List of city parks and recreation facilities of Allentown, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Lehigh Parkway, Allentown's biggest park, built in the 1930s.

Cedar Creek Park in Allentown's west side.

Franklin Park in 2021.

Allentown, Pennsylvania is famous for its amazing parks! These parks offer fun places for everyone to play, relax, and enjoy nature. From large green spaces to playgrounds and sports fields, Allentown's park system has a long history of providing great outdoor areas for its community.

History of Allentown's Parks
- Early Parks and Playgrounds
- Trexler's Legacy
Allentown's Parks and Fun Places

History of Allentown's Parks

The idea for Allentown's parks started in the early 1900s. A local businessman named Harry Clay Trexler was a big supporter. He was inspired by the "City Beautiful movement," which aimed to make cities more attractive with parks and green spaces.

Trexler brought in experts like B. A. Haldeman, a park consultant, and J. Franklin Meehan, a landscape architect. They helped plan how the city's parks would grow.

Early Parks and Playgrounds

In 1906, Trexler hired Meehan to design a park that opened in 1909. This became West Park. It has a special outdoor stage called a bandshell. The famous Allentown Band has played there for many years.

Soon, people realized that kids and teens needed places to play. The city council discussed ideas for playgrounds.

Allen Park was Allentown's very first city park. It became city property in 1908. Before that, it was a trash pit and a baseball field! It was turned into a beautiful park in an upscale part of the city.

In 1912, Fountain Park got the city's first public playground. Today, during summer breaks, all Allentown School District school grounds open up as neighborhood playgrounds.

Harry Trexler also helped create Cedar Creek Park, the Allentown Municipal Golf Course, and the Trout Nursery in Lehigh Parkway.

Trexler's Legacy

After Trexler passed away in 1933, his large summer home, a 142-acre area, was given to the City of Allentown. It was renamed Trexler Memorial Park. Even today, the Harry C. Trexler Trust helps pay for the care and development of Allentown's public parks.

Allentown's Parks and Fun Places

Here is a list of some of the parks and recreation spots you can find in Allentown:

Allen Park

South 4th and West Union Streets

Map location: 40°36′05″N 075°27′52″W / 40.60139°N 75.46444°W

This park is near Trout Hall and the Lehigh Country Heritage Museum.

Allentown Municipal Golf Course

3200 block West Tilghman Street

Map location: 40°35′49″N 075°32′05″W / 40.59694°N 75.53472°W

A public 18-hole golf course with a clubhouse.

Arts Park

North 4th and West Court Streets

Map location: 40°36′14″N 075°28′07″W / 40.60389°N 75.46861°W

Located on the Allentown Arts Walk, this park has two large bronze statues. They celebrate steel workers and the steel industry that was important to Allentown.

Earl F. Hunsicker Bicentennial Park

510 West Linden Street

Map location: 40°35′15″N 075°28′32″W / 40.58750°N 75.47556°W

A softball park, once home to the Philadelphia Force team.

Bucky Boyle Park

North Front and West Linden streets

Map location: 40°36′38″N 075°27′22″W / 40.61056°N 75.45611°W

Features two baseball fields and a big play area.

Canal Park

South Albert Street

Map location: 40°35′56″N 075°26′59″W / 40.59889°N 75.44972°W

A large, wooded park between the Lehigh Canal and Lehigh River. It has lots of green space.

Cedar Creek Park

Along Parkway Boulevard, West End of Allentown

Map location: 40°35′35″N 075°30′40″W / 40.59306°N 75.51111°W

This big park (over 90 acres) includes tennis courts, a children's play area, the Cedar Beach public swimming pool, and the Allentown Rose Garden. It's great for picnics and activities.

East Side Memorial Little League

South Bradford and East Maple Streets

Map location: 40°36′23″N 075°27′02″W / 40.60639°N 75.45056°W

A baseball field for Little League.

East Side Reservoir

South Halstead and East Union Streets

Map location: 40°36′34″N 075°26′27″W / 40.60944°N 75.44083°W

A large area perfect for picnics and outdoor fun.

