Bethlehem History Timeline

1741

Bethlehem founded by the Moravians.

Bethlehem’s land deed.

1745

Bell House built.

Precursor to Moravian College established as a girls school in Germantown, PA. Moves to the Bell House in Bethlehem in 1749.

1748

Brethren’s House built.

Boys school established. Moves into the newly built Brethren’s House in 1748, relocates in 1755 to the newly built Familienhaus, and again in 1759, merging with the boys school in Nazareth.

1755

Bethlehem establishes the first public waterworks in the American Colonies.

1758

Village of Nain is erected from 1758 to 1762 along the banks of the Monocacy Creek.

The Sun Inn established in Bethlehem. A thorough look at its history can be found here.

1761

First entry in the Bethlehem Diary, June 17th.

American Indians living in the Bethlehem area ordered to Philadelphia by the colonial government.

1773

Dr. John Matthew Otto, surgeon in the Moravian settlement, introduces inoculation for smallpox. More information here.

1777

Brethren’s House used as a hospital for soldiers of the Revolution.

Marquis de La Lafayette recovers from wounds received at the Battle of Brandywine at the Beckel House. Visit this page for more information on Lafayette’s stay in Bethlehem.

1778

Pulaski’s Banner: The Moravian Sisters of Bethlehem present Casimir Pulaski with a banner honoring his service to the Revolutionary cause.

1782

General Washington is a guest at The Sun Inn.

1784

Boarding School for Girls opened to any denomination.

1794

First bridge over the Lehigh River is completed on Saturday September 27.

1806

Central Moravian Church built in Bethlehem.

1822

Eagle Hotel built and Bethlehem’s first house removed.

1829

Lehigh Canal opens.

1845

Bethlehem incorporates into a borough.

1846

Railroad charter obtained for what would become the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

First bi-weekly newspaper, die Biene, published.

1853

First zinc ore found on Jacob Ueberroth’s farm

1857

Saucona Iron Company chartered (what would become the Bethlehem Steel Company).

1865

South Side becomes a borough.

1866

Lehigh University chartered by Judge Asa Packer.

1867

Bethlehem Daily Times newspaper begins publishing.

1872

St. Luke’s Hospital receives its charter to open a hospital in South Bethlehem (later moved to Fountain Hill).

1886

Poet Hilda “H.D.” Doolittle born in Bethlehem.

The Fountain Hill Opera House opens, at Fourth and Wyandotte, at the same site where the Bethlehem Opera House stood prior to being destroyed in a fire.

1890

Bethlehem Town Council votes to construct a Central Fire Station.

1892

Sesqui-Centennial Celebration in Bethlehem

1893

Fountain Hill incorporated as a borough. For a brief history of Fountain Hill, visit here.

1894

Bethlehem Globe newspaper begins publishing.

1898

America’s oldest Bach Choir is organized by Dr. J. Fred Wolle, 1898. More information on the library’s collection of material on the choir can be found here.

1901

Library of the Bethlehems opens. Charles Schwab purchases the Bethlehem Steel Company.

1904

Consolidation of West Bethlehem with Bethlehem

1915

Semi-Centennial of the Borough of South Bethlehem.

1918

Consolidation of Bethlehem, South Bethlehem and West Bethlehem. Archibald Johnston becomes 1st mayor; begins practice of annual mayor’s report. Charles Schwab appointed Director General of Emergency Fleet Corporation.

1919

Bethlehem Community Chest incorporated.

R.K. Laros opens his first silk mill in Bethlehem

1922

Hotel Bethlehem opens
James M. Yeakle becomes 2nd Mayor of Bethlehem
Liberty High School opens

1924

Hill-to-Hill bridge opens

1924

1929

Zone map of the City of Bethlehem compiled.

1930

South Side library completed. Census shows total population at 57,892. Robert Pfeifle becomes Bethlehem’s 3rd Mayor

1937

Bethlehem officially named the “Christmas City.” Community Christmas Celebration street lighting begins. Bethlehem Community Christmas Star erected on the highest point in Bethlehem. For more information on the star’s interesting history, go here.

1938

Construction of the Wild Creek Reservoir is completed

1941

Bethlehem Steelworker’s strike lasts for four days (March 24-28) in a violent labor dispute. For more information, including historic newspaper clippings and photographs, visit this page.

1961

Plane crash kills 29 Lehigh Valley area Army recruits on way to basic training. For more information, visit this page.
Elaine Meilicke becomes the first woman sworn in to serve on Bethlehem’s City Council

1962

Gordon Payrow becomes Bethlehem’s fifth mayor.

1966

Construction of Route 378, from Broad Street to Route 22, begins. For more information on the history of Bethlehem’s own highway, visit this page.

1967

Bethlehem’s new City Center and Library open. See the entire project documented in the Luckenbach Family Scrapbook at Lehigh University’s digital local history collection. For more information about the sculpture, “Symbol of Progress” in the City Center visit this page.

1972

John Strohmeyer, editor of the Bethlehem Globe-Times, wins a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial campaign to reduce racial tensions in Bethlehem.

1973

Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge dedicated, honoring Bethlehem policeman killed in line of duty. See press coverage here

1974

Gordon Mowrer becomes Bethlehem’s sixth mayor.

1978

Main Street revitalization project begins. More information can be found here.

Paul Marcincin becomes Bethlehem’s 7th Mayor.

1984

First Musikfest takes place in Bethlehem from August 18-26, 1984. See the original festival map and additional information here.

1988

Kenneth Smith becomes Bethlehem’s 8th Mayor.

1991

1995

Bethlehem Steel Corporation ends steelmaking operations in Bethlehem. The date of the official “last cast” is noted as November 18, 1995.

1997

Donald T. Cunningham elected Bethlehem’s 9th Mayor.

2003

International Steel Group buys Bethlehem Steel. Don Cunningham steps down as Mayor of Bethlehem to serve in Cabinet of Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. Ismael Arcelay becomes the first Puerto Rican to serve on Bethlehem City Council.

2004

John Callahan sworn in as Bethlehem’s 10th Mayor.

2005

John Callahan re-elected Mayor of Bethlehem. Former Bethlehem Mayor Don Cunningham elected Lehigh County Executive.

2006

Money magazine names Bethlehem as one of the “Top 100 Best Places to Live” in the USA. City is awarded gaming license from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, allowing new development of Sands Casino complex on former Bethlehem Steel Company site.

2009

Sands Casino opens to public on former Bethlehem Steel Company site.

2010

Official opening of Bethlehem Skatepark, Phase 1, on South Side of City.

2011

Completion of the first leg of the South Bethlehem Greenway. Blue Herons, a new sculpture by Virginia Abbot, is dedicated on site, along with garden of native plants.

2014

Robert Donchez sworn in as the 11th Mayor of Bethlehem.

2016

The National Museum of Industrial History opens in South Bethlehem. Visit the museum’s website here.

2017

The Bethlehem Area Public Library celebrates 50th anniversary at the City Center. For a detailed look at BAPL’s history visit here.

2021

Bethlehem breaks ground for a memorial honoring the Borinqueneers, the 65th Infantry Regiment of 20th century Puerto Rican soldiers who fought in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

2022

J. William Reynolds is sworn in on January 3, becoming the 14th mayor of Bethlehem.

With the swearing in of new members Rachel Leon, Hillary Kwiatek, and Kiera Wilhelm, Bethlehem’s City Council has a female majority for the first time in the city’s history. They join Grace Crampsie Smith and Paige Van Wirt, as well as Councilman Michael Colon.

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