in both a post and comment that Bernie O'Hare excludes this blog from his blogroll because of a feud that started because of my comment that his disclaimer about Morganelli in March of 2016 was inadequate. Yesterday, he posted a piece which he claims proves that he deleted my blog because of hate, because it was 14 months after our Morganelli issue before he deleted this blog.  Of course, the only thing that proves is that O'Hare thinks of his readers as sheep, which he can lead to any conclusion he wishes.  This past May, Knit Knee Lion wrote in a comment on Bernie's blog, "he...kept a link to your "blog" on his sidebar whilst you have banished his from ye olde blog roll........ I'd say your treatment of Ken Heffentrager was very hateful, it was a real punch and judy show." Bernie replied;

I would have preferred if Bernie had let my explanation of why he excluded my blog from his sidebar stand, rather than have to expose his distortions.  However, since his post yesterday states that I was being loose with the truth, and that I'm hosting a hate blog, an answer is required. After I pointed out how much Bernie understated his support for Morganelli with his $25 contribution disclaimer,  O'Hare started taking shots at this blog. He would routinely refer to the Molovinsky Tabernacle Choir and other slurs. A number of people mentioned his increasing hostility toward me. I held my tongue for months, but then decided to start defending both myself and this blog. It was only then, after I started pointing out Bernie's flaws,  did he delete Molovinsky On Allentown from the list.

ADDENDUM: For viewers on mobile devices, in Bernie's screen shot shown above, he replies;  I have no obligation to link to a blog that repeatedly attacks me.  There is no mention of it being a hate blog.

UPDATE: Bernie now updated his post from yesterday, falsely claiming that I admitted that I lied. (He found an awkward sentence he could take out of context)  While others might enjoy his kind of propaganda,  I'm inclined to disengage from defending against his distortions.

The Lemon Trees Of Oxnard

In the summer of 1963, I got on a bus in Allentown headed for Oxnard, California, where I planned to work in the lemon orchards. I had with me a Give the kid a job letter from the boss of the Trexler Orchard in Orefield. The boss in Oxnard also owned a car wash, and I ended up working there. During WW2, homeowners in Oxnard were encouraged to build cottages for extra GI housing. I rented a small one room cottage at the far end of a back yard. The bathroom was added on to the backporch of the house. Every day I would walk to the square in Oxnard, and catch the bus to the carwash. In early August, I was rescued by Ken Huthmaker, whose family had moved years earlier from Lehigh Parkway to Hawthorne, California.  Ken was five years older,  and his friends were into body building, custom cars and gate crashing. They would attend events all over the Los Angeles area, and their sport was to sneak in, without paying. Ken would end up being a celebrity photographer and journalist in LA, and wrote a book on gate crashing*. I stayed at his house for two weeks. The next summer I would use my learned gate-crashing skills to see the Beatles in Atlantic City.

* The Gate Crashers by Ken Huthmaker, Which reveals the secrets of the society of the uninvited.  Huthmaker would become the photographer for Mickey Hargitay's televised exercise show.   Huthmaker photographed Hargitay and his wife, Jayne Mansfield,  by their pool. 

Charlie Tuna and The Allentown School District

Allentown School District is going the way of the old Charlie Tuna ads,  trying to convince students and their parents that it is the best option for their education. Like the tuna campaign, they're going to be using billboards, radio and social media. They will be creating a new communications position to implement this new strategy. Supposedly, the effort is directed to help stem the student flow to charter schools.

As someone with a background in both education and communications, I find the new approach truly uninspired. Apparently, this idea is the current fad of the day, and Bethlehem is also doing it. Bureaucrats are bureaucrats, whether at a city hall or the school district building, and seldom think beyond the ideas presented in their profession's current magazines.

