Bethlehem

Book excerpt: Bethlehem, Pennslyvania, has a fascinating history that is steeped in tradition. The city was founded in 1741 by the Moravians, a Protestant group. They envisioned Bethlehem as an industrial center, a support center for missionaries, and as the headquaters for the Moravian Church in North America. Bethlehem became all of this and more. Moravian traditions are still strong in this town, from the preservation of the original stone buildings on Church Street to the sounds of the Trombone Choir on Easter morning. Yet with the arrival of industrialists and immigrants to the area, Bethlehem evolved into something more. Canals, railroads, steel mills, and silk mills all became part of the city' story. The little town grew into a city with a diverse population. In the process, Bethlehem eveolved into a graceful place, famous for its institutions of higher learning, for steel production, and for Bach. Bethlehem covers the period between 1845 through 1990. It is a reinterpretation of teh photograph exhibit that graced the windows of the Bethlehem Area Public Library during the city's 250th anniversary celebration. The original exhibit consisted of 350 photographs, selected from more than 600 submitted by area residents. This book includes a selection of 217 photographs from that exhibit.