Allentown

Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania’s third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 106,632. It is the county seat of Lehigh County. The City of Allentown is home to a variety of cultural and education facilities including two colleges, an art museum, two theatre companies, two symphony orchestras, a Municipal Opera Company, the Allentown Band, and an expanded free Public Library. The City maintains 2,000 acres of park land, well above the national average. New enterprises are being attracted to the central business district on Hamilton Street. Increased downtown activity is becoming a catalyst for continuing interest in the area.

Located on the Lehigh River, Allentown is the largest of three adjacent cities that make up a region of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey known as the Lehigh Valley, with the cities of Bethlehem and Easton nearby. Allentown is 60 miles (97 km) north of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the United States, and 90 miles (140 km) west of New York City, the nation’s largest city.

Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, a highly popular amusement park, is located just outside Allentown. Two four-year colleges, Cedar Crest College and Muhlenberg College, are located in the city.