Easton, PA

Easton lies in the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. It is the county seat and one of only two cities located in Northampton County. Easton is bordered by the Delaware River to the east and the Lehigh River to the south. Although the city is small, with a population of approximately 26,000, it is within an hour and a half of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Newark, New Jersey.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Manufacturing, retail, health care, the wholesale trade, and the hospitality industry are the dominant sources of employment for Easton's residents. Major employers in the area include:

• Easton Hospital
• SCCI Hospital Easton
• Cadmus Printing (publisher services and manufacturing)
• City of Easton
• Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 (an education service agency)
• County of Northampton
• Victaulic Piping Products (which has its world headquarters in Easton)

Crayola is headquartered in this area and has production facilities in neighboring Bethlehem. This provides an important source of employment for the residents of Easton.

Easton is dedicated to local entrepreneurship and has established the Greater Easton Development Partnership to encourage economic development.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The city's 26,000 residents fit into just 4.26 square miles of land area, giving Easton a high population density. Unlike many other U.S. cities, the majority of the homes here are rowhouses (37 percent). Detached single-family homes and small apartment buildings comprise 24 percent and 23 percent of the city's housing units, respectively.

There are four distinct areas that make up the city of Easton:

• College Hill: Lafayette College is in this district, which is north of the downtown area. The residents here are highly educated, middle-class executives. The majority of the dwellings are medium-sized single-family homes. Many of them are historic. The median home price and rental rates in this neighborhood are high.
• Historic Downtown: Located at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, this artsy, urban district is made up of historic apartment buildings. The units themselves are smaller (efficiency and one or two bedrooms). Most of downtown's residents rent.
• South Side: This district is located on the south side of the Lehigh River. It is a walkable urban district with a nautical atmosphere. This is a middle-income neighborhood with many rowhouses. The east side of the district, closer to the Delaware River, is more expensive than the west side.
• West Ward: This is an urban area full of historic rowhouses. Located to the west of Historic Downtown, this pedestrian-friendly area is home to both homeowners and renters. Residents are lower- to middle-income laborers.

EDUCATION

Easton's youth attend school in one of two districts: the Easton Area School District and the Wilson Area School District. Easton's school district serves the students within the city limits, while the Wilson school district serves children outside the city limits.

The city has one post-secondary school, Lafayette College, which was founded in 1826. It is a private liberal arts and engineering college offering undergraduate programs.

BEST BETS

• Crayola Factory: This facility is not truly a factory but rather a museum geared toward children. It has a number of interactive exhibits for kids to enjoy. The "factory" hosts workshops and classes and is available for parties.
• State Theatre Center for the Arts: This theater is located in the historic downtown area. A variety of plays are held here throughout the year. Rumor has it the theater haunted by a ghost named Fred.
• Centre Square: Also located downtown, this historic square serves as a Civil War memorial. The streets in this area are lined with small shops and offices. Special activities sometimes take place here, such as the annual Jazz in the Square festival.
• Antique Shopping: There are quite a few antique shops scattered around town; several of them are in the historic downtown area.
• Golfing: There are plenty of golf courses located around the city for residents and visitors to enjoy.
• Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society: Housed in an early 19th-century home, the society exhibits artifacts from the local area.
• National Canal Museum: Located near the Crayola Factory, this museum has four galleries with hands-on exhibits for all ages. The unique museum shares the story of America's canals.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Easton was one of the first three sites of the reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
• Actor Daniel Dae Kim grew up in Easton after his family moved to the United States from South Korea.
• Rumors that the Easton Public Library is haunted date back to the early 1900s. The library was built on a former cemetery. Although many of the bodies were moved, about 30 went unclaimed and were reburied on the property.