Easton, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Easton, Pennsylvania
City
The Easton skyline in November 2007 Lafayette College Crayola Experience in Downtown Easton Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Centre Square Bushkill Park
Flag Seal
Location of Easton in Northampton County, Pennsylvania (left) and of Northampton County in Pennsylvania (right)
Easton, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Easton, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Northampton
First settled	1739; 286 years ago (1739)
Incorporated as a town	1752; 273 years ago (1752)
Incorporated as a city	January 12, 1887; 138 years ago (1887-01-12)
Area
• City	4.86 sq mi (12.59 km2)
• Land	4.26 sq mi (11.04 km2)
• Water	0.60 sq mi (1.54 km2)  12.35%
Elevation	211 ft (64 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	28,127
• Rank	4th in the Lehigh Valley 16th in Pennsylvania
• Density	6,597.94/sq mi (2,547.27/km2)
• Metro	865,310 (US: 68th)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	18040, 18042–18045
Area code(s)	610 and 484
FIPS code	42-21648
Primary airport	Lehigh Valley International Airport
Major hospital	Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest
School district	Easton Area
Website	City of Easton, Pennsylvania

Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's the main city of the county. In 2020, about 28,127 people lived there. Easton is special because it's where the Lehigh River meets the Delaware River. The Delaware River forms the city's eastern border with Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

Easton is the easternmost city in the Lehigh Valley. This region is Pennsylvania's third-largest and the nation's 68th-largest big city area. It has over 860,000 residents. Easton is the smallest of the three main cities in the Lehigh Valley, which also include Allentown and Bethlehem.

The area around Easton includes the city itself, three townships (Forks, Palmer, and Williams), and three smaller towns (Glendon, West Easton, and Wilson). In downtown Easton, you'll find Centre Square. This square has the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, which honors local veterans from the American Civil War. Every year, a large candle-like structure called the Peace Candle is put up on the monument for the holiday season.

Easton is about 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Allentown. It's also about 51 miles (82 km) north of Philadelphia and 64 miles (103 km) west of New York City.

Why is Easton Called Easton?

Easton, photographed by William H. Rau, around 1896

Crayola Experience in downtown Easton in November 2019

Easton got its name in 1751. Thomas Penn, the son of Pennsylvania's founder William Penn, asked for a new town to be named Easton. He wanted it to be where the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers meet.

The city was named in 1752 to honor Lady Juliana Fermor, Thomas Penn's wife. Her family's home was called the Easton Neston in England. The county, Northampton, was named after the area in England where her family estate was located.

Easton's History: A Journey Through Time

The Lenape Native Americans first called this area Lechauwitank. This means "the Place at the Forks," referring to where the rivers meet.

Easton in the 1700s

The land where Easton now stands was bought from the Lenape in 1737. This event is remembered with a plaque in Easton's town square.

In 1752, Easton was officially founded. It was chosen as the main town for Northampton County.

During the French and Indian War, an important agreement called the Treaty of Easton was signed here. It was between the British government and Native American tribes like the Shawnee and Lenape.

Easton played a big part in the American Revolution, which started in 1775. The city was one of only three places where the Declaration of Independence was read aloud for the first time. This happened on July 8, 1776. During this reading, the Easton Flag was flown. It was one of the first non-colonial flags to fly in the Thirteen Colonies. This flag is now Easton's city flag.

Easton also had a hospital to help injured soldiers during the war.

Easton in the 1800s

Because it was located where the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers meet, Easton became a major center for trade in the 1800s. It was a key spot for moving coal, iron, and steel. Canals like the Delaware Canal and the Lehigh Canal helped bring coal to big markets like Philadelphia and New York City. The Morris Canal also connected Easton to New Jersey.

Later, railroads started to replace canals. By the late 1860s, several railroads ran through Easton. These included the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which offered express passenger trains to New York City. Today, the Norfolk Southern Railway uses the main rail line through Easton.

In 1845, a local gunsmith named Samuel Phillipe is believed to have invented the six-strip split-cane bamboo fly rod in Easton. This invention is honored with a plaque near Centre Square.

Easton in the 1900s and 2000s

Easton in 1930

Many German families settled in Easton. They brought traditions like putting up Christmas trees. A plaque in Scott Park remembers a Christmas tree set up in Easton in 1816, one of the earliest on the continent.

In 1925, the largest fraternity in the nation, Alpha Phi Omega, was founded at Lafayette College in Easton.

Easton's Location and Areas

Soldiers and Sailors Monument, a memorial to local Civil War veterans in downtown Easton, November 2019

The Easton–Phillipsburg Toll Bridge, connecting Easton and Phillipsburg, New Jersey, in the Lehigh Valley

Larry Holmes Drive, an Easton street named in honor of Easton resident and former boxing heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, known as "The Easton Assassin"

Easton is located at 40°41′18″N 75°12′59″W. The city covers about 4.7 square miles (12.2 km2). Most of this is land, but about 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) is water. This includes Bushkill Creek and the Lehigh and Delaware rivers. There's also an island called Getter's Island.

Easton's Main Districts

Easton is divided into four main areas: Downtown, College Hill, South Side, and West Ward.

Downtown Easton

Downtown Easton is right where the Lehigh River and Delaware River meet. It's a lower area surrounded by hills. Downtown stretches west to Sixth Street.

College Hill

North of downtown is College Hill. This area is home to Lafayette College, a well-known school for liberal arts and engineering.

South Side

The South Side district is located south of the Lehigh River. It was once a separate town. This area was first settled by Native Americans and later by people who worked on the canals.

West Ward

The West Ward district is west of downtown. It covers much of west Easton between Sixth and Fifteenth Streets.

Easton's Weather

Easton has a climate with hot, humid summers. The average summer temperature is in the mid-80s Fahrenheit (around 29-30°C). Fall and spring are usually mild. Winters are cold, with about 30 inches (76 cm) of snow.

People of Easton

In 2010, about 67.2% of Easton's population was White, 16.8% Black or African American, and 2.4% Asian. About 19.9% of the people were of Latino background. The number of Latino residents has grown a lot, similar to increases in Allentown and Bethlehem.

In 2000, the average household had 2.46 people, and the average family had 3.10 people. The median age in the city was 32 years old.

Learning in Easton

Public Schools in Easton

The Easton Area School District serves students from Easton and nearby townships. It has seven elementary schools for grades K-5. There is also the Easton Area Middle School Campus for grades 6-8, and Easton Area High School for grades 9-12. About 8,289 students attend schools in the district.

Easton Area High School is famous for its sports rivalry with Phillipsburg High School in New Jersey. They play an annual football game on Thanksgiving Day. This is one of the oldest and biggest high school rivalries in America. In 2006, they celebrated their 100th game.

Easton Area High School is part of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. This conference includes 12 large high schools and is known for its strong athletic teams. Easton also has Notre Dame High School, which is a Catholic school.

Colleges in Easton

Lafayette College, founded in 1826 in Easton, April 2005

Easton is home to Lafayette College, a four-year college founded in 1826. Lafayette College is located in the College Hill area of Easton. In the 2022–2023 school year, it had 2,514 undergraduate students. In 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked Lafayette as one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country.

What's Made in Easton?

Easton is home to the Crayola Experience, a fun place with 27 interactive attractions for kids. It's owned by Crayola LLC, a big toy company. You can also visit the National Canal Museum to learn about the region's canal history.

Other companies with a presence in the area include Victaulic, which has its global headquarters nearby. Majestic Athletic, which makes uniforms for Major League Baseball, is also headquartered close by. Easton was once home to the Dixie Cup Corporation, which made Dixie Cups.

News and Media in Easton

Easton's daily newspaper is The Express-Times. You can also read The Morning Call, which is based in Allentown. Easton gets many radio and TV channels from Philadelphia, New York City, and the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area.

Two TV stations are based near Easton: WLVT Channel 39 (PBS) in Bethlehem and WFMZ Channel 69 (independent) in Allentown.

Several radio stations are based in Easton:

• WEEX (sports radio, 1230 AM)
• WODE-FM "The Hawk" (classic rock, 99.9 FM)
• WCTO "Cat Country 96" (country music, 96.1 FM)
• WJRH (Lafayette College radio, 104.9 FM)
• WEST "Loud Radio" (rhythmic contemporary, 99.5 FM)

Two national magazines, Runner's World and Bicycling, are also based in Easton.

Getting Around Easton

Roads and Highways

Map of Easton's Street Railway System, around 1912

I-78 East in Easton

Lehigh Valley International Airport in nearby Hanover Township, March 2014

A LANta bus in Easton in June 2005

Easton has about 72.75 miles (117.08 km) of public roads. Interstate 78 and U.S. Route 22 are major highways that pass through or near the city. Pennsylvania Route 611 runs along the east side of the city next to the Delaware River.

Airports

For air travel, Lehigh Valley International Airport is about 11 miles (18 km) west of Easton. There's also a smaller airport, Braden Airpark (Easton Airport), a few miles north of downtown.

Buses and Trains

Local bus service is provided by LANta, which serves Lehigh and Northampton counties. The Easton Intermodal Transportation Center in downtown Easton is a main stop for these buses. NJ Transit also offers bus service from Easton to Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Greyhound Lines provides bus service to other cities from the Intermodal Transportation Center. Trans-Bridge Lines offers regular bus service to New York City.

Easton does not have passenger train service. The main rail line through Easton is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway.

Famous People from Easton

Fun Events in Easton

Easton hosts several exciting events throughout the year:

• Baconfest: Held on the first weekend in November.
• Easton Garlic Festival: Held on the first weekend in October.
• Heritage Day: Celebrated in July.
• Riverside Festival of the Arts: Takes place in September.

Images for kids

• 

  Location of Easton in Northampton County, Pennsylvania (left) and of Northampton County in Pennsylvania (right)

• 

  Flag of Easton, Pennsylvania

• 

  City Seal of Easton, Pennsylvania

See also

In Spanish: Easton (Pensilvania) para niños