[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 129 (Friday, September 21, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1637-E1638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHARLES W. DENT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 21, 2012

  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 250th anniversary of the 
founding of my

[[Page E1638]]

hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and to pay tribute to the many 
contributions its residents have made to the cultural fabric of 
Pennsylvania and our nation.
  The area that is now Allentown was originally settled as 
Northamptontown in 1762 by William Allen. Allen was a wealthy shipping 
merchant and prominent Pennsylvanian. He was Chief Justice of Colonial 
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court and had previously served as mayor of 
Philadelphia. Given its location along the Lehigh River and proximity 
to Philadelphia, Allen believed land he acquired north of the City of 
Brotherly Love would make an ideal center of commerce. Soon, a small 
village of roughly a dozen wooden cabins was established and 
immediately began growing into a busy town.
  The town's first taste of national acclaim came during the American 
Revolution, when numerous large bells from nearby Philadelphia, 
including the Liberty Bell, were hidden in Zion's United Church of 
Christ to prevent them from being melted into cannons by British 
soldiers. Without the brave efforts of Allentown's patriotic residents, 
one of our nation's most famous and inspiring icons may have been lost 
forever.
  While the town was formally incorporated as the borough of 
Northamptontown in 1811, most resident's referred to the bustling 
village as ``Allen's town'', a term initially used by founding father 
John Adams in a diary entry. The following year, Lehigh County was 
founded and Northamptontown was chosen as the county seat. After years 
of popular usage, the nickname ``Allen's town'', was adapted into the 
town's official name, ``Allentown,'' in 1838.
  For the first several decades of its existence, Allentown remained a 
small Pennsylvania German (Dutch) village, populated mostly by farmers 
and tradesmen. However, the industrial revolution of the early 19th 
Century dramatically transformed the economy of the entire eastern 
Pennsylvania region. Allentown's powerful iron industry fed the rapid 
growth of the nation's railroads in the mid-1800s. As more metal was 
required to lay tracks across the expanding nation, Allentown 
prospered. The growth of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Lehigh 
Canal allowed vast quantities of raw materials and finished goods to 
move through Allentown to markets far and wide. Through 
industrialization, the city finally achieved William Allen's dream of 
becoming a major commercial center.
  After the financial crises of the late 1800s, the turn of the century 
gave rise to Allentown as a preeminent producer of silks and other 
beautiful textiles. The arrival of iconic Mack Trucks in 1905 also 
reinvigorated the city as a manufacturing center. In 1928, the 
completion of the PPL tower, the area's first skyscraper, displayed 
Allentown's industrial might to anyone traveling in the Lehigh Valley. 
The tower's signature gold and red lit peak still illuminates the 
Allentown sky at night, illustrating the city's rich industrial history 
and bright economic future.
  Today, Allentown supports a diverse array of industries in 
manufacturing and services. It is home to superb institutions of higher 
learning, including Cedar Crest College, Muhlenberg College, and a 
satellite campus of Lehigh Carbon Community College, that prepare 
thousands of students each year for careers in the modern economy.
  In addition to industry and education, Allentown provides the region 
with outstanding recreational opportunities. Throughout the year, local 
residents enjoy the city's beautiful and expansive park system. From 
cross-country skiing through Lehigh Parkway in the winter months to 
riding a bicycle on the challenging loop at Trexler Park under the 
summer sun, Allentown's renowned parks offer a little something for 
everyone. And for those more interested in watching than participating, 
Allentown is a great location for sports fans. The city is home to the 
wildly popular Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA affiliate of the nearby 
Philadelphia Phillies. Furthermore, upon the completion of a new arena 
downtown, the Philadelphia Flyers' minor league hockey team, the 
Phantoms, will also call Allentown home.
  While Allentown is certainly the quintessential American city, it is 
also distinctively unique. Residents of the city's western 
neighborhoods understand better than anyone in the country how truly 
powerful a tiny Canary can be, and anyone living in the East Side knows 
where to find the best clams in Pennsylvania. And like the greatest 
cities in our nation, Allentown is comprised of residents from many 
unique cultures across the globe. In addition to descendants of the 
region's original German settlers, the city today features a diverse 
population of European, Hispanic, Caribbean, African, Asian and Middle 
Eastern origins. Embracing and celebrating their differences helps 
bring the people of Allentown together, but it is their shared love for 
this extraordinary city that truly unifies neighbors.
  This year, Allentown is marking its quarter-millennial anniversary 
with a calendar full of activities celebrating arts, culture, history, 
and community. Celebration Weekend, which will be held from September 
27th to the 29th, will include a community festival highlighting the 
diversity of the city, an ecumenical prayer service, a ``red carpet 
restaurant night,'' and a parade organized around the theme ``City 
Without Limits: Points of Pride.'' The year's activities will draw to a 
close with a spectacular New Year's Eve Finale.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm and pride that I honor the 
city in which I was privileged to be born and raised, and where I have 
been blessed to raise a family of my own. I would ask all my colleagues 
to join me in congratulating the City of Allentown on the 250th 
anniversary of its founding.

                          ____________________