We are excited to announce the digitization of two local newspapers, The Bethlehem Star and the Bethlehem Press, now available for the community to explore and enjoy! The Bethlehem Star Archive The Bethlehem Star, a bold and engaging weekly newspaper, first hit the streets in December 1993. Known for addressing hot-button issues with no hesitation, […]
Exciting Local History News from BAPL! We are thrilled to announce the digitization of two significant local history collections, now available on our website. This achievement is the result of the hard work and dedication of our staff, interns, and volunteers. Photograph and Print Collection Our extensive Photograph and Print Collection, which includes photographs, stereographs, […]
BAPL serves a wide and diverse area. Many don’t know that the library doesn’t just house historical records of the City of Bethlehem–the library also has a great array of resources, including those from the Borough of Fountain Hill. And we figured what better way to highlight some of these artifacts than a short historical […]
Check out our newest digital collection – the Marlene Spector Levine Postcard Collection! Here you will find over 800 postcards and photographs showing various Lehigh Valley sights and landmarks as they appeared in the past. The collection was donated to the library by Marlene Spector Levine, a former resident of Bethlehem. She carefully arranged postcards […]
From Our Local History Collection The Bethlehem Palette Club: The Arts in Postwar Bethlehem In the years after World War II, the arts flourished in Bethlehem. The Palette Club, a local group of artists, held their first meeting on June 11, 1947. Nine artists joined together to form the club with the common goal of […]
The History of the Boyd Theater by Julia Brennan Ah, movies! The cultural time capsules preserved within a motion picture, full of great costume design and bad acting! Nah, just kidding, there are plenty of great movies out there. Movies have really kept society pushing through despite difficult times over the decades – they make […]
Did you know Bethlehem had a historical connection to the Olympics? 1908 was the fourth Summer Games of the modern Olympic competitions. The games were held in London that year, and they were the longest Summer Olympics in history (187 days). There were also marked by controversy, including several disputes between British and American athletes. […]