History, Culture and Fun in Easton, Pennsylvania

Easton, Pennsylvania, is the gateway to the Pocono Mountains, sitting at the head of the scenic Delaware River Canal, which runs sixty miles up from Bristol. Nineteenth century homes on hilly streets, an old fashioned downtown and the requisite Civil War memorial in the central town square give Easton a Victorian flair. A favorite route to Easton from the south is the River Road, a winding, scenic route along the Canal that goes through several small villages (all with at least one antique shop), passes historic landmarks and finally reaches Easton, where the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers and Canals converge. And yes, this is THAT Easton, home of former heavyweight boxing champ Larry Holmes. Easton offers cultural, historical and just plain fun attractions that appeal to a wide range of ages and interests.

National Canal Museum: The National Canal Museum, located at Centre Square in Easton, is the only museum in the country that tells the story of America's towpath canals. Three galleries feature hands-on, interactive exhibits that entertain and educate. The Waterworks Gallery features a 90-foot long model canal where visitors learn about locks and inclined planes, how boats float and the secrets to how mules pulled 100-ton boats along the canal. G-gauge trains painted with the names of Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley and Jersey Central railroads, and railroad artifacts and memorabilia are displayed at the "All Aboard!" railroading exhibit. At the Towpath Town gallery visitors can see demonstrations of mule harnessing and the operation of the lever and pulley system of the canal, and learn abut the experiences and life style of the cannallers and their families.

Josiah White Canal Boat Ride: This boat is named after Josiah White, a Quaker businessman and co-founder of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. White realized in the early 1800s that lack of convenient transport hindered commerce and manufacturing, and that anthracite coal, abundant in Pennsylvania, was far superior to wood and soft coal for heating, smelting and fuel. White was instrumental in the construction of canals, locks and dams, steam boats, iron-works and railroads, as well as in the founding of the resulting communities that sprang up. When the Delaware Canal construction, meant to connect with the Lehigh Navigation system above Easton, was stymied by bad design and faulty workmanship, White intervened and saved the project.

Trips on the mule-powered Josiah White II Canal Boat Ride feature a narration of the history of regional canals, as well as descriptions of life along the canals, by interpreters in period costumes. Sights along the voyage include the Locktender's House, the canal locks and 19th century industrial ruins. Visitors are even introduced to the mule team. The boat runs from May to September, holds Canal Boat Dinner Cruises including food and entertainment and can be chartered for private events.

Crayola® Factory Discovery Center: You can't NOT take the kids to The Crayola Factory Discovery Center. Visitors learn the history of Crayola and its products and the entire lobby is one big gift shop. Everyone will delight in touring the visitor center and museum and participating in interactive activities designed to show how Crayola crayons have been made since 1903. The visitor center presents different themes and projects each quarter and has over a dozen permanent exhibits. Visitors are encouraged to unleash their creative abilities by designing their own souvenir and watching it be molded, labeled and packed.

Lafayette College Art Galleries: High on a hill at the edge of Easton sits Lafayette College's wooded campus, which houses three major art venues. The Richard A. and Rissa W. Grossman Gallery, located in the Williams Visual Arts Building, displays the works of students, faculty, visiting artists, regional artists and high school students. The shows are complemented by lectures, panel discussions and workshops. The Morris R. Williams Center for the Arts presents exciting performance and visual programs in its Performance Series, College Theater, and Art Gallery. The Lass Gallery and Simon Room, located in the Skillman Library, exhibits photography and works on paper, and is home to Lafayette's Special Collections Room and Archives Department.

For a more comprehensive description of things to do in and around Easton, visit EastonPa.online.