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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Why Was Allentown Once Called Peanutville?

While researching my post about baseball Hall of Famer King Kelly, I learned that in 1894, Allentown was sometimes called Peanutville. Does anybody know why?

16 comments:

michael molovinsky said...

i can tell you that peanut roasting was widespread in the area. a former old-time grocer on the NE corner of 7th and chew (currently apartment building) roasted up till 1975. another "southern" crop used here was tobacco, allentown was a major cigar manufacture into the 1920's. tobacco dealers still existed into the 50's.

Anonymous said...

On Hamilton Mall there was a dear candy and peanut roasting shop. Guess it was forced out but in the 80s, it was very popular. Frank Whelan might know, if you gave him a call.

michael molovinsky said...

it was called the nut hut, and was on the alley corner between 7th and 8th. the shops i refer to, go back to the turn of last century. along side of the church at 6th and tilghman, was a little narrow store, since torn down, which also roasted. that church, although gothic looking, was built as a synagogue.

LVCI said...

"Why Was Allentown Once Called Peanutville?"

Cause we're nutz?

Anonymous said...

PA Dutch Vendors lined Hamilton between 1880 and cica 1920 and sold roasted peanuts on the street. On Saturday nights young men would walk up and down the street looking to meet girls and would toss their peanut shells on the ground.

Sunday morning the shop owners on Hamilton open their shops and have a sidewalk that was almost ankle deep in peanut shells.

This helped with the nickname I am sure.

Anonymous said...

Don't know But I do know hat Allentown's real name was Northamptontown but everyone referred to it is "Allen's town" since Allen owned it and they gave up trying to call it Northamptontown and changed it to Allentown.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Everyone, Thanks for the answers. I think Anon 8:36 may be onto something. I remember the nut shop in Allentown.

michael molovinsky said...

as a child visiting on new st. in south bethlehem, i remember hot chestnut vendors. allentown still has street vendors, but the merchandize has changed

Monkey Momma said...

The nut hut was sold and eventually became the Hamilton Perk. It folded after the LANTA buses moved off of hamilton and that bus stop right out front went away.

Anonymous said...

So you don't know? I thought you were going to tell us at the end of the day.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Sorry, I'm stumped. I saw the references in the 1894 news clippings and will do more research to learn why. Anon 8:36 sounds right.

Anonymous said...

I have to go to the Lehigh County Heritage Center. I'll see if they know.

Bernie O'Hare said...

If you find out before I do, please share.

Anonymous said...

THe guy at the LEhigh County Historial Museum he has heard Allentown referred to as "Peanutville" many times but he didn't know why. He did say there is a little village outside of Catasaqua called "Dark Town" because it was the last part of the Valley to get electricity.

Quincy said...

Drop the "pea" and that sums up Allentown today - both the people who run it and the people who aren't smart enough to leave.

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