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The Zollinger-Harned Company Building , now known as The Sovereign Building , is a historic department store building on Hamilton Street in the Center City section of Allentown, Pennsylvania .

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82-467: Zollinger-Harned was founded as Lawfer & Steckel by William R. Lawfer and W. R. Steckel in 1866 in Allentown , at the corner of Church and Hamilton streets, at 626 Hamilton Street. The store carried a large stock of dry goods, notions, and groceries. The business was continued by the original partners until 1874, when Steckel disposed of his interest to George W. Hartzell. Hartzell retired in 1876, and

164-610: A colonial-era population center. Prior to the American Revolution, there were 54 homes in Northampton Towne and approximately 330 residents. In 1782, there were 59 houses and over 100 cows were stabled in the town. The town was described by a visitor in 1783, "One gets a glimpse of many good stone houses, many of them very neat, and everything about the premises shows good order and attention. The people are mainly German who speak bad English and distressing German ." In 1795,

246-408: A "grapefruit-domed" lobby with a decor of antique brass, mirrors, greenery and wing-backed chairs. The main floor and basement were developed into retail spaces, while the upper floors were turned into forty-two private office suites. Sovereign later went into financial difficulties and the building was sold at a sheriff's sale on September 22, 1989. The Zollinger-Harned Company Building was added to

328-413: A 5,000-acre (20 km ) part of the land was purchased from Turner's business partner by William Allen , a wealthy shipping merchant and former mayor of Philadelphia . The land was surveyed in 1736 and again in 1753 as part of an effort to construct a road from Easton in the east to Reading in the west. The 1753 survey reported that a log house , owned by Allen and built around 1740, existed near

410-548: A chain of department stores. In 1926, the store expanded again by purchasing 605 Hamilton Street, which it incorporated into its existing building. As part of the expansion, the store was remodeled into a seven bay wide building with Classical Revival style influences. It featured architectural terra cotta panels and richly detailed bronze display window surrounds. This remodeling was completed in 1926. Nathan Polwell passed ownership over to his nephew Charles E. Polwell, who retained ownership until 1960. At that point, ownership

492-465: A large fire burned down most of Allentown's central business district between 7th and 8th streets on Hamilton Street. During the 1850s, however, the city began recovering. A new bridge was built across the Lehigh River, and brick buildings were constructed to replace wooden ones that were burned in the 1848 fire. In 1852, the first Allentown Fair , now one of the nation's longest continual annual fairs,

574-564: A large roof leak in January 1990, with all stores reopening after a few days, and the roofs replacement planned for April. Leh's closed in June 1996 due to bankruptcy, with Gallery Furniture taking over its former space in 1997. Clover closed in 1996, with its replacement Kohl's opening in April 1997. Whitehall Mall received a $ 15 million renovation in 1998, where it was almost totally demalled, except for

656-458: A lowered tax assessment after settling with the county, township, and school district in 1985. In 1987, a suspicious fire started in the back of the mall that later caused a wall of the Leh's to be demolished. Sears interior underwent another overhaul in 1994 that added 35,000 sq. ft. to the sales floor, and converted the former second floor offices to store space. Several stores suffered damage due to

738-520: A major regional and national center for banking and finance. In 1860, William H. Ainey founded Allentown Savings and served as its first president. In 1864, Second National Bank of Allentown was formed, and Ainey was elected its first president, a position he held until his death. Ainey contributed to Allentown's industrial and retail growth, helping finance Iowa Barb Wire Company, which was later absorbed by American Steel & Wire , Pioneer Silk Factory, Palace Silk Mill, and Allentown Spinning Company. In

820-611: A new military unit, placing Captain Samuel Yohe of Easton and Thomas W. Lynn in charge and awarding them the respective ranks of colonel and major. Tilghman H. Good of South Whitehall Township , previously captain of the Allentown militia known as the Allen Rifles and commander of the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment , was placed in charge of the 1st Pennsylvania's Company I, which included his former Allen Rifles subordinates and members of