Before large public school systems were gutted by cost cutting, after-school activities offered a large menu of activities and sports. These were the lures which attracted students, whether it be theater or football. As a taxpayer,  I would rather see the money spent the old fashion way, on coaches instead of communication directors.

photo: the former Little Palestra at Allentown High School

Early Morning In Allentown's Cedar Creek Park

Occasionally, I get to combine my passion for photography and the parks. By my criterion, the Allentown park system is in dire straights. While we have been buying plastic junk from catalogs, and allowing the Wildlands Conservancy to grow weeds along the creeks, the important features are crumbling. Pawlowski has been a disaster for the parks, and his succession of park directors are equally clueless. Although, it is my hope for a new mayor, my advocacy will continue, regardless of who prevails in November.

photo credit: molovinsky/Early morning winter scene along the Cedar Creek.

Growing Old Waiting For Cedarbrook

The Lehigh County Commissioners finally approved renovating Cedarbrook on Wednesday evening, with a 5-4 vote. I have posted on the nursing home over a dozen times, and most recently accused the commissioners of continued stalling on their decision. Supposedly, those against the renovation favored building a brand new facility. One would have to question how many more years the new construction option would have taken to study and actually happen, if ever.  There was no way that the old Scott Ott slate was going to stay in the nursing home business. From my point of view,  if we have to be in the prison business,  why not also fulfill an honorable obligation to our elderly citizens. In the meantime, just for PC, they funded farmland preservation,  which is actually a glorified subsidy for the landed gentry.

As a taxpayer, I addressed the commissioners on this topic twice since 2014. As a blogger, I endorsed Dan Hartzell, because he indicated support for our seniors and the facility. I'm hopeful now that the construction will move forward, and will be endorsing Brad Osborne for executive, who supported the project. I'm grateful that Tom Muller had the tenacity to keep the needs of our seniors on the front burner.

photocredit: K Mary Hess

Bernie and Anonymous Said

I've been holding my tongue for quite a while with this topic,  but as Popeye says,  "That's all I can stands, cuz I can't stands n'more." It's exhausting taking Bernie O'Hare on, for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost,  he thinks that he is never wrong,  and is certainly incapable of conceding as much.  Furthermore,  last time we sparred, he made a veiled threat to file a lawsuit.  He has some notion that criticism assaults his integrity,  and that he will defend his current integrity in court,  because of some issue earlier in his life.  He already  excludes MOLOVINSKY ON ALLENTOWN from his local blog list.

My complaint is his selective criticism of those who comment.  He has no issue with anonymous commenters who agree with his point of view,  but those who disagree are often called cowards.  Furthermore,  recently he has taken to identifying opposing comments from those that he is criticizing.  He recently labeled comments defending Justin Simmons as coming from Justin.   It's puzzling to me how he knows who certain anons are,  but not others?

An excerpt from this post was presented earlier this evening on Facebook

ADDENDUM: Bernie responded with a post on his blog.  Needless to say, he finds no fault with his comment policy.  His excuse that he doesn't link here because I host hate is really another  hostile misrepresentation by him.  He actually doesn't include this blog on his blogroll because I offended him by pointing out that his disclaimers about supporting Morganelli were inadequate. In Bernie's world loyalty is the main theme, in mine it is truthfulness.   He's allowing no comments on the post, he simply cannot stand criticism.

Park & Shop

Park and Shop Lots

Downtown Allentown boomed for about 100 years. During the prosperity years following World War II, the two car family emerged. Several business leaders of Allentown realized both the parking problem and the potential to enhance sales. Park and Shop was begun by Harvey Farr, Donald Miller and John Leh. The current small parking deck at 10th and Hamilton, above the current uptown police substation, was the first deck in the country. To make the parking lots, shown in the postcard above, houses were purchased and torn down. Although the gentlemen mentioned in this article profited from their influence, they always provided solutions for the betterment of the community. They seemed to be a benevolent oligarchy. As the viability of the Park And Shop enterprise declined along with the intercity shopping, The Allentown Parking Authority was conveniently formed by local politicians, and it purchased the lots using Municipal bonds; The process allowed the aforementioned gentleman to land on their feet, in a downward market.

