When I was a little boy, I would work at my father's meat market, boxing eggs. The job was pretty straightforward. I would take eggs from a big box, and put them in small boxes with folding lids, each of which held a dozen. If I did a whole crate without breaking an egg, I did a good job. The real adventure was the drive to the shop. We lived just off Lehigh Street, and would take it all the way to Union Street. The many landmarks are now gone forever, only remaining in my camera of the past. Shown above in 1952, is the portion of Lehigh Street near the Acorn Hotel, which is not visible in the photograph. Before reaching the Acorn, you drove under The Reading Railroad bridge overpass, which recently has been dismantled and removed. That line served the Mack Plant on S. 10th Street. Just beyond the area pictured, the Quarry Barber railroad spur also crossed Lehigh Street, at the bridge over the Little Lehigh Creek. That line also crossed S. 10th, and served Traylor Engineering, now known as the closed Allentown Metal Works. Just last week Mitt Romney was there, to rebuke Obama's former visit to the site. Mayor Pawlowski is now rebuking Romney, but none of them really know anything about its past. A half block away, on overgrown steps built by Roosevelt's WPA, a thousand men would climb home everyday, after working at Mack and Traylor. Freight trains, on parallel tracks, from two different railroads, were needed to supply those industrial giants.
After my father rounded the second curve on Lehigh Street, we would head up the steep Lehigh Street hill. It was packed with houses and people. At the top of the hill, we would turn right on to Union Street. Going down Union Street, Grammes Metal was built on the next big curve. Grammes made a large assortment of finished decorative metal products. Beyond Grammes were numerous railroad crossings. The Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks crossed Union, as did the Jersey Central and several spurs, near Basin Street. It was not unusual to wait twenty-five minutes for the endless freight trains to pass. A two plus story tower gave the railroad men view and control of the busy crossing. A few more blocks and we were at the meat market, in time for me to break some eggs.
reprinted from July 2011
And here we are these many years later and you are still breaking the occasional egg. Your work provides an invaluable service to the community.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
kind of you, some think I should feel it on my face :)
DeleteIf any area needs renewal with NIZ funding for urban renewal it is east of Lehigh Street, between the Little Lehigh south to Auburn Street. It is littered with junk automobiles. Some are on the west side of Lehigh Street as well.
ReplyDeleteAs a youth growing up, I remember my dad would stop at that gas station on the west side of Lehigh Street. I think it was a "Flying A" station way back when
As you may know, the NIZ is not for urban renewal, but a real estate scheme intended to make a millionaire a billionaire. However, the Lehigh Street area north of the Little Lehigh to Union Street, was recipient of the largest urban renewal project in the city's history. I consider it a failure by every measurement.
DeleteThe NIZ is a goose that laid a billion golden eggs by turning the State treasury and Hamilton Street over to a coupe of boyhood friends from Meadowbrook. Irresponsible government, the people just don't care and this is as much of a critique as the goose will get.
ReplyDeleteI know this has come up before, but I was reminded of it in Tuesday's post and discussion about the Rose Garden pavilion and the smug bureaucrat's claim that "the new one will last longer." The 60's vintage housing on Lehigh Street is already on its second round of "renewal" while many of the old houses that were allowed to stand in the area are still there. Perhaps a little worse for wear, but still there. Any wagers on how long before round three will be needed for the public housing?
ReplyDeleteSince we’re talking about the area near Lehigh Street and the Little Lehigh, does anyone know what they’re building across from the Parkettes? It appears to be a bridge, but I don’t know of any roads back in that area unless they’re going to build a new one to connect it to something.
ReplyDeleteIf so, I hope they’re not going to add another traffic light on MLK Blvd. That road is already getting far removed from the quick access to the city that it was designed to be.
There is a housing development being built on the other side of the Little Lehigh. The other entrance will be on Auburn St, via 4th St.
Delete4:29 - according to 2022 MC article, a warehouse. https://www.mcall.com/2022/01/18/warehouse-panned-in-allentown-at-former-homeless-encampment-site-photos/
DeleteIt is a warehouse and the developer is dedicating some peripheral open space to provide a much needed link connecting walking/bike paths from MLK/Lehigh Parkway to Jordan and Trout Creek parkways. Warehouse demand is so high, they are even willing to build them in Allentown! Who would have thought?
Delete