East Side Youth Center

1140 East Clair Street

Map location: 40°37′01″N 075°26′11″W / 40.61694°N 75.43639°W

A youth center with fields for baseball and soccer.

Fellowship East Playlot

North 2nd and West Hamilton streets

Map location: 40°36′20″N 075°27′34″W / 40.60556°N 75.45944°W

A neighborhood playground.

Fountain Park

Lehigh Street and Martin Luther King Drive

Map location: 40°35′52″N 075°27′54″W / 40.59778°N 75.46500°W

A large park with a public swimming pool, picnic spots, and recreation areas.

Franklin Park

218 North 14th Street

Map location: 40°36′05″N 075°29′17″W / 40.60139°N 75.48806°W

Once a school, now a playground and parking lot.

Hamilton Park Playlot

South Ott Street and East Texas Boulevard

Map location: 40°35′03″N 075°30′28″W / 40.58417°N 75.50778°W

A large park with two baseball fields, tennis courts, a basketball court, a children's play area, and picnic spots.

Howard Keck Juniata Playlot

Keck and Juniata Streets

Map location: 40°35′07″N 075°28′25″W / 40.58528°N 75.47361°W

A neighborhood playground with picnic and recreation areas.

Irving Park

North Irving and East Tilghman streets

Map location: 40°37′12″N 075°26′25″W / 40.62000°N 75.44028°W

Established in 1940, it has a city swimming pool, baseball fields, basketball courts, and picnic areas.

Ithaca Playlot

Ithaca and 31st Street Southwest

Map location: 40°33′18″N 075°28′36″W / 40.55500°N 75.47667°W

A neighborhood playground with picnic and recreation areas.

Jordan Meadows

West Gordon Street and American Parkway

Map location: 40°36′43″N 075°27′56″W / 40.61194°N 75.46556°W

A large park with tennis and basketball courts, a running track, athletic fields, and wooded areas along Jordan Creek.

Jordan Park

Michigan Avenue and North Street Extension

Map location: 40°37′11″N 075°28′39″W / 40.61972°N 75.47750°W

Features a city public swimming pool and a large park with many baseball fields, tennis and basketball courts, and picnic areas along Jordan Creek.

Joseph S. Daddona Lake and Terrace

South St. Elmo and West Union streets

Map location: 40°35′32″N 075°29′46″W / 40.59222°N 75.49611°W

Formerly Union Terrace Park, this 21-acre park was built by the WPA. It has an outdoor amphitheater, Union Terrace Lake, baseball fields, and picnic areas.

Keck Park

South Austin Street

Map location: 40°36′07″N 075°26′42″W / 40.60194°N 75.44500°W

A driving park loop through a wooded area, with a large grassy space for picnics.

Kimmets Landing (Lehigh Canal)

Allentown Drive and North Dauphin Street

Map location: 40°37′32″N 075°27′32″W / 40.62556°N 75.45889°W

A former Lehigh Canal lock area with woods and small grassy spots.

Lehigh Landing

West Hamilton and North Front Streets

Map location: 40°36′24″N 075°27′23″W / 40.60667°N 75.45639°W

Part of the America On Wheels Museum area.

Lehigh Parkway

Entrance at Park Drive and Ward Street

Map location: 40°34′56″N 075°28′58″W / 40.58222°N 75.48278°W

Allentown's largest park, covering 629 acres. It was developed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s, providing jobs during the Great Depression. The park follows the Little Lehigh Stream for three miles and has scenic trails, bridle paths, a shooting range, and fishing spots.

Lumber and Benton Playlot

South Lunber and Benton Streets

Map location: 40°34′32″N 075°27′54″W / 40.57556°N 75.46500°W

A neighborhood playground.

Mack Pool

2100 Mack Boulevard

Map location: 40°34′27″N 075°28′12″W / 40.57417°N 75.47000°W

A city public swimming pool and recreation area.

Mountainville Memorial Youth Association

West Wabash and South 5th Streets

Map location: 40°34′54″N 075°27′31″W / 40.58167°N 75.45861°W

Features three baseball fields and a large recreation field.

