Easton

Understand

In 1736, Thomas Penn (William Penn's son) surveyed the area and Easton was founded in 1752. Prior to that, Easton had been known as "Lechawitauk", meaning "The Place at the Forks." On July 8, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read in Easton's Centre Square, one of three public readings of the document. Every year, Easton celebrates this historic event with its Heritage Day celebration, held in July. Easton became a primary commercial location during the canals and railroads era of the 1800s. The Delaware, Morris and Lehigh Canals were vital for transportation of goods. The railroads replaced the canals for transportation and five railroads served Easton. The city had a strong German heritage. During Prohibition, it was known for nightlife and had plenty of liquor and a large number of brothels. The population in Easton continues to diversify. Between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, the Hispanic and Black populations increased significantly. However, the primary ethnicity in the city remains White/non-Hispanic.

Geography Easton sits at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. Native Americans called Easton Lechawitau, "the place at the Forks".

Climate Easton has a highly variable four-season temperate climate. Summertime highs average in the low 80s F, but with occasional short heat waves with temps over 95 °F (35 °C), with considerable humidity and occasionally intense thunderstorms. Winters are somewhat cold with average highs in the mid to upper 30s F (around 1-3 °C), but with occasional short thaws when temperatures can suddenly rise over 65 F for a few days. Severe cold snaps are common, with highs dropping into the twenties. Heavy snowfalls rarely occur more than once or twice each winter, but a wintry mix of ice, sleet, and light snow is possible from mid-November through early April. The combination of above freezing daytime temps and below freezing nights makes black ice a constant wintertime driving hazard even when there has not been pre

Getting there

By plane Lehigh Valley International Airport ABE IATA in Allentownlies in the center of the Lehigh Valley and has direct flights from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, Fort Lauderdale, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and other domestic locations. Philadelphia International Airport PHL IATA 77 miles (124 km) south of Bethlehem has direct flights from most U.S. cities, Canada, and a number of Caribbean, European, and Latin American destinations.

By train 30th Street Station in Philadelphia is 76 miles (122 km) south of Bangor.

By bus Trans-Bridge bus line offers daily service to and from New York City and Newark, New Jersey. Uptown Vans offers daily service on a route to and from Newark, Union City, and New York City.

By car U.S. Route 22 is a main thoroughfare, being a 4-lane limited-access highway with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour through all of Lehigh Valley except in Easton. Drivers coming from points east will want to note that all of the major bridges across the Delaware River (from New Jersey) are free eastbound, but require tolls westbound. Locating the free bridge in Phillipsburg is possible but not recommended to those unfamiliar with the area. It is called Northampton Street for the adventurous and adds only about half a mile to the trip (unless you easily get lost). From the southeast and northwest, PA Route 309 provides fairly quick access and is a good road to travel. Interstate 78 and Interstate 476 (PA Turnpike; tolled) intersect very close to the city of Easton, going in all directions north, south, east, and west. PA Route 33 is the best approach for travelers from I-80 in the Poconos and points east.

Getting around

By bus Extensive bus services are provided by Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority: [http://lantabus.com LANTA).

By cab Several cab companies also operate throughout Easton and Lehigh Valley, including:

By limo A&A Limousine Service, ☏ +1 610-261-3838 or ☏ +1-800-281-5911 Champagne Limousine, +1 610-863-5994 J&J Transportation, ☏ +1 610-776-1516 or ☏ +1-800-726-5466 Your Way Taxi & Limo, ☏ +1 610-435-8294

See

1 Crayola Factory (Crayola Experience), 30 Centre Square, ☏ +1 610-515-8000. M-F 9:30 AM - 4PM; Sa Su 10AM - 6PM. Fun, indoor theme park type place, where kids can enjoy lots of activities and learn how real crayola crayons, markers, and colored pencils are made. It's not the actual Crayola factory, but you can see how they make Crayola crayons and other Crayola products. Very kid friendly. Has its dedicated store. There is a municipal parking garage, behind the facility between Pine St. and Ferry St. for a fee of around $2 per hour. There is also on street meter parking for $1 per hour, with a 2 hour limit. Adults & children $16.99, seniors, military and infants charges less. (updated Jul 2019) 2 Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Rd, ☏ +1 610-923-3548. Outdoor activities, hiking areas, arts events, historical sites all along the Delaware and Lehigh rivers. 3 Easton High School sports, 2601 William Penn Hghwy, ☏ +1 610-250-2481. Easton is home to one of the oldest rivalries in American high school football history, the border war, also known as the Easton vs. Phillipsburg High School football game, which is held each Thanksgiving Day and routinely draws in excess of 15,000 spectators. Easton High School is also known for their often nationally-ranked wrestling team, which competes in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, a division of the largest 18 high schools from the Lehigh Valley and Poconos that is considered one of the best in the nation and has launched the careers of many professional and Olympic athletes. 4 Moyer Aviation, Braden Airpark, 3800 Sullivan Trail, ☏ +1 610-258-0473. Private plane tours. 5 National Canal Museum, 30 Centre Square, ☏ +1 610-559-6613. The only museum in the country dedicated to telling the story of America’s historic towpath canals. Features four galleries filled with hands-on exhibits that educate and entertain parents and children alike. Mule-drawn canal boat rides available. 6 Northampton Coun

Do

Riverview Country Club, ☏ +1 610-559-9700. Player-friendly layout, panoramic views. Two miles north of PA-22 on PA-611. The Club at Morgan Hill, ☏ +1 610-923-8480. 18-hole public golf course. Named 2009's "Best Places to Play in North America" by Golf Digest. Full-service clubhouse. Skiing is a popular activity in nearby mountains. Most skiing areas are closed seasonally, since snow can usually only be manufactured from about November to April. Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Blue Mountain Resort are a short drive away in Macungie and Palmerton, respectively. Larger, world-famous ski resorts, including Jack Frost & Big Boulder, are in the Poconos, about an hour drive north on Interstate 476.

Buy

1 Easton Farmers' Market, Centre Square, ☏ +1 610-330-9942. May–Nov: Saturday 9AM-1PM. The oldest continuous open-air farmers' market in the country occupies all of Easton's