902-495: A portion near Kohl's. Retaining the traditional mall look was determined to not be cost effective. Sears was expanded during this time. Three additional buildings were added to the mall's grounds during the renovation. Weis Markets closed during renovations that almost doubled its space. Plaza Theater closed in June 1999 due to having only two screens and being obsolete. The theater was previously operated by Budco, and by AMC from 1987 to 1996. The opening of Gold's Gym in

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984-561: A post office established inside Compass and Square Hotel in the present-day Penn National Bank building at 645 Hamilton Street in Allentown. In the 1810 U.S. census , the city's population exceeded 700 residents, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania granted Northampton Towne legal standing on March 18, 1811, incorporating it initially as the Borough of Northampton in what was then Northampton County . The new borough's government first undertaking

1066-693: A reputation for flamboyance, offering the latest European fashion apparel. The opening of Hess's was following by the opening of a second major department store in the city, the Zollinger-Harned Company, located in the Zollinger-Harned Company Building on Hamilton Street. In the late 19th century, Allentown also emerged as a major center for the beer brewing industry. Notable Allentown breweries included Horlacher Brewery (founded 1897, closed 1978), Neuweiler Brewery (founded 1875, closed 1968), and Schaefer Beer , whose brewery

1148-622: A saw mill, a paint factory, two additional shoe factories, a piano factory, flour mills, breweries, and distilleries all opened in Allentown during the Civil War era. In 1883, Allentown Boiler Works was founded in Allentown by Charles Collum. Collum and his partner John D. Knouse built a large facility at 3rd and Gordon streets in Allentown's First Ward near the Lehigh Valley Railroad yard near what later became Kline's Island. The company manufactured iron products, some of which were used in

1230-408: A visit in his pretty Toyland, you had better come soon. Santa remembers every little face, you know, and he says there are some chubby little folks on his list he hasn’t seen yet. Bring your letters and put them in the letter box in his cave." W. R. Lawfer died suddenly on September 11, 1900, and the store was taken over by his three sons, J. Harry Lrawfer, John N. Lawfer, and Alvin W. Lawfer. They ran

1312-575: Is a shopping mall located in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania . It is anchored by Kohl's . Whitehall Mall was one of the Lehigh Valley 's first malls and is located across from the Lehigh Valley Mall . Land for the mall (19 acres (7.7 ha)) was purchased for $ 125,000 from a farmer and groundbreaking occurred in 1965. Zollinger's opened before the mall on August 15, 1966, with

1394-418: Is a tendency to enunciate the 'v' with open lips, to soften the hard 'g' into 'ch,' and to use too frequently such words as 'already,' 'yet,' and 'once.' Here also are heard such colloquialisms as 'the pie is all,' (all gone) and 'it wonders (mystifies) me.' In October 1945, following the end of World War II , Western Electric opened a plant on Union Boulevard in Allentown. Six years later, on October 1, 1951,

1476-607: The 2020 census and the most populous city in the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation as of 2020. Founded in 1762, Allentown is located on the Lehigh River , a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River . It is the largest of three adjacent cities, including Bethlehem and Easton in Lehigh and Northampton counties, in

1558-558: The 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment , a new unit commonly known as the 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Good secured help from William H. Gausler of Allentown, who was commissioned as a major with the regiment's central command staff, and John Peter Shindel Gobin , a senior officer with the Sunbury Guards in Northumberland County , who was repeatedly cited for valor and was promoted to colonel and ultimately commanding officer of

1640-732: The Battle of St. Johns Bluff in Florida (October 1–3, 1862) before suffering a costly defeat in the Second Battle of Pocotaligo in South Carolina (October 21–23, 1862). They were the only Pennsylvania regiment to fight in the Union Army 's 1864 Red River campaign across Louisiana . While sustaining numerous casualties during the Red River campaign in the spring of 1864, the 47th Pennsylvania helped turn

