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.
In 1741, a group of fourteen Moravian missionaries arrived in the Lehigh Valley from Germany. The Moravians settled in current-day Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with the goal of establishing a community in which they could live, work, and learn. They also sought religious freedom and the ability to live in accordance with their belief that people of all races, genders, and ethnicities should receive the same education and health care. Led by this value, the Moravians largely coexisted with the Native Americans who lived in the area.
With communal living in mind, the Moravians set out to build homes and schools. The First House was built on the bank of the Monocacy Creek on February 4, 1741. The log cabin measured 20 by 40 feet and consisted of two rooms on the first floor and sleeping quarters in a loft above.
The First House was the site of the city of Bethlehem’s official naming. On December 24, 1741, Count Nicolaus Zinzendorf, a central figure in the community, hosted a group of worshippers at the First House for a Christmas Eve service.
During this service, the group sang “Jesus Call Thou Me,” a hymn whose line, “Not Jerusalem, Lowly Bethlehem” inspired Zinzendorf to call their new settlement “Bethlehem” in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
After a number of years, the pioneers moved out of the First House, leaving it to become a stable and later a general store. It was reclaimed as a dwelling in 1803.
In 1823, the First House was taken down to make room for the new Golden Eagle Hotel. The grand Golden Eagle was a coveted destination, hosting the likes of Mark Twain, William Waldorf Astor, and President Ulysses S. Grant. In 1919, the hotel became temporary housing for recovering soldiers returning from World War I.
Two years later, the Golden Eagle Hotel was purchased by Charles M. Schwab, President of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. In 1921 construction began on The Hotel Bethlehem. It was built in the Beaux-Arts style and featured amenities such as a barbershop, a shoeshine, a club room, and a luxury cigar shop.
Many distinguished guests visited the hotel after its rebranding. Amelia Earhart flew her personal plane to Bethlehem to attend a banquet held in her honor. Other esteemed former guests include Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
Today, Bethlehem is a growing city and travel destination and always ensures to respect its rich history. A log cabin replica of the First House is located in the Rose Garden on 8th Avenue. The Hotel Bethlehem is located at 437 Main Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Although the buildings have changed over the last 285 years, the site of the First House, the Golden Eagle, and the Hotel Bethlehem has always been a place of hospitality and community.
Information for this episode was provided by the Bethlehem, PA Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution website, the Historic Hotels website, The Morning Call “Bethlehem’s First House an iconic image” by Tim Higgins and the Discover Lehigh Valley website.
We want to give a special thanks to Jordan Knox, an undergraduate student studying English and Environmental Studies at Lehigh University for her writing contribution for this episode.
