Founded in 1752, Easton is a city of 30,000 people located at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers in a metropolitan area with a population of 800,000.

Downtown Easton features specialty shops, restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, craft boutiques, and the State Theatre Center for the Arts. Many new businesses, offering everything from food to collectables, have opened their doors since the academic year began.

$150 million in major public/private building projects are proposed or under way, in addition to the Bushkill Creek Corridor revitalization. The city is home to a thriving - and growing - arts community and received White House designation as a "Preserve America" community for demonstrating the use of historic assets for economic and community revitalization. "Heritage tourism is showcasing Easton's rich past," said First Lady Laura Bush.

The city has a new form of government, a new mayor, and a newly accredited police department. New "downtown ambassadors" enhance cleanliness by removing litter, weeds, and graffiti and do other projects to improve the downtown's appearance. They also welcome visitors and patrol the streets on foot and bicycle to increase safety.