1722-685: The Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, included 42 city blocks and 756 lots, most of which were 60 feet (18 m) in width and 230 feet (70 m) in depth. The city was initially located between present-day 4th and 10th streets and Union and Liberty streets and was initially named Northampton Towne. Many streets on the original plan were named for Allen's children, including Margaret (present-day 5th Street), William (now 6th Street), James (now 8th Street), Ann (now 9th Street), and John (now Walnut Street). Allen Street (now 7th Street),

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1804-596: The National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The building now operates as an office building with an owner who resides in Philadelphia . Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Allenschteddel , Allenschtadt , or Ellsdaun ) is the county seat of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania , United States. It is the third-most populous city in Pennsylvania with a population of 125,845 as of

1886-571: The U.S. Gazetteer described Allentown as: A handsome and flourishing town of Northampton County, pleasantly situated on the point of land formed by the junction of the Jordan Creek and Little Lehigh . It is regularly laid out and contains about ninety dwellings, a German Lutheran and a Calvinist (Zion) Church, an Academy and three merchant mills. In 1792, land north of Allentown was purchased by Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company for coal mining , but it initially proved difficult to transport

1968-487: The 1840s, iron ore beds were discovered in hills around Allentown, and a furnace was constructed in 1846 by Allentown Iron Core Company for production of pig iron , a vital component used in the manufacturing of steel . The furnace opened in 1847 under supervision of Samuel Lewis, an expert in iron production , and was followed by the opening of other Allentown plants for production of a wide variety of metal products. In 1860, several smaller iron companies merged to create

2050-573: The Allentown Rolling Mill Company, which became Allentown's largest iron company and contributed to the city and the greater Lehigh Valley region's emergence as a major source for iron ore. In 1850, Leh's , a shoe and ready-to-wear clothing store, was opened in the city by Henry Leh. By 1861, with the Civil War commencing, Leh's emerged as a major source of military boots for the Union Army . In addition to Leh's, eight brick yards,

2132-662: The Civil War in the Union's favor with victories in General Sheridan's 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign across Virginia, including in the Battles of Berryville , Opequan , Fisher's Hill , and Cedar Creek and then again contributing to the defense of the nation's capital following Lincoln's assassination on April 15, 1865. Other known Union Army units from Allentown included the 5th, 41st, 128th , and 176th Pennsylvania Infantries. On October 19, 1899, Allentown erected and dedicated

2214-649: The Corporate Center, the city's new flagship business center on North 7th Street, fell victim to a large sinkhole , which led to its condemnation and ultimate demolition. Combined with challenges confronting Center City , the manufacturing economy of the Northeastern United States began suffering from deindustrialization associated with foreign competition, trade policies, and manufacturing costs. Many Allentown factories and corporations began closing or relocating. Whitehall Mall Whitehall Mall

2296-579: The Jordan Artillerist, another Allentown-based militia. In April 1861, these Allentown units were deployed in response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to defend the national capital in Washington, D.C. , following the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter. After the Civil War's end, many of these soldiers were named Pennsylvania First Defenders in recognition of their role as one

2378-615: The Lehigh Canal with direct competition for coal transport. Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad ordered four locomotives, and train stations were built in Allentown, Easton , and Mauch Chunk . In September 1855, the railroad became operational with the Central Railroad of New Jersey providing transport between Allentown and New York City . Transport between Allentown and Philadelphia was made available through Perkiomen Railroad, which operated between Norristown and Freemansburg . In

2460-527: The Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Allentown is located 48 miles (77 km) north of Philadelphia and 78 miles (126 km) west of New York City . In the early 1700s, the area that is present-day Allentown was a wilderness of scrub oak , where the Lenape , a Indigenous Peoples tribe, fished for trout and hunted for deer, grouse, and other game. In 1736, this large area north of Philadelphia

