The photograph shown above is from 1958. It was taken in Little Lehigh Manor, the 1940's era housing development located above Lehigh Parkway's south ridge. I had the pleasure of growing up in that neighborhood. The hill favored by us kids of Lehigh Parkway was above the Log & Stone House.
Other popular sledding hills were in Allentown's west end, behind Cedar Crest College, and Ott Street, between Livingston and Greenleaf Streets. Years ago, a bridge crossed the creek by the park office at 30th and Parkway Blvd., with a parking area for sledders by the Cedar Crest hill. The Ott Street hill was closed to cars by the city, as an accommodation for sledders. None of these hills are now accessible to a kid with a sled.
photo courtesy of S. Williams
reprinted from previous years
Mike, now that you mention it, I haven't noticed any streets closed for sledding. I'll also bet they were closed so folks wouldn't get stuck on the way up or slide to the bottom on the way down.
ReplyDeleteWe used to enjoy the 18th st hill north of Sumner every good snow as kids. I wonder if this practice was stopped due to liability??? We had our share of mishaps and "bloodying"...
I lived at 1516 Catalina Ave. in the Lehigh Parkway neighborhood from 1945 to 1958 and I remember many sleigh rides in the Parkway!
ReplyDeleteMichael, the hill on the West side of the Little Lehigh at the Robinhood bridge in the Parkway was a good beginner hill. But the really great hill was further up on the west side… great for tubing, sledding and an occasional toboggan run. Once in a while a sledder would end up in the creek.
ReplyDeleteThe city also used to close down Cumberland Street off of Susquehanna on the Southside.
Here’s a word from the past…how many of your readers remember using cinders to help get their “machines” (cars) unstuck in the snow and ice? The good old days!