Welcome to the Lehigh Valley landmarks with Leon podcast series, celebrating 250 years of independence. I'm your host, Rachel Leon. Since being elected in 2022 and serving as Vice President of Bethlehem City Council, I'm humbled by the opportunity to serve the diverse communities that make up our great city. But to understand where we're going, we need to understand our past. Each week, I'll share a short feature with a big story about the 250 years that made the Lehigh Valley and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, known as the Christmas City, as we explore historic landmarks.
The Gemeinhaus is believed to be the largest 18th century log structure in continuous use in the United States. In July of 2024, the Gemeinhaus was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, including a network of Moravian Church settlements located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Grace Hill, Northern Ireland, Hernhut, Germany, and Christiansfeld, Denmark. Collectively, these Moravian Church settlements make the 26th UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States, and only the third in Pennsylvania.
Gemeinhaus means "community house" or "meeting house" in German. In Bethlehem's earliest days, the entire community of approximately 80 people lived together in this structure that served as a home, church and classroom, including kitchens, work rooms and healthcare areas, as the community was building their residential houses, known as choirs, adjacent to the Gemeinhaus on what is now Church Street.
Of note in the Gemeinhaus is the Saal, the community's first place of worship, located on the second floor. Built of white oak timbers in the German colonial style, the Gemeinhaus was constructed in two stages, with the center and western portions of the building started in 1741 and the eastern section started in 1742 and completed in 1743. In 1751, the Old Chapel, the Moravians' second place of worship, was built into the northeastern end of the Gemeinhaus structure.
The Gemeinhaus remained a residence for single and widowed women until 1966. According to the cross sectional view of the building, from 1742 to 1743 and pre 1772 plans, the basic floor plan of this historic building remains virtually unchanged since its construction.
The Moravians community house opened its doors to Europeans, African Americans and Native Americans who lived, worked and worshiped together. The Moravians believe that all people, both men and women, should receive the same education, that all people should receive health care, that women should have equal rights with men in the community, and that all people should work together for the good of the community, without prejudice regarding race, gender or ethnicity. At one time in the mid 18th century, 15 different languages were spoken in Bethlehem.
In the 1970s, the Gemeinhaus was designated on the National Historic Landmark to recognize its significance as the birthplace and residence of Louis David von Schweinitz, the father of American mycology. Holding the record as the oldest building in Bethlehem, the Gemeinhaus is now the Moravian Museum. Among the notable collections, one can find original Gustav Grinwald paintings, historic maps and prints of early Bethlehem, the till piano and examples of silver, tin, red and yellow ware pottery and clocks made by the early Moravian artisans.
To schedule a tour offered by Historic Bethlehem Museum and sites, go to www.historicbethlehem.org.