2542-506: The Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Hamilton and S. 7th streets in the Center City , where it still stands, in honor of these Union soldiers from Allentown and local Lehigh Valley towns and boroughs who were killed in defense of the Union's preservation during the Civil War. Beginning in the late 18th century, the city began to slowly grow as a hub for commerce and industrialization and as

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2624-460: The U.S. formally entering World War I in 1917. The British nicknamed Mack AC 's five and seven-ton trucks the "Bulldog". Mack eventually grew to have eight manufacturing plants in Allentown and adopted the bulldog as it corporate brand. Beginning in the early 20th century, Syrian Christians from the region of Wadi al-Nasara ('the Christian Valley') began settling in Allentown, initially

2706-435: The amalgamation of separate storefronts and erected a single large three-story building at 607-613 Hamilton Street that wrapped around to the right with a double storefront at 14 to 16 North Sixth Street. While still at Wanamaker's department store, Lawfer began decorating his own store as early as Christmas in 1904. Lawfer's was the first local department store to feature a separate toy department that it called "Toyland". At

2788-577: The bells down to cast into munitions. The bells were transported north to present-day Allentown by two farmers and wagon masters, John Snyder and Henry Bartholomew, and then hidden under floorboards in the basement of Zion Reformed Church at present-day 622 Hamilton Street in Center City Allentown , just prior to Philadelphia's September 1777 fall to the British. In 1803, the city, whose mail had previously been received in neighboring Bethlehem , had

2870-470: The business for the next several years until 1903 when J. Harry Lawfer retired from the firm, turning his share of the business to John N. Lawfer. John N Lawfer subsequently sold his share to Alvan Lawfer prior to starting his own carpet and drapery store at 709 Hamilton Street . In 1906, the business was sold to Nathan Polwell of Philadelphia, who sent his nephews W.C. Harned and C.J. Early to manage Allentown's first department store. The establishment's name

2952-521: The center of the toy display that Christmas was a twenty-four-foot-tall, one-ton figure it called "Santa Claus’ Father." It is not known if this was an attempt to combine the English figure known as “Father Christmas” with Nast's character. On December 9, 1905, local newspapers ran the first announcement of Lawfer's live Santa Claus . "Visit Santa Claus at his Cave in Toyland," it read. "If you haven’t paid Santa

3034-435: The city emerged in present-day Center City , which was then referred to as downtown Allentown. At least seven cinemas and stage theaters were developed on Hamilton Street between 5th and 10th streets. By the mid-1960s, Allentown's economy had been booming for decades but the city's rising taxes and regulations prohibiting expansion of the city's geographic limits began leading many of the city's residents, especially those in

3116-456: The city's lax zoning and city codes. With Allentown's neighborhoods and school system declining, the city focused on attempting to develop its Hamilton Street retail district, largely ignoring Allentown neighborhoods not located in Center City. This also exacerbated the flight of Allentown families to the city's suburbs, leading to the development of shopping centers and services to accommodate

3198-479: The city's main street, was named for Allen himself. Hamilton Street was named for James Hamilton, deputy governor of colonial-era Pennsylvania from 1748 to 1754. Gordon Street was named for Patrick Gordon , an earlier deputy governor of colonial Pennsylvania. Chew Street was named for Benjamin Chew , and Turner Street was named for Allen's business partner Joseph Turner. Allen hoped that the city would displace Easton as

3280-399: The city's name was officially changed to Allentown. But it soon faced major challenges. In 1841, a flood swept away Hamilton Street Bridge and inflicted substantial damage on areas of the city near the Lehigh River. Two years later, in 1843, Northampton Bank failed following excessive speculation by the bank, resulting in financial ruin for many bank customers. Five years later, on June 1, 1848,

3362-594: The city, and expanded their ranks, which were ultimately incorporated into the Continental Army . The burden of supplying the local militias fell on the people, and requisitions for food, grain, cattle, horses, and cloth were common. During the Revolutionary War, Hessian prisoners of war were kept in Allentown in the vicinity of present-day Seventh and Gordon streets. Allentown also housed four hospital structures, including one at Zion Reformed Church and one on

