William Parsons

Season 3, Episode 14 Lehigh Valley Landmarks AKA Landmarks With Leon

William Parsons and Easton Public Library

What would a city leave behind when it demolishes an entire cemetery to build a library? In 1901, Easton relocated nearly every grave—but preserved two, including that of William Parsons, the self-taught mathematician and surveyor who laid out Easton’s original streets and central square in 1750. From shoemaker to Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, Parsons helped shape the city he would ultimately call home. Click to listen to Lehigh Valley Landmarks, AKA Landmarks with Leon, and uncover the remarkable story of the man whose blueprint became Easton—and whose grave still remains where he was buried more than 265 years ago.