The West Side of Bethlehem
I want to tell you about my part of town, West Bethlehem. Do you like tree lined streets?…nice people?…finding a quiet place to run, or walk the dog? Move to the West Side! It’s a great place to live.
The general boundaries of the West Side are from the Lehigh River north to Route 22, the western edge is Club Ave., and the eastern side is Main Street downtown.
The West Side is made of various neighborhoods. Places called Mt. Airy, Rosemont. Rosemont, Rosemont Manor, Old Rosemont, Kaywin, Beth-Allen Gardens, Fireside Estates, Alexander Park, Catasauqua Gardens, Central Park West, Riverview, Monocacy Village plus there are lots of neighborhoods which don’t have names but they are all very nice places to live.
Generally speaking most of the west side is made up turn of the century architecture. The numbered avenues and named street are lined with twin (double) homes. Some are quite small while others are 3 floors full of huge rooms and space. Craftsman homes, big Victorian mansions and Cape Cod homes also dot the landscape. And then nestled along the Lehigh River are townhomes, apartments and a large apartment building and then right in the middle of things is Hold Family Manor the retirement community which was started in one of the original mansions of the time.
Lots of Activity
But here on the west side from morning to night you will see citizens walking, running, strolling, out with babies and dogs – all enjoying the tree lined streets and quiet avenues. We really enjoy our neighbors and neighborhood. Though we may not know one another by name we still say hello when we pass on the sidewalk.
Interestingly enough, when people move to the West Side of Bethlehem, many do not leave. If in need of a larger home, the new house usually is still in the neighborhood; just down the street or around the corner from the old house.
Local retailers are all close by. Highways and byways are close too. There are a few restaurants within walking distance and Main Street is not far either.
Nearby Restaurants and Stores
Within walking distance of the west side you can get something to eat from casual to fancy – you choose. There are a few local pizza parlors. One is called The Bethlehem Parlour where you can dine-in or get take out. The menu is varied with lots of wonderful versions of pizza as well as sandwiches and salads. We’ve created our own pizza with toppings of our choosing. The pizza was good. If you didn’t want to eat pizza go for dessert! The gelato bar is full of wonderful flavors everything from the classic to the sublime. Chocolate is always my go to flavor but when I was there I enjoyed a classic blood orange flavor that was delicious.
US Post Offices on the West Side of Bethlehem
There are a couple of US Post Offices which are convenient to the West Side. Nestled in the corner of the Giant shopping center at the corner of Pennsylvania Ave. and Union Blvd. is the closest post office to most of us. It is called the West Side Post office and its address is 2114 W. Union Blvd. The main Post Office is the Wood Street Post Office and it is on the eastern side of Bethlehem. It is at the corner of East Broad Street and Wood Street. The Wood Street post office has a self serve lobby which is available 24 hours, so if you happen to get there and the counter is just closing the Lobby is always available to get the parcel in the mail.
