How well do you know the Lehigh Valley? Test your knowledge by taking this quiz, which had the record crowd of about 450 people buzzing at Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation’s recent Fall Signature Event, “Lehigh Valley: Making Products & Making Places.” 
Held Nov. 11 at Archer Music Hall in downtown Allentown, the event celebrated the innovation, resilience, and community spirit that has shaped the Lehigh Valley’s economic renaissance.
A panel of leaders from five globally known brands that call the Lehigh Valley home – Crayola, Lutron Electronics, Mack Defense, Martin Guitar, and Olympus – shared what attracted their companies to the Lehigh Valley, what continues to keep them here, and how they’ve built products and places known around the world.
Their discussion held the answers to some of the trivia questions that followed.
The fast-moving contest, held online with participants using their smartphones, was hosted by Grover Silcox, a five-time Emmy Award-winning reporter and producer at WLVT PBS39.
The winners received Lehigh Valley gift baskets, including a set of tumbler glasses branded by Mack Trucks, tickets to Archer Music Hall, and a Martin Guitar gift bag.
Of those who competed at the Fall Signature Event, no one got a perfect score. While a few questions are embarrassingly easy, there are a few tricky ones, too.
Here we go. Answers are at the end, no peeking!
1. Which colorful children’s product is manufactured locally in the Easton area?
A) Crayola crayons
B) LEGO bricks
C) Play-Doh
D) Cabbage Patch Kids
2. Approximately what is the Lehigh Valley’s total GDP (Gross Domestic Product)?
A) $16 billion
B) $26 billion
C) $42 billion
D) $56 billion
3. Which Lehigh Valley natural treasure is shown in this photo?
A) Trexler Nature Preserve
B) Bake Oven Knob
C) South Mountain Preserve
D) Lehigh Lookout
4. Why is the bulldog the symbol of Mack Trucks?
A) British soldiers nicknamed the trucks “bulldogs” in World War I.
B) Co-founder Gus Mack’s first dog was a bulldog.
C) It was inspired by Yale’s original mascot, Handsome Dan.
D) Co-founder Jack Mack’s children loved Spike from “Tom and Jerry.”
5. Which musician is known for playing a Martin Guitar?
A) Eric Clapton
B) Hank Williams
C) Elizabeth Cotten
D) All the above
6. About how many college students study in the region?
A) 10,000
B) 20,000
C) 30,000
D) 50,000
7. Which of these famous products calls Lehigh Valley home?
A) Lutron Dimmer switch
B) Nike Air Jordans
C) Wilson footballs
D) All the above
8. When Olympus was founded in 1919, what product did the company first make?
A) Cameras
B) Microscopes
C) Surgical scalpels
D) Lightning bolts (originally made on Mount Olympus)
9. Which of the following was developed in Allentown by City Center Group?
A) Archer Music Hall
B) Coca-Cola Park
C) Queen City Airport
D) Americus Hotel
10. Which Lehigh Valley football player became a 2024 Superbowl Champion?
A) Saquon Barkley
B) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
C) Jahan Dotson
D) Both A and C
LVEDC’s Fall Signature Event also included:
- Remarks from J.B. Reilly, President of City Center Group that developed Archer Music Hall. He explained how the venue was created to be a centerpiece of Downtown West, a live-work-play neighborhood that was honored last year with an award from the Urban Land Institute.
- Music by singer and guitarist Sam Houseal, an employee of Martin Guitar who performed on stage.
- Caricature sketches by artist Alexander Clare, using Crayola products.
- Product displays by the featured companies.
The sponsors of LVEDC’s Fall Signature Event, “Lehigh Valley: Making Products & Making Places,” were:
Presenting Sponsor: Highmark Blue Shield
Venue Sponsor: City Center Group
Platinum Sponsors: Crayola and Freshpet.
Cocktail Sponsor: Klunk & Millan Advertising.
Gold Sponsors: Alvernia University, B. Braun, J.G. Petrucci Company, Inc., Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, and St. Luke's University Health Network.
Silver Sponsors: Archer Music Hall, BMI Mergers & Acquisitions, Boyle Construction, BSI Corporate Benefits, Comcast, Julabo USA, Lutron Electronics , Marshall Industrial Technologies, NJM, Olympus Corporation of the Americas, OraSure Technologies, Inc., QNB Bank, SERVPRO Team Davis, and TWG Security.
(Photos by Marco Calderon Photography)
Trivia Answers:
1 - A, Crayola crayons.
Crayola crayons debuted in 1903, selling an eight-crayon box for a nickel. The name comes from “craie,” the French word for chalk, and ola, a fragment of the French word for oily (oleaginous).
2 – D, $56 billion.
The Lehigh Valley’s growing $55.7 billion economy is diverse and balanced. Our GDP -- the sum of all goods and services we produce here over the year -- ranks 67th largest in the country.
3 – B, Bake Oven Knob.
Located in northern Lehigh County, Bake Oven Knob provides stunning views and is a favorite stop along the Appalachian Trail
4 – A, British soldiers nicknamed the trucks “bulldogs” in World War I.
British soldiers gave Mack Trucks their “bulldog” name because the trucks were dependable and tough and had blunt-nosed design. Today, that bulldog still rides proudly on every hood.
5 – D, All the above.
Proudly rooted in the Lehigh Valley since 1839, Martin Guitar has been the instrument of choice for early rock, folk, pop musicians, and more. You can see some of these amazing guitars at Martin Guitar’s museum in Nazareth.
6 – D, 50,000.
About 50,000 students are matriculating at 11 colleges and universities in the Lehigh Valley. From engineers to entrepreneurs, the next generation of talent is being made in the Lehigh Valley.
7 – A, Lutron Dimmer switch.
Joel Spira had a bright idea in 1959 when he invented the dimmer switch in his Manhattan apartment and created the company Lutron Electronics. The company moved its headquarters to the Lehigh Valley in 1970. Today, Lutron remains a global leader in lighting control and smart home technology.
8 – B, Microscopes.
Olympus began in 1919 making microscopes long before it became famous for cameras. Today, they’ve come full circle. Olympus’ focus is entirely on med-tech. From microscopes to endoscopes, they always had an eye for precision.
9 – A, Archer Music Hall.
Archer Music Hall opened this year as the latest example of downtown Allentown’s renaissance. City Center has developed more than 3 million square feet of apartments, offices, and retail.
10 – Both A (Saquon Barkley) and C (Jahan Dotson).
Two hometown heroes from the Lehigh Valley became 2024 Super Bowl champions. Saquon Barkley and Jahan Dotson showed the world that greatness doesn’t just happen; it’s Made in Lehigh Valley.