History's Headlines: Maps of the Lehigh Valley

For a true map lover, particularly one interested in local history, a visit to Muhlenberg College’s Trexler Library is a must. There on level three on the wall are two huge, framed and under glass maps of the city of Allentown and Lehigh County. They are a gift of the Ray R. Brennen Collection. Brennan was a 1935 graduate of the College. Both maps were created in the mid-19th century and have detailed information about the city. They offer a view of a time when Allentown’s real estate market was hot. The map from 1862 shows the homes of wealthy lawyers and iron furnace owners. The other was done in 1870 and offered lots that stretched out to almost the vicinity of 15th Street, although at the time the city went only a little way beyond 11th Street. It showed the empty tracts of land with their owner’s name so potential buyers would know who to contact.
These are just two of the many historical maps that offer a snapshot of the Lehigh Valley at a particular point in time. But not everyone has the time to get to the many repositories, colleges, historical societies or other institutions that house them. To remedy this problem, in 2019 the Lehigh Valley Historical Maps Consortium, made up of a number of local institutions, including the Muhlenberg College Archives, the Moravian Historical Society and Lafayette College, launched a new website, “Historical Maps of the Lehigh Valley.”
View Frank Whelan's full story at WFMZ.com:
www.wfmz.com/f...
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