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.
Nisky Hill Cemetery, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is one of the region’s most historically significant burial grounds. Established in 1849, the cemetery reflects Bethlehem’s deep-