The History of an Allentown Landmark

This article discusses the history of the Allentown landmarks. It covers Adams Island, Hess' Department Store, Trout Hall, and the Neuweiler Brewery, just to name a few. These historic buildings have been a staple of the Allentown landscape for years.

The history of Hess's Department Store in the Pennsylvania town of Allentown began in the early 1900s. After Max Hess Sr., the store's founder, died in 1922, he left the family business to his nephew, Max Hess Jr. At the time, he was eighteen years old and attending Muhlenberg College. Three years later, he dropped out of college and took over as store president.

The first Hess department store opened in Allentown in 1897. The store quickly expanded and eventually encompassed a city block. It offered shoppers the experience of shopping in a big city, with elaborate Christmas displays, fashion shows, and festive window displays. However, the Hess Brothers eventually sold off the department store chain to different department store chains, and the flagship store closed in the early 1990s. Today, the site is part of the PPL Center.

History buffs can visit Trout Hall, a historic house museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The mansion was built in the late 1760s and served as a museum and library operated by the local historical society. It holds artifacts from the American Revolutionary War era. For this reason, the building is a must-see for history buffs. In addition, you can learn more about the history of Allentown's early years at the museum.

The first movie theater in Allentown opened in 1921. The 1,800-seat theater had a balcony. The theater featured an organ with a full-time organist to play the music for silent movies. The theater changed from showing silent films to sound films about two years later. In the late 1920s, it was the second-largest theater in Allentown. In addition to offering multiple film showings a day, it also had a children's play area. Unfortunately, the theater closed in 2005. Today, it sits vacant.

The Neuweiler Brewery, Allentown, Pennsylvania's history can be traced back to the early 1900s. In the early part of the 20th century, it was a leading local beer producer. It was one of the first canneries in the country, and it was still profitable in the early 1950s. However, by the late 1960s, the brewery had started losing market share. By the end of 1968, the company was in debt and filed for bankruptcy. Eventually, production ceased, and the company finally closed.

The company was founded in 1878 by Benedict Nuding, who began brewing beer in the back of an old hotel on Seventh Street. In 1900, Louis Neuwiler bought the company and expanded its operations. In 1911, he built a new production facility. At the time, Neuwiler brewed a wide range of beers, including light lager, cream ale, stock ale, porter, and Hochberg.

This historic Allentown landmark has been a center for commerce for years. While tanneries and sawmills marked its early days, today, it is home to a thriving community of restaurants, breweries, hotels, and businesses. It was recently named one of the best small towns in New York by Travel & Leisure.

The manor is the only remaining American Revolution-era landmark in Allentown. Built in 1770, it served as a refuge and school during the Revolutionary War. Its various owners changed the function of the manor as time went by.