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3444-609: The company manufactured and released the world's first transistor , which was produced at the Allentown-based plant, and the Allentown-based company emerged as a leader in the nation's post-war electronics revolution. By the mid-20th century, Allentown was a major retailing and entertainment center distinct and separate from Philadelphia and New York City . Hess's, Leh's, and Zollinger department stores led to retail sector growth in Allentown, and dozens of smaller retail stores, restaurants, hotels, banks, and professional offices in

3526-558: The construction of high-profile construction projects, including the building of the White House in Washington, D.C. , and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point . The company's boilers and kilns were used for the production of iron products sold nationally and internationally, including to customers in Canada , Cuba , and the Philippines . Brickworks flourished in Allentown through

3608-631: The demand in these expanding suburban communities. In 1966, Whitehall Mall , the first closed shopping mall north of Philadelphia, opened in Whitehall Township. Ten years later, in 1976, the even larger Lehigh Valley Mall opened north of U.S. Route 22 in Fullerton . Stores in Allentown's downtown shopping district began closing, replaced with stores whose customers were less affluent. Large areas of Allentown's downtown were subsequently razed and replaced with parking lots. The downtown business district

3690-584: The early 20th century. Pennsylvania Guide , compiled by the Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration , described the Pennsylvania Dutch community's impact on Allentown's linguistic landscape, reporting in 1940 that: Allentown is among the few large Pennsylvania cities where newspapers still carry columns written in the dialect. Although English predominates on the streets, there

3772-597: The end of World War I . The clay unearthed in various sections of Allentown and the city's suburbs proved suitable in manufacturing building brick and fire brick . Bricks were the first Allentown products shipped by rail and sold nationally. A vibrant food processing industry began emerging in Allentown following the arrival of predominantly German immigrant bakers, who were among Allentown's first settlers. In 1887, Wilson Arbogast and Morris C. Bastian formed Arbogast and Bastian, which provided large scale commercial slaughtering. With industrialization, Allentown emerged as

3854-519: The expansion, Lawfer expanded the store by first purchasing two properties at 12 and 16 North Sixth Street, which were merged into an "T" shape with the Hamilton Street buildings extending north to Court Street and the Sixth Street buildings merging into the Hamilton Street building on the right side of the property. The present-day Sovereign Building retains this basic design. A second expansion added

3936-480: The firm was reconstituted as W.R. Lawfer & Company . Lawfer expanded the business and purchased the larger buildings at 611 and 613 Hamilton Street, combining the structures into one large building, which opened in March 1882. The firm sold a wide number of women's dresses, and coats. As the firm grew, it expanded with books, toys, jewelry, kitchen crockery, carpets, and men's and children's clothing. To accommodate

4018-658: The first Patriot resistance to British colonialism in the Thirteen Colonies began in and around present-day Allentown. On December 21, 1774, a Committee of Observation was formed by Allentown-area patriots. Following the Declaration of Independence 's unanimous signing by the Second Continental Congress , British governing control in Allentown began to break down as patriot militias expanded their resistance. The patriot militias also pressured Tories out of

4100-461: The first five units to answer Lincoln's call for volunteers to defend the national capital. After protecting Washington, D.C., from April to July 1861, they were honorably discharged and returned home. However, a significant number of them reenlisted with the Union Army to defend the nation amidst the Civil War's escalation. On August 5, 1861, Andrew Gregg Curtin , Pennsylvania's Civil War -era governor, granted Tilghman H. Good authority to create

4182-452: The grounds of the present-day Farr Building , that were used in treating wounded Continental Army troops. After crossing the Delaware and prevailing in the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776, Continental Army commander George Washington and his staff traveled through Allentown, where they proceeded up present-day Lehigh Street , then called Water Street. They stopped at the foot of

