The city of Bethlehem was formed along the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania by a group of Moravians as a mission community for the Native Americans and German-speaking Christians who were without a church. It was named for Bethlehem of Judea, the birthplace of Jesus which the founders thought was fitting.

1741 Gemeinhaus

This National Historic Landmark is the largest 18th century log structure in continuous use in the U.S. It served as a home, school, church, and a place of employment in its early existence. It currently houses the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem where visitors can learn about the founders and history of this town.

Waterworks

Another National Historic Landmark, the 1762 Waterworks was home to a pumping station that distributed water throughout the town. This system pumped water from a spring to a tower where it was then gravity-fed to cisterns in the town. It was the first system of its kind in the U.S. The structure has remained mostly intact except for the waterwheel and the pumping mechanism, which were restored in 1972.

1750 Smithy

The Smithy was built in 1750 to accommodate smiths who were responsible for making and repairing tools, utensils, and weapons. The Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites offers a Blacksmithing 101 class at this site, as well as children’s birthday packages.

These are just a few of the historic sites that abound in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and visiting any of these will give you an accurate glimpse into what life was like in Colonial times.

Image via Flickr by Dougtone

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