Lafayette College - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Please do not let Lafayette’s surrounding area deter you—it’s really not that bad! Easton, an old steel-manufacturing city that boasted a large manufacturing center for many years, might not seem like much to write home about. Besides the actual College Hill, it is an old, run-down, residential area that needs a lot of fixing up before it can draw in visitors that should visit for the interesting attractions that are actually available. The city is working to get students off the Hill, however, by planning activities like Lafayette Day in the Square, but the college and Easton don’t seem to communicate well with each other—Lafayette Day was during the college’s fall break last year.

Oftentimes, a student will say, “I have to do the Crayola Factory before I graduate,” but most of the time, one that lives on the Hill stays on the Hill. That’s the problem with Easton, Pa., its best efforts aren’t enough to attract its most valuable visitors—Lafayette College students. Easton lacks a certain spark, but it is trying to become a college town. It just has a lot of work to do.
 

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

There are some strange characters... There are some strange characters wandering around the streets of Easton, but as long as you walk around with a friend or two, it’s pretty safe. There aren’t any other colleges in walking distance, but Lehigh and Muhlenberg aren’t too far away. I can’t think of anything to stay away from, but you should definitely visit Purple Cow Creamery and the Crayola Factory while you’re here. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Easton is a quiet town with not... Easton is a quiet town with not much to do; however, I have never felt lacking in stuff to do, there’s enough on campus. I’ve only gone down to the center of town two times in this whole semester. There are two nearby malls that the student government provides transportation to on the weekends. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

I love the atmosphere. I think... I love the atmosphere. I think there is always something you can do, weekdays or weekends, drinking and non-drinking. I think the College tries to provide the students with a lot of events that are not always successful, but if you are looking for something to do, you can find it. There are some places to go that are relatively close, like Philadelphia, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Allentown, and New Hope, but it is only convenient if you have transportation. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

As my time has passed at... As my time has passed at Lafayette, I have actually grown to love Easton. There is one main strip in the city that is just down the hill, and there are all these really cute little specialty shops here, as well as three cute coffee houses, the Crayola Factory (which is fun even if you’re 22), tons of places to eat (Subway, McDonald’s, Perkins, and nicer places like Pearly Bakers), and a few bars that Lafayette students frequent.If you can get your hands on a car, Easton has all the essential college student places like Wal-Mart, Kmart, Chinese buffets, Italian restaurants, movie theaters, bowling alleys, lots of churches, tons of places to volunteer like Easton High School or the Girls and Boys Club, thrift shops, two malls close by, and tons of other fun stuff. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

In terms of attractions, Easton... In terms of attractions, Easton offers very little. The Crayola Factory, the River Grille, and the bars downtown in the Circle offer some entertainment. If you are feeling adventurous, there are some great bars in Allentown, such as Crocodile Rock and Banana Joe’s.There is also a great variety of restaurants in both Easton and Allentown, including Thai, Indian, and Japanese. If you look hard enough, there are things to do. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Lafayette:
• In 1736, Thomas Penn, son of William Penn, and Benjamin Eastburn, surveyor general, selected and surveyed the “thousand acre tract” of land at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. William Parsons and Nicholas Scull began their survey for a town in the 1750s at a spot called by the Indians “Lechanwitauk” or “the place at the forks.” The new town was to be called Easton in the new county of Northampton.
• Easton is home to the Crayola Factory, which opened in 1996 and has more than 300,000 visitors each year. You can tour the actual factory, wander through the museum, and visit the large visitor’s center and gift shop.
• Binney & Smith, maker of Crayola products, produces nearly 3 billion crayons each year, an average of 12 million daily.
• On July 8, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud in Easton’s Center Square. The only other towns that can say the same are Trenton, NJ, and Philadelphia.
• One of the largest Pez museums is located on Bank Street in Easton.

Famous Eastonites:
Former heavyweight boxing champ Larry Holmes grew up, trained, and lives in Easton. Holmes also owns a boxing gym and restaurant within city limits.

Local Slang:
Fro yo – Frozen yogurt.
‘Ware – Delaware River.
The Circle – Easton’s Center Square.
P-Burg – Phillipsburg.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Elisabeth Wraase
Hometown: Bethesda, MD
Major: English with a concentration in writing

Fun Fact: Elisabeth's favorite kind of ice cream is peanut butter cookies and cream from a local ice cream store at home.

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