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4264-553: The land, including present-day Allentown, was named and laid out by Allen. A rivalry between the Penns and Allen may have inspired Allen to acquire the land and found the city. In 1763, a year after Allentown's founding, an effort was made by Allen and others to move the county seat from Easton to Allentown, but the Penns' influence prevailed and the county seat remained in Easton. The city's original organization, whose archives are now housed at

4346-550: The last time. The Whitehall Mall store was sold to Leh's . For several years, the flagship store on Hamilton Street in Allentown remained vacant. In December 1982, the Allentown store was purchased by Sovereign Realty and Development. The building was renovated and reopened as the Sovereign Building in May 1984. Renovations included a glass-arched entrance from a pedestrian plaza between Hamilton and Court streets leading to

4428-481: The late 1870s, Allentown's iron industry collapsed, leaving the city economically depressed. Efforts were made to diversify the city's industrial base, including convincing Phoenix Manufacturing Company to open a silk mill in Allentown. Adelaide Mill at Race and Court streets prompted the opening of Pioneer Silk Mill in 1886, and the city quickly emerged as a national leader in silk manufacturing. The silk industry grew to ultimately become Allentown's largest industry in

4510-400: The late 18th century. David Deshler, Allentown's first shopkeeper, opened a sawmill in the city in 1782. By 1814, industrial plants in Allentown included flour mills, sawmills, two saddle makers, a tannery and tan yard, a woolen mill, a card weaving plant, two gunsmiths, two tobacconists, two clockmakers, and two printers. In 1855, the first railroads to reach Allentown were opened, presenting

4592-587: The late 19th century and remained the city's largest industry through the end of the 20th century. In 1914, there were 26 silk mills in the city. By 1928, after the introduction of rayon , the number of Allentown silk mills grew to 85, and over 10,000 people were employed in the Allentown silk industry at the industry's height in the 1940s. In 1896, Max Hess, a retailer from Perth Amboy, New Jersey , visited Allentown and set about developing Allentown's first department store. He and his brother Charles opened Hess Brothers at 9th and Hamilton streets. Hess's developed

4674-696: The latter part of the 20th century, presenting a major challenge to Allentown's city government and the Allentown School District as it confronted greatly diminished resources. Allentown School District's financial challenges, in turn, further increased the working class flight to Allentown's suburbs, creating a sea change in the city's demographics. With the departure of many working-class families from older Center City neighborhoods , many homes were sold to landlords who converted them into inexpensive multifamily apartments, many of which became government-subsidized housing projects that were permitted under

4756-704: The location where the Liberty Bell , then known as the State House Bell, was successfully hidden for nine months by American patriots to avoid its capture by the British Army after the fall of Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War . After George Washington's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia

4838-529: The mid-2000s was delayed due to design changes. Gold's Gym would use the former Leh's store and Plaza Theater. Raymour & Flanigan relocated to the mall in 2012, occupying two vacant storefronts. PREIT sold its 50% ownership of the Whitehall Mall in 2014 to Washington Prime Group , the mall's other owner. Sears closed in February 2020. PA Fitness (former Gold's Gym) closed in January 2022. Portions of

4920-451: The petition was filed, the company abandoned its York store, and its merchandise was eventually sold and the store closed. In October 1977, its Wyoming Valley Mall store was sold to Hess's . Its Allentown flagship and Whitehall Mall stores lasted through the Christmas shopping season of 1977. However, Zollinger-Harned filed for complete bankruptcy on January 30, 1978, and closed its doors for

5002-490: The post- World War II baby boom generation , to flee Allentown for its suburbs. Salisbury , South Whitehall , and Whitehall townships each had large areas of farmland that were prime locations for residential real estate development. Much of Allentown's working class began migrating to these newer, less-expensive housing developments in Allentown's suburbs, which offered lower taxes, more green space, less crime, and newer schools. This demographic trend continued throughout