Flash ahead thirty five years to another downward market, and we have one gentleman, J.B. Reilly, buying up center-city with municipal bonds backed by state taxes. Reilly has purchased far more property than ever owned by Park and Shop. He has purchased virtually the four square blocks surrounding the arena, a significant portion of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone(NIZ). Again the process was facilitated by our elected officials. Let us hope that the new monarchy will be as benevolent as the old oligarchy. reprinted from 2012

Depot At Overlook Park

Old timers have noticed that the contractor's building on Hanover Avenue transformed into a community center for Overlook Park.  But only the oldest, or train buffs, realized that the building was the freight depot and office for the Lehigh & New England Railroad.  Lehigh & New England was formed in 1895, primarily as a coal carrier.  The line ran from Allentown to Maybrook, New York.

In 1904 it was acquired by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company.  The line ceased operation in 1961.  Among it's infrastructure were impressive bridges across both the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, both of which were dismantled. Ironic that a remnant  of our industrial era is being utilized by the successor of a public housing project.

reprinted from February of 2014

The Sunday Drive

My family wasn't much for recreation.  My father worked six days a week, from early morning until early evening.  We did go for a long car ride on Sundays.  Back then gasoline was cheap, and having no destination wasn't thought of as wasteful.  Children were more content to sit in the back seat and look out the window, now they want a video screen in the vehicle.



Even children's play then involved more imagination and interaction.  Howdy Doody was just a puppet on strings,who spend most of his time talking to an adult, Buffalo Bob, can you imagine?

 Sitting in that back seat in the mid fifties, I might well had



my "coonskin" hat with me.  Fess Parker was a genuine American hero.  It mattered little if he played both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, both were king of the wild frontier.  The ride probably lasted for two hours and then we would go to a restaurant to eat dinner.  Compared to now, there were very few restaurants.



My mother would cook all the other meals that week, and we probably ate out more than most.  Supermarkets were the new rage in food shopping, but the butcher, baker and candle stick maker were still going strong.  If my father headed west or south, chances are we ended up at Shankweiler's Hotel, famous for chicken and waffles.   They were at the intersection of Old 22 and Route 100.  The building still exists and currently is a bank.  The family also owned another hotel on Route 309.  Both locations also operated adjoining Drive-In movies.



If my father headed north or east,  we would end up at Walp's, which was on the corner of Union Blvd. and Airport Road.  Walp's was a much more urban place.   While Shankweiler's was an old country inn,  Walp's was built as a modern restaurant.  I enjoyed those rides, they were a learning experience.

reprinted from April 2014

A Morning Call Editorial

As a local pundit and former under-reported candidate myself,  I found Robert York's editorial on the upcoming mayoral election promising.  It's York's first editorial,  and the first one the paper has printed in many years.  I personally hope that he decides to make it a habit.

My first encounter with Mr. York occurred shortly after he assumed his new position at the Call.  I appealed to him directly,  after receiving resistance for my op-ed piece prior to the Wehr's Dam referendum.  Although, he initially welcomed our dialogue,  that hospitality ended abruptly, when he decided that some of my statements were disparaging towards his staff.  From my side of the conversations, I never purported to be a diplomat,  and consider my candor unique, even here in the blogosphere.

York's editorial stakes out what factors will be used by the paper in reporting the upcoming election.  As the song says, I'm so vain, I like to think that my complaints about the 2005 coverage factored in his decision to go public.

My relationship with York and/or The Morning Call hasn't improved.  He states in his piece that through print and digital that they reach more people than ever;  I don't know about that, but I do know that this blog is on the Call's reading list.

Your Trusted News Source

I couldn't help but to shake my head at the paper's promotion, selling cups and shirts so that we may celebrate our First Amendment rights with our trusted source for real news, The Morning Call.

This is the same paper that never questioned why it was the only parcel on the north side of Linden Street included in the NIZ.  This is the same paper which promoted each new building by J.B. Reilly as if it were some actual revitalization,  instead of an overly generous taxpayer funded, privately owned incentive program.  Reilly now even owns the newspaper building itself.  Now,  rather than an honest reckoning,  we get offered cups and shirts from the FREE SPEECH COLLECTION.

