When we look back into our history, we often don’t realize that many of our local boroughs and small towns are dotted with small barns and stables. They are present because earlier there were not many automobiles, and the people relied on horses and wagons or buggies as their major means of transportation. Being smaller than the rural barns used for agriculture, they provided much-needed shelter for their horses, feed, wagons or buggy.

The three we have chosen have been converted into businesses or garages over the years. You will find them in our alleys. W&D Beers Plumbing and Heating; Newhard Bakery, which housed horses for home delivery; and C.W. Shoemaker, who operated a painting and paperhanging business in both Northampton and Allentown, are featured in this column.

***

In two weeks, I’ll begin a new series titled “Coal to War.”