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5084-419: The regiment. Companies A and E of the regiment were recruited primarily from Easton and Northampton County; Companies B, G, I, and K were largely recruited from Allentown; Company C was recruited from Northumberland and Juniata counties; Company F was primarily composed of men from Catasaqua ; and Companies D and H were recruited from Perry County . The 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers achieved Union victories at

5166-551: The region's high quality anthracite coal over the primitive trail system that then existed, resulting in only a limited amount of anthracite being mined until 1818, when the company began constructing the Lehigh Canal to transport coal from Mauch Chunk , later renamed Jim Thorpe, down the Lehigh River to the river's confluence with the Delaware River in Easton . The opening of Lehigh Canal in 1818 quickly transformed Allentown and

5248-429: The rest of the mall opening on September 26, 1966. The mall had 52 stores including Sears , Weis Markets , Woolworth's , and Zollinger's. Whitehall Mall expanded in 1973, and in 1978 Leh's opened, replacing the closed (bankrupt) Zollinger's. Kravco become co-owner of the mall with PREIT in 1977 for 4.5 million. Clover opened in March 1982. Sears interior underwent a major overhaul in 1984. The mall received

5330-431: The result of missionary activity in their villages by Pennsylvanian missionaries. The Syrian community eventually became a significant component of the city, largely concentrated in Allentown's Sixth Ward. There were an estimated 5,200 Americans of Syrian descent in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley in 2015. Like several other regions in Pennsylvania, Allentown residents continued speaking Pennsylvania German well into

5412-470: The seat of Northampton County and become a major national center for commerce due to its location along the Lehigh River and its proximity to Philadelphia, which was then the nation's largest and most influential city. In 1767, Allen granted the land to his son James. Allentown played a central role in both inspiring the American Revolution and supporting the subsequent Revolutionary War . Some of

5494-585: The store, purchased Bears Department Store in York, Pennsylvania and renamed it Zollinger-Harned, making it the third store in the then Zollinger-Harned chain. A fourth store in the Wyoming Valley Mall near Wilkes-Barre opened in 1971. Like many other major department stores in the 1970s, however, suburbanization and the growth of indoor shopping malls led to declining sales of large department stores in Allentown's central business district. In 1975, Zollinger's

5576-548: The stores at 607 and 609 Hamilton Street to the store. Lawfer adverted the store as "Allentown's Big Department Store". Lawfer was friends with John Wanamaker , a Philadelphia -based retail entrepreneur. Lawfer worked for Wanamaker in the 1850s and 1860s prior to opening his own store in Allentown. William Zollinger, who lived in Sandusky, Ohio , operated the Zollinger Department store the 1880s. The new owners tore down

5658-590: The street at a large spring at the present-day Wire Mill. There, Washington and his troops rested and watered their horses, and then proceeded to their post of duty. In 1777, a manufacturer of paper cartridges and muskets for the Continental Army relocated to Allentown from neighboring Bethlehem , and a shop of 16 armourers was established on Little Lehigh Creek , which was used to repair Continental Army weapons and manufacture saddles and scabbards for their use. Allentown holds historical significance as

5740-408: The surrounding Lehigh Valley from a rural agricultural area dominated by German -speaking people into one of America's first urbanized industrialized areas and expanded the city's commercial and industrial capacity. With this, Allentown underwent significant industrialization , ultimately becoming a major center for heavy industry and manufacturing. Allentown's industrial development accelerated in

5822-490: The western banks of Jordan Creek . The house was used primarily as a hunting and fishing lodge by Allen, but he also used it to entertain prominent guests, including James Hamilton , his brother-in-law, and John Penn, then governor of the Province of Pennsylvania. In 1752, Northampton and Berks counties were formed; Easton was named the county seat of Northampton County, and Reading the county seat of Berks County. In 1762,

5904-569: Was changed from W.R. Lawfer Co. to Lawford-Harned Co. and later to Zollinger-Harned Co. The "Zollinger" refers to a W.R. Zollinger, who owned a department store in Canton, OH. In addition to W.R. Lawfer Co., Polwell had also purchased Zollinger's store in Ohio and a third store owned by a Mr. Smith in Wilmington, Delaware. Polwell used the "Zollinger" name for all three stores to further his plan of establishing

