A personal injury attorney is supposed to see a city as a map of intersections. I see Easton as something better: one of Pennsylvania’s oldest towns, set at the confluence of two rivers, where the Declaration of Independence was read aloud in the public square in July 1776.

When a neighbor is hurt in a crash on Route 22 or a fall on a downtown sidewalk, they’re not a file number to me. So before the legal part, here’s the Easton I actually love.

01Getting Around

The streets and the rivers

Everything downtown orbits Centre Square — “the Circle” — where Northampton Street, the main commercial spine, crosses through. 3rd Street and Ferry Street fill out the restaurant district, and Cattell Street climbs up to the College Hill neighborhood and Lafayette College.

The bigger danger is on the edges: Route 22 and the I-78 corridor carry enormous truck traffic through the Valley, and the Northampton Street “free bridge” funnels cars across the Delaware into New Jersey. Those corridors are where I see the most serious crashes — and that highway work is a big part of what my firm does. More below.

02Where I Eat

The Easton table

Start at the Easton Public Market on Northampton Street — an indoor market of local vendors that’s become the downtown’s living room. Right on Centre Square, Pearly Baker’s Alehouse is the beloved old-fashioned anchor, and The Bayou brings Southern cooking to the same block.

And the rest of the lineup — for a memorable dinner there’s the rooftop Thyme Rooftop Grille with river views, modern Mexican at Mesa, seafood at 3rd & Ferry, and a pint at Vault Brewing or Two Rivers Brewing.

03What I Do

Family fun, art, and history

Easton is Crayola’s hometown, and the Crayola Experience right on Centre Square is the family attraction that puts the city on the map. For a quieter afternoon, the Sigal Museum tells the area’s story, the State Theatre hosts shows on Northampton Street, and the historic Easton Farmers’ Market is one of the oldest continuous open-air markets in the country.

04Where Our Kids Grow Up

The Easton schools

So much of what makes a place home comes down to its schools. Easton families are served by the Easton Area School District, anchored by Easton Area High School — home of the Red Rovers and one of the oldest high-school football rivalries in America, the Thanksgiving Day game against Phillipsburg across the river. As a parent and a neighbor, I care a lot about the school zones around them staying safe.