Recently, I posted about how my op-ed on Wehr's Dam was rejected, along with op-eds by other informed readers.

Those seeking free speech and/or real news will have to look further than The Morning Call.

New Graveside Tears At Fairview in Allentown

In August of 08, after about a year of blogging on conditions at Fairview, The Morning Call ran the story shown above. I did manage to organize a small meeting between the cemetery operators and the public later that fall. Yesterday I received the following comment, submitted to a posting from that period.

Patti from California has left a new comment on your post "New Graveside Tears":

My family is buried at Fairview and 2 weeks ago I visited and was appalled at the horrible conditions and total lack of maintenance throughout the cemetery. I have been trying to reach Loretta or David most of the summer and was told they had taken an extended trip out of the country. (business must be good) They seem to be back now - but still no way to actually talk to them.

My mother is 97 - plans to be buried there with her parents and my Dad. I could cry at the thought ....

I googled Fairview and was led to your blog. Loretta told me in May I could get our plot maintained if I invested in their endowment for $1000. After seeing the total lack of care there, I feel like I would be throwing the money away. What do other people think or do about this appalling condition?

I feel sorry for this family, Fairview may have been a well maintained place when the father was buried there many years ago. I believe the cemetery is in better condition than it was two years ago, but that's not saying very much. I will occasionally revisit this topic, to at least continue a small noise on behalf of these families.

reprinted from September of 2009

ADDENDUM: Over the years I have published numerous posts about Fairview Cemetery. Today and yesterday, I revisited the cemetery to cast light on a problem; Allentown's orphan cemeteries. Although Fairview isn't really an orphan, it shares the same issues as the West End Cemetery, in center city. Our esteemed mayor took it upon himself to purchase two unnecessary parcels, ostensibly to add to the park system. In addition to their cost, $1.5 million dollars, there will be upkeep expenses by an already underfunded park system. City hall should instead concentrate on these cemeteries, which have been problematic for decades.

reprinted from November of 2016

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 7, 2017: In the picture above I'm shown walking in the small Jewish section of Fairview. Over the last decade, in addition to advocating for the cemetery's upkeep, I've made frequent return visits to keep checking on conditions. Starting about five years ago, I noticed new burials toward the rear of the sprawling cemetery, near Harrison Street. It certainly appeared to me that these new burials were on old family plots, probably no longer visited by any descendants. I mentioned my concern to several people associated with other cemeteries. They seemed to share my suspicion, but did not want to get involved. The new burials have continued, and now appear bordering old family plots even closer to the front of the grounds, near Lehigh Street. The current owner claimed years ago that the plot plan for the cemetery was destroyed in a fire. Let this post serve as public notice of what may well be a new problem at a very old cemetery.

No Dutchmen Need Apply

Mildred and Milton are upset. They lived and worked their entire lives in Allentown. They both started working in sewing factories after high school and spend their working lives there. During the late 60's they owned their only car, and always lived in apartments. They never sought any help from the government, their culture taught them to make it do, use it up, wear it out and do without. When they heard about these new public housing apartments overlooking the Lehigh, they thought that would be a nice reward for a life of hard work. They were told it would take years,years they don't have, to get on the list. It's hard for them to understand how brand newcomers to the area, who don't  speak English, go to the head of the line. They don't know about the poverty pimps, the social organizations, funded by grants; The professional advocates who know what buttons to push, who make a career out of political correctness. Maybe we need a Pennsylvania Dutch American Organization.

 reprinted from 2007 and 2010

ADDENDUM: Needless to say ,the previous times I published this piece some readers were offended by its bluntness. Here we are in 2017, and Mayor Pawlowski isn't even seeking Mildred and Milton's vote.

The World Of Mirth

Allentown at one time had two very productive railroad branch lines; The West End, and the Barber Quarry. The Barber Quarry, for the most part, ran along the Little Lehigh Creek. It serviced the Mack Truck plants on South 10th, and continued west until it turned north along Union Terrace, ending at Wenz's tombstone at 20th and Hamilton Streets. The West End, for the most part, ran along Sumner Avenue, turning south and looping past 17th and Liberty Streets.

