E1638 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 21, 2012 

hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and to 

pay tribute to the many contributions its residents have made to the cultural fabric of 

Pennsylvania and our nation. 

The area that is now Allentown was originally settled as Northamptontown in 1762 by 

William Allen. Allen was a wealthy shipping 

merchant and prominent Pennsylvanian. He 

was Chief Justice of Colonial Pennsylvania’s 

Supreme Court and had previously served as 

mayor of Philadelphia. Given its location along 

the Lehigh River and proximity to Philadelphia, 

Allen believed land he acquired north of the 

City of Brotherly Love would make an ideal 

center of commerce. Soon, a small village of 

roughly a dozen wooden cabins was established and immediately began growing into a 

busy town. 

The town’s first taste of national acclaim 

came during the American Revolution, when 

numerous large bells from nearby Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, were hidden in 

Zion’s United Church of Christ to prevent them 

from being melted into cannons by British soldiers. Without the brave efforts of Allentown’s 

patriotic residents, one of our nation’s most famous and inspiring icons may have been lost 

forever. 

While the town was formally incorporated as 

the borough of Northamptontown in 1811, 

most resident’s referred to the bustling village 

as ‘‘Allen’s town’’, a term initially used by 

founding father John Adams in a diary entry. 

The following year, Lehigh County was founded and Northamptontown was chosen as the 

county seat. After years of popular usage, the 

nickname ‘‘Allen’s town’’, was adapted into the 

town’s official name, ‘‘Allentown,’’ in 1838. 

For the first several decades of its existence, Allentown remained a small Pennsylvania German (Dutch) village, populated mostly by farmers and tradesmen. However, the industrial revolution of the early 19th Century 

dramatically transformed the economy of the 

entire eastern Pennsylvania region. Allentown’s powerful iron industry fed the rapid 

growth of the nation’s railroads in the mid– 

1800s. As more metal was required to lay 

tracks across the expanding nation, Allentown 

prospered. The growth of the Lehigh Valley 

Railroad and the Lehigh Canal allowed vast 

quantities of raw materials and finished goods 

to move through Allentown to markets far and 

wide. Through industrialization, the city finally 

achieved William Allen’s dream of becoming a 

major commercial center. 

After the financial crises of the late 1800s, 

the turn of the century gave rise to Allentown 

as a preeminent producer of silks and other 

beautiful textiles. The arrival of iconic Mack 

Trucks in 1905 also reinvigorated the city as 

a manufacturing center. In 1928, the completion of the PPL tower, the area’s first skyscraper, displayed Allentown’s industrial might 

to anyone traveling in the Lehigh Valley. The 

tower’s signature gold and red lit peak still illuminates the Allentown sky at night, illustrating 

the city’s rich industrial history and bright economic future. 

Today, Allentown supports a diverse array 

of industries in manufacturing and services. It 

is home to superb institutions of higher learning, including Cedar Crest College, Muhlenberg College, and a satellite campus of Lehigh 

Carbon Community College, that prepare 

thousands of students each year for careers in 

the modern economy. 

In addition to industry and education, Allentown provides the region with outstanding recreational opportunities. Throughout the year, 

local residents enjoy the city’s beautiful and 

expansive park system. From cross-country 

skiing through Lehigh Parkway in the winter 

months to riding a bicycle on the challenging 

loop at Trexler Park under the summer sun, 

Allentown’s renowned parks offer a little something for everyone. And for those more interested in watching than participating, Allentown 

is a great location for sports fans. The city is 

home to the wildly popular Lehigh Valley 

IronPigs, the AAA affiliate of the nearby Philadelphia Phillies. Furthermore, upon the completion of a new arena downtown, the Philadelphia Flyers’ minor league hockey team, the 

Phantoms, will also call Allentown home. 