Nice 13 Tot Lot

West Jackson and West Union streets

Map location: 40°35′55″N 075°28′28″W / 40.59861°N 75.47444°W

A children's playground.

Old Fairgrounds Playground

440 North 5th Street

Map location: 40°33′55″N 075°28′16″W / 40.56528°N 75.47111°W

A neighborhood playground.

Patriots Park (1939)

St. John and South Plumb streets

Map location: 40°35′24″N 075°28′31″W / 40.59000°N 75.47528°W

A baseball field, once home to the Allentown Patriots softball team. It has lights, stands, and a community building.

Percy B. Ruhe Park

Oxford Drive and Pearl Avenue

Map location: 40°33′49″N 075°29′38″W / 40.56361°N 75.49389°W

Formerly Alton Park Recreation Area, this large park has tennis courts, baseball fields, and picnic areas.

Roosevelt Park

Camp and South Woodward Streets

Map location: 40°35′34″N 075°27′22″W / 40.59278°N 75.45611°W

Seven acres in size, with a baseball field and picnic areas.

Salisbury Dr Playlot

3025 Salisbury Street

Map location: 40°33′51″N 075°29′52″W / 40.56417°N 75.49778°W

A neighborhood children's playground.

South Mountain Reservoir and Park

South 10th Street and Reservoir Road

Map location: 40°33′57″N 075°27′49″W / 40.56583°N 75.46361°W

A reservoir area with a long driving road, a large athletic field, and a park area with a scenic view from the top of South Mountain.

South Street Playlot

South and West Mosser Streets

Map location: 40°34′58″N 075°30′48″W / 40.58278°N 75.51333°W

A neighborhood children's playground with picnic and recreation areas.

Sterners Island

Island in Lehigh River, only accessible by boat

Map location: 40°36′36″N 075°25′35″W / 40.61000°N 75.42639°W

A long, large wooded island with no special facilities.

Stevens Park

North 6th and West Tilghman Streets

Map location: 40°36′43″N 075°28′28″W / 40.61194°N 75.47444°W

Formerly Stevens Elementary School, now a neighborhood children's playground.

Trexler Memorial Park

Springhouse Road

Map location: 40°35′33″N 075°31′44″W / 40.59250°N 75.52889°W

This was Harry Clay Trexler's summer home, given to Allentown after his death. It's a large park with a lake, a long biking road, and big grassy and wooded areas for picnics. It's also a wild game preserve, home to many ducks, geese, and swans.

Trout Creek Park

South 4th and Harrison streets

Map location: 40°35′33″N 075°31′44″W / 40.59250°N 75.52889°W

A large park along Trout Creek, mostly wooded and grassy, with picnic areas and a baseball field.

Turner and 4th Playlot

West Turner and North 4th streets

Map location: 40°36′23″N 075°27′57″W / 40.60639°N 75.46583°W

Mostly wooded and grassy areas for picnics and recreation.

Union Terrace

South and Elmo streets

Map location: 40°35′20″N 075°29′53″W / 40.58889°N 75.49806°W

A wooded area.

Valania Park

South Law and Union streets

Map location: 40°36′02″N 075°28′02″W / 40.60056°N 75.46722°W

Also known as John Valeniz Park, it has a children's playground, a basketball court, and a wooded area.

Waldon Terrace Playlot

South Carbon Street

Map location: 40°34′17″N 075°27′46″W / 40.57139°N 75.46278°W

A neighborhood children's playground with a basketball court, recreation field, and picnic area.

West Park

1550 West Turner Street

Map location: 40°35′57″N 075°29′26″W / 40.59917°N 75.49056°W

An elegant park with walking paths, a community bandshell (home of the Allentown Band), ornamental trees, flower gardens, and a large central fountain.

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List of city parks and recreation facilities of Allentown, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

List of city parks and recreation facilities of Allentown, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Contents

History of Allentown's Parks

Early Parks and Playgrounds

Trexler's Legacy

Allentown's Parks and Fun Places