The Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society is offering a new virtual tour of the community. “From Past to Present: A Virtual Tour of Jewish Easton” was launched on May 1 and will be available permanently as a virtual activity through the society’s online platform.
In the 1650s, Dutchmen from New Amsterdam (present-day New York) were exploring the area that would become Northampton County. Among those explorers was a group of Jewish refugees from Brazil that had made an agreement with the Dutch West India Company to stay and settle in New Amsterdam. This Brazilian group was the first established Jewish community in North America.
On November 29, 1655, three of those explorers requested permission from the West India Company to travel and trade along the Delaware River. Although their request was denied, they were granted permission to send two others on a different expedition. This is where Easton’s Jewish history begins.
The 22-two stop virtual tour moves in chronological order, encompassing Easton’s downtown area between Scott Park and Sixth Street. Exact addresses or approximate locations are provided for anyone who wishes to walk through the sequence of tour stops. Citations, sources, and further reading material are provided at the end of the tour.
Access to the virtual tour is free for society members and $10 per device for nonmembers. Visit www.NCHGSpa.org to log in.