The Allentown Economic and Development Corporation has received a $1.8 million grant, toward a $4 million dollar project, to restore a portion of the Barber Quarry branch to service it's industrial building on South 10th Street. This building housed Traylor Engineering, which was a giant back in the day. Recently it housed a fabricator who President Obama visited on his Allentown photo opportunity mission. The business has since closed, but let's not have that reality stand in the way of grants. Last summer, I fought against Allentown's Trail Network Plan, which catered to the spandex cyclist crowd. The new trail was to be built on the Barber Quarry track line. Not only didn't the AEDC oppose the plan, it's director was an advocate. Now they will be funded to develop that which they wanted to destroy. Where do I begin in Allentown's World of Mirth?

The wonderful photograph above shows the World of Mirth train at 17th and Liberty. World of Mirth was the midway operator at the Allentown Fair during the 40's and 50's. In the background is Trexler Lumber Yard, which burnt down in the early 1970's. The B'nai B'rith Apartment houses now occupy the location.
photograph from the collection of Mark Rabenold

UPDATE: The Barber Quarry branch was not the primary railroad access to the Mack plants on South 10th Street. The branch only provided service to Mack Plant #2 on South 10th and Mack Plant #1 on 7th and Mill Streets which both closed for manufacturing in 1924 in favor of Mack #3,3A,4 and 4A on South 10th. These were served by the Reading Railroad Mack Branch. There was a switchback that connected the Barber Quarry to the Reading west of Traylor Engineering and Manufacturing Co. Yet, that was built by the Reading to serve Traylor and did not provide access for the LVRR to Mack #3,3A, 4 and 4A.

Also the western terminus was not wenz's on Hamliton Street. The branch crossed Hamilton and served several businesses including Yeager Fuel on North St Elmo, several silk mills and Pepsi Bottling at 2100 Linden Street. The bottling plant closed in 1963 which then became a city parks department building. The LVRR sold and removed the track north of Hamilton street in 1969. Accordingly, in 1970, the Wenz company became the western most shipper and receiver on the branch. update information from anonymous comment in November of 2010

reprinted from September of 2013

Allentown On A Tightrope

Forty three years ago Philippe Petit walked above Hamilton Street on a tightrope. Two weeks earlier he had walked between the Twin  World Trade Towers above Manhattan. Back then, you could count on Allentown's retail titan Max Hess to bring the best to town.

Flash ahead over four decades, and now Allentown itself is on the tightrope. Our mayor, who has been alleged corrupt by the FBI, will likely be re-elected by a coalition of minority voters. Aiding in that election result is a city councilman, who will most likely divide the anti-corruption vote, hoping to enter the office through the back door early next year.

The public is distracted by some new buildings which poach tenants from elsewhere in the valley, and the local newspaper was incentivized to under-report that reality by the same real estate deal.

Those who still seek unbiased commentary may well be limited to this blog.

photocredit: The Morning Call/August 1974

Just Out Of View and Gone In Allentown

The photo above means a lot to me, for the things just out of view and now gone. You're at the crossing tower on Union Street, near 3th. There's another gate stopping the eastbound traffic, which has backed up toward the Jordan Creek. The same train has also blocked traffic further down the line, at Basin Street. It's the early 1950's and the tracks from the two rail lines, Lehigh Valley and Jersey Central, cross here.  At the end of Union Street you can make out my father's market, Allentown Meat Packing Company. The whole side of the building is a sign, painted directly on the brick in red and silver, Retail Meats, Wholesale Prices. You'll pass Morris Black Building Supply and The Orange Car before you get there. You'll also have to cross another set of tracks, which was the Lehigh Valley old main, before they built the Railroad Terminal over the Jordan Creek, at Hamilton Street. Our commercial past is now consigned to memory and future urban archeology.

reprinted from December of 2013