When William Allen purchased the land that now houses Allentown in 1735 from his business partner, Joseph Turner, he wanted the town to turn into both a business center and possibly the seat of Northampton county. But the community did not take off right away. In 1811, the area reached incorporation, but only as a borough. It wasn't until 1838 that it reached town status with the name Allentown. Still at this time there was no factory or old-time metal bender to distinguish the town's industry.

The building of the Lehigh Canal in the 1830s was the start of something big for Allentown. Up until then local markets had been the only ones to support them. Heavy industry and manufacturing began to help the town grow and they seemed to be making everything from wire duct to finished goods. The Lehigh Valley Railroad also came into existence in this time and employed a large percentage of the city's population.

In addition to housing several businesses in the railroad and iron industries, Allentown also became known for having several breweries. There were no less than three major distilleries that started there in the mid to late 1800s. All of them have since closed their doors or been sold to larger businesses.

The Adalaide Silk Mill, which was one of the largest of its kind in the world at the time, helped to start a silk and textile industry in Allentown at the turn of the century. They were moving away from heavy building, where you might need a bench calibrator and this lasted through the 1930s when textiles went into decline. At one point there were over one hundred and fifty of these companies located in the city.

Mack Truck was the next to make a presence in Allentown. This is a well known company still existing across North American and you've likely worked with them as everything from a construction worker to a greenhouse supplier. This temporarily moved the city's focus back to heavy industry.

Today, you will find that Allentown has a very diverse economy with a strong focus on business and consumer services. They are also home to the headquarters of Bethlehem Steel, Air Products and Chemicals, and PPL Corporation, with the latter two being Fortune 500 companies. But, it's health care that is seeing the most rises in employment numbers over the last ten years, with the Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network employing nearly 8,000 area residents.

There are also some companies in the city with the goals of making kids happier. Crayola and the candy company Just Born both have factories in the area. There are opportunities for anyone to work in areas as diverse as media and publishing all the way to optic imagining.

If you're last job was building fin keels in a plant and you're looking for something more fulfilling, Allentown might be just the place to find it.

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