List of city parks and recreation facilities of Allentown, Pennsylvania
The city of Allentown, Pennsylvania is nationally-known for its park system. Much of Allentowns's park system can be attributed to the efforts of industrialist General Harry Clay Trexler (1854-1933). Inspired by the City Beautiful movement in 1906, Trexler brought in B. A. Hamilton, a nationally known city park consultant. Haldeman provided the plans for the development of the growing city, and J. Franklin Meehan of Philadelphia was the landscape architect who laid out the parks.[1]
Little Lehigh Parkway, the largest park in Allentown, built during the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project
The summer home of Harry Clay Trexler in Trexler Memorial Park
Allen Park, in the vicinity of Trout Hall, was the first city park in Allentown, although it did not become city property until 1908.[1] West Park, a 6.59-acre (26,700 m2) park in what was a community trash pit and sandlot baseball field became the first public park[2] established in an upscale area of the city. In 1906 General Trexler hired Meehan to lay out a park on the land, which opened in 1909. West Park features a bandshell, designed by noted Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, which has long been home to the Allentown Band and other community bands.[2]
Soon afterwards, it became apparent that a need existed for recreational facilities for children and young people. Meetings of the Allentown City Council were held about this and several proposals were presented and discussed. In 1912, the city's first public playground was established at Fountain Park.[1] During the summer vacation months, all Allentown School District school grounds are open as neighborhood playgrounds.
Trexler also facilitated the development of Cedar Creek Park, the Allentown Municipal Golf Course and the Trout Nursery in Lehigh Parkway. After his death in 1933, Trexler's summer estate, a 142-acre tract was willed to the City of Allentown and was renamed Trexler Memorial Park. Today, the Harry C. Trexler Trust continues to provide private funding for the maintenance and development of Allentown's park system.[3]
The following is a list of city parks and recreation facilities located in Allentown:[4]
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See also
- Historical and Notable Sites in Allentown, Pennsylvania
References
- Allentown, 1762–1987, a 225 Year history, Volume II, 1921–1987, Lehigh County Historical Society, 1987.
- Whelan, Frank (May 29, 2005). "West Park the iconic home for Allentown bands". The Morning Call. pp. E.1. ProQuest 393163310.
- "Allentown, PA - Parks". Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- Allentown Park inventory
External links
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