History
Muhlenberg College was founded in 1848 as the Allentown Seminary by Reverend Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. Reverend Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. Between 1848 and 1867, the school operated as the Allentown Seminary, the Allentown Collegiate and Military Institute and the Allentown Collegiate Institute. Then in 1867, the college moved into Trout Hall and was renamed after Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America. Henry Muhlenberg's great-grandson, Reverend Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, served as president of the college from 1867 to 1876. In 1905, the college purchased and relocated to its current location in Allentown's West End.
Location
Allentown is a city of about 100,000 people, located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Allentown is situated on the Lehigh River, with the cities of Bethlehem and Easton nearby (also in the Lehigh Valley). It is also roughly 60 miles north of Philadelphia and 90 miles west of New York City.
There are all sorts of urban amenities and attractions in Allentown. Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom are popular amusement parks located just outside Allentown. There are also a number of cinemas and theatres nearby.
Campus
Muhlenberg's 81-acre campus is located in a residential neighborhood in Allentown's West End. Many campus building have distinctive red doors and are in the traditional European/Protestant style.
The Library Building, now called the Haas College Center, was built between 1926 and 1929. Miller Tower rises from the Haas College Center. It was inspired by Oxford University's Christopher Wren-designed Tom Tower, and it is named for David A. Miller (Class of 1894), founder of Allentown's The Morning Call newspaper.
In 2007, a new science building and an additional residence hall have been completed.
As well as the main campus, Muhlenberg maintains the Lee and Virginia Graver Arboretum and a separate wildlife sanctuary.
The arboretum is more than 40 years old. It was established by Dr. Lee and Virginia Graver, who cultivated wildflowers, ferns, rhododendrons, and a variety of trees, including more than 150 conifer species. The Gravers donated their property to Muhlenberg College in 1994.
Issues
Do you have an issue with Muhlenberg College? Write a review and give us your gripe!