Books about Allentown from Amazon.com

In this book, Sean Safford compares the recent history of Allentown, Pennsylvania, with that of Youngstown, Ohio. Allentown has seen a noticeable rebound over the course of the past twenty years. Facing a collapse of its steel-making firms, its economy has reinvented itself by transforming existing companies, building an entrepreneurial sector, and attracting inward investment. Youngstown was similar to Allentown in its industrial history, the composition of its labor force, and other important variables, and yet instead of adapting in the face of acute economic crisis, it fell into a mean race to the bottom.

Challenging various theoretical perspectives on regional socioeconomic change, Why the Garden Club Couldn’t Save Youngstown argues that the structure of social networks among the cities’ economic, political, and civic leaders account for the divergent trajectories of post-industrial regions. It offers a probing historical explanation for the decline, fall, and unlikely rejuvenation of the Rust Belt. Emphasizing the power of social networks to shape action, determine access to and control over information and resources, define the contexts in which problems are viewed, and enable collective action in the face of externally generated crises, this book points toward present-day policy prescriptions for the ongoing plight of mature industrial regions in the U.S. and abroad.

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Price: $29.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Allentown, the Queen City of the Lehigh Valley, is the youngest but largest of the three cities in the valley. Founded in 1762 by William Allen, it was little more than a crossroads and small market town along the Lehigh River until it became the county seat in 1812. Heavy industries based on iron developed in the mid-eighteenth century along the Lehigh River and, by the 1860s, Allentown had become the largest community in the Lehigh Valley. In 1867, Allentown became a city. ÝÝIn Allentown, readers nostalgic for times past will find photographs showing the places they remember from years ago, the Pennsylvania Power & Light tower, and the effects of the devastating floods on the Lehigh River. Equally, newcomers who have heard about the great department stores of Hamilton Street, the trolley systems, Central Park, the breweries, and the iron and silk industries will treasure the images in this volume. Many places that still exist are shown in Allentown as they appeared in their earlier days. Perusing these pages will evoke memories and will provide opportunities for parents and grandparents to introduce a younger generation to the city as it was in their youth. ÝÝ.
Price: $12.60 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Enjoy a nostalgic look back at Allentown, Pennsylvania, during its "Golden Age," from the late 1890s through the 1950s. During this period, Allentown's citizens left behind their frugal Pennsylvania German traditions to take on the social and cultural trappings of the twentieth century. Capitalizing on a labor force swelled by an influx of immigrants, local entrepreneurs created many new businesses and factories. As their fortunes and aspirations grew, these men built large mansions, hotels, and public parks. Amusement parks sprang up, theaters were built on Hamilton Street, and Allentown became an All-American city with an upscale future. Over 360 images of vintage postcards and memorabilia bring this exciting time in Allentown's history to life..
Price: $17.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Allentown is many things to many different people. It is a historical city, a city of churches, a city of immigrants, and a place that values hard work, education, and recreation This is a city with rich and unique stories to tell. Allentown captures historical stories such as the hiding of the Liberty Bell, early railroad and canal transportation, and the training of World War I ambulance drivers. Other stories include how politics influenced the building of a world-class park system. This rare collection of postcards depicts how the people of Allentown shaped the city into their idea of the American dream. .
Price: $12.52 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Spend time along the mainlines of the LVRR, CNJ and Reading and visit smaller locations on the Ironton, Northampton & Bath, Erie-Lackawanna and the Lehigh & New England The beautiful scenery makes a wonderful setting for vintage railroad locomotives, freight cars and structures. Includes action and roster views of classic 1960's railroad motive power from huge 200-ton Lehigh Valley C628's to small industrial switchers serving local cement mills. Sure to please railroaders and model railroaders alike!.
Price: $37.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The celebrated book that led to the arrest of a pedophile with a forty year history of molesting children. Against the backdrop of postwar, blue collar America, Half the House depicts a family's struggles to care for two teminally ill children, recounts the sexual abuse to which the author at age ten was subjected by his coach, and explores the ways in which grief and rage estrange those who need each other most..
Price: $3.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]