5986-507: Was chartered in July 1814, and the first Hamilton Street Bridge, a 530 feet (160 m)-long chain structure, was constructed over the Lehigh River . The bridge featured two suspended lanes, one for east and one for westbound traffic, and a toll house at the bridge's western end. In 1829, Lehigh Canal , a 46.6 miles (75.0 km)-long canal on the Lehigh River's east side, was completed for both ascending and descending navigation. Its construction

6068-557: Was deeded by 23 chiefs of the Five Civilized Tribes to three sons of William Penn , founder of the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania : John Penn , Thomas Penn , and Richard Penn . The price for the land included shoes, buckles, hats, shirts, knives, scissors, combs, needles, looking glasses , rum, and pipes. On May 18, 1732, the land was deeded by Thomas Penn to Joseph Turner , an iron manufacturer and politician from Philadelphia. Two years later, on September 10, 1735,

6150-456: Was held. On April 13, 1861, with tensions between the nation's North and South intensifying following the South's secession and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter , residents of Lehigh and Northampton counties called a public meeting in Easton to take steps to support the federal government . At the meeting, citizens voted to establish and equip the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry ,

6232-510: Was later acquired by Pabst and Guinness and is now owned by Boston Beer Company , brewer of Samuel Adams beer . In 1905, Jack and Gus Mack moved Mack Trucks , their motor company, from Brooklyn to Allentown, taking over the foundries of Weaver-Hirsh on South 10th Street. By 1914, Mack Trucks developed a global reputation for manufacturing sturdy and reliable trucks and vehicles. Many were sent to Western Front battlefields in France prior to

6314-487: Was left defenseless and American patriots began preparing for what they saw as an imminent British attack on the city. Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council ordered that 11 bells, including the State House Bell, now known as the Liberty Bell, and ten other bells from Philadelphia's Christ Church and St. Peter's Church , be taken down and moved out of Philadelphia to protect them from the British Army , which would melt

6396-423: Was ordering that cows in the city be moved from public streets to pastures, which proved unpopular with city residents. The following year, the city became part of Lehigh County , which was partitioned from a western section of Northampton County. Throughout the early 1800s, the city grew primarily as a court and market town. Northampton Bank, the city's first bank located at the northeast corner of Center Square,

6478-470: Was rebuilt in an attempt to compete with the newer suburban shopping locations. A multiblock row of stores known as Hamilton Mall was developed, featuring newly covered sidewalks and managed traffic patterns. But the effort was unsuccessful, and two of the city's major department stores, Leh's and Zollingers, were forced to close by 1990. The third, Hess's, was sold to The Bon-Ton in 1994, which closed its Hamilton Mall location two years later in 1996. In 1993,

6560-447: Was still profitable, but in 1976 the losses began to mount. In February 1977, Vollmer sold his interest to Allentown clothier Sigmund Levin for $ 1 and other considerations. A month later, Levin filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection from creditors while the company reorganized. Over the next eleven months, the company initiated a variety of tactics to return to financial health, but the financial slide continued. A few months after

6642-427: Was taken over by Allen Theodore Vollmer and Robert V.H. Harned. Allen Vollmer served as president until he retired due to poor health in 1963, when his son Donald Vollmer assumed control. The store operated successfully for decades, and was the first of the Allentown department stores to open a branch at Whitehall Mall in Whitehall Township , an Allentown suburb, in 1966. In 1970, Donald Vollmer, then president of

6724-475: Was the most important factor in making anthracite coal , one of the nation's most important domestic and industrial fuels, available to the nation's largest industrial markets in New York City , Philadelphia , and elsewhere. In 1855, the first railroad was built on the Lehigh River's west side, and rail soon began to surpass river transport as the means for transporting anthracite through the city. In 1838,

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