A Walking Tour of Easton, Pennsylvania
In 1736 Thomas Penn, son of William Penn, and Benjamin Eastburn, surveyor general, selected
and surveyed the “Thousand Acre Tract” of land at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh
Rivers. William Parsons and Nicholas Scull began their survey for a town in the 1750s at a spot
called by the Indians “Lechanwitauk” or “the Place at the Forks.” The new town was to be called
“Easton” in the new county of “Northampton.” The Great Square (now known as Centre Square)
was, and remains, a gathering place for residents and travelers. In fact, on July 8,1776, the square
was the site for one of only three readings of the Declaration of Independence. This historic event is
celebrated each year on Heritage Day, when thousands gather to join in reenactments of the reading
and to revel in entertainment, good food, and fireworks over the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.
With the completion of the Lehigh Canal in 1829, the lands along the Lehigh River attracted great
industrial development. The movement of the coal brought capital & investment to Easton. All
along Canal Street was built one of the largest industrial manufacturing centers of America during
the 1830s and 40s. Easton continued to prosper as a center for industry, manufacturing, commerce,
and culture at the Forks of the Delaware and along the great rail lines.
The Easton Historic District is an example of a relatively intact Victorian commercial center.
Although the District contains historically and architecturally significant buildings from almost all
periods of its development, edifices completed between 1830 and 1910 dominate its streetscapes.
This period saw Easton’s prosperity at its height, due to its position at the junction of three major
canals and five important railroads.
The Easton Historic District is situated on a peninsula that is generally bounded by the Bushkill
Creek to the north, the Delaware River to the east and the Lehigh River to the south. The western
limits of the District are marked by the crest of a series of hills.
The integrity of the Easton Historic District is highlighted by the fact that only twenty of its 425
buildings can be considered to be intrusions. There are forty-three significant buildings within the
District, while the remainder of its structures can be considered to be contributing. The majority
of the District’s buildings are utilized for commercial or residential purposes, while a number of
buildings combine both functions. Although there are also many significant store buildings within
the District’s boundaries, brick is the most commonly used building material.
Our walking tour will start in Centre Square, laid out in a grid pattern by William Parsons at the
center of the city. The square has been the site of a courthouse for over 100 years, the place of
that historic public airing of the Declaration of Independence, the location of important Indian
Councils during the French and Indian War and a farmers’ market that has been operating since
1791...
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