While Allentown is certainly the quintessential American city, it is also distinctively 

unique. Residents of the city’s western neighborhoods understand better than anyone in 

the country how truly powerful a tiny Canary 

can be, and anyone living in the East Side 

knows where to find the best clams in Pennsylvania. And like the greatest cities in our nation, Allentown is comprised of residents from 

many unique cultures across the globe. In addition to descendants of the region’s original 

German settlers, the city today features a diverse population of European, Hispanic, Caribbean, African, Asian and Middle Eastern origins. Embracing and celebrating their differences helps bring the people of Allentown 

together, but it is their shared love for this extraordinary city that truly unifies neighbors. 

This year, Allentown is marking its quartermillennial anniversary with a calendar full of 

activities celebrating arts, culture, history, and 

community. Celebration Weekend, which will 

be held from September 27th to the 29th, will 

include a community festival highlighting the 

diversity of the city, an ecumenical prayer 

service, a ‘‘red carpet restaurant night,’’ and a 

parade organized around the theme ‘‘City 

Without Limits: Points of Pride.’’ The year’s 

activities will draw to a close with a spectacular New Year’s Eve Finale. 

Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm and 

pride that I honor the city in which I was privileged to be born and raised, and where I have 

been blessed to raise a family of my own. I 

would ask all my colleagues to join me in congratulating the City of Allentown on the 250th 

anniversary of its founding. 

f 

NATIONAL SURGICAL 

TECHNOLOGISTS WEEK 

HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, in operating rooms and in hospitals across the great 

state of Tennessee, there is a team of professional and dedicated workers who serve us in 

some of our most frail and vulnerable moments. As we celebrate National Surgical 

Technologists Week, I rise to honor those surgical technologists who have dedicated their 

life’s work to the care, service, and work of 

our healing. 

From processing surgical instruments to focusing on patient care and everything in between, Surgical Technologists are a crucial 

part of patient care. I ask my colleagues to 

join with me in thanking them and the Tennessee Association of Surgical Technologists 

for their works of mercy, especially during National Surgical Technologists Week. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE 101ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF 

CHINA 

HON. TOM REED OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, October 10th of 

this year marks 101 years of the Republic of 

China (ROC). In those 101 years, the United 

States has had the support of few better 

friends or allies in any part of the world—let 

alone in the ever-increasingly strategically important Asia Pacific region—than the ROC. Inspired by the American ideals of individual liberty and freedom, the ROC and United States 

have stood beside each other in some of our 

two lands’ darkest hours and most challenging 

times. 

Our two governments have stood side by 

side during the most trying times of the 20th 

century. Armed international conflicts have 

tested our relations, but we have emerged as 

two thriving nations. Our democracies are a 

shining example for which emerging nations 

aspire to become just as the ROC was one 

hundred and one years ago. 

On this monumental occasion, I urge all of 

my colleagues to join me in recognizing this 

milestone achievement in the history of the 

ROC. As one our closest allies in the Asia-Pacific region, we must continuously strive to 

strengthen the relationship between our countries. Let us continue to promote the fine 

democratic examples which the ROC has set 

for the world to see. We look forward to maintaining our strong relationship with the ROC 

for years to come, and we wish their country 

continued prosperity throughout its second 

century. 

f 

SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH 

HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

recognize September as Suicide Prevention 

Month. With nearly 30,000 Americans losing 

their lives to suicide each year, far too many 

of our friends and family members are not receiving the support and assistance so desperately needed. Suicide touches all groups, 

young and old, and knows no religious or ethnic boundaries. Today, however, I wish to 

focus on two groups who are disproportionately impacted by suicide. 

The first is our veterans—a growing number 

of suicides comes from within the ranks of 

those who have served or are serving in our 

armed forces. For many of our troops, repeated deployments and prolonged combat 

has exposed them to high amounts of stressi 

creating invisible wounds that contribute to 

suicide. These heroes put their lives on the 

line every day and upon returning, they deserve our support. We need to be there for 

our armed forces—veteran and active duty 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS