Hamilton Street is a major thoroughfare and historic street in theCenter City section ofAllentown, Pennsylvania. The street dates back to 1762, when Allentown's founder,William Allen, included it as one of the first of several streets to be constructed in the city.[1]
Three City Center at 515 West Hamilton StreetAmericus Hotel, a historicCenter City Allentown hotel, at 541 Hamilton StreetPPL Center at 701 Hamilton Street (on left) and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, honoringUnion Army andSpanish–American War veterans, at Center Square on Hamilton Street (on right)
Hamilton Street begins at the end of Hanover Avenue just east of theLehigh River inAllentown's east-side, then crosses the Lehigh River, and proceeds throughCenter City Allentown, where it becomesPA Route 222 past 13th Street in Allentown's west-side.
Hamilton Street was one of the first streets developed in the 18th century byWilliam Allen, a shipping merchant and formermayor of Philadelphia. On September 10, 1735, Allen acquired 5,000-acre (20 km2) that includes present-dayCenter City Allentown, fromJoseph Turner, an iron manufacturer and also a former mayor of Philadelphia.
In September 2014, a major development project was completed on Hamilton Street, which included the construction and opening ofPPL Center, an 8,500 indoor arena that serves as the home arena for theLehigh Valley Phantoms, anAmerican Hockey League team and the primary development hockey team for thePhiladelphia Flyers. The arena also hosts major concerts, sports, and entertainment events throughout the year.[4]
The City of Allentown holds its annual "Classics & Cruisers" event on Hamilton Street, which featuresclassic cars from the 1970s and 1980s.[5]
Americus Hotel, a historic 13-story hotel, built between 1926 and 1927, is located at 541 Hamilton Street.
Farr Building, a historic retail and residential building built on the grounds of a former hospital for woundedContinental Army troops during theRevolutionary War, is located at 739 Hamilton Street.
PPL Building, a 24-story headquarters ofPPL Corporation, is the tallest building inAllentown and the greaterLehigh Valley metropolitan area at 98.02 m (321.6 ft) in height, i located at 2 N. 9th Street, at the corner of 9th and Hamilton Streets.
Trout Hall, aGeorgian-style home, one of Allentown's oldest still-standing structures, built between 1768 and 1770, is the current location of theLehigh County Historical Society's library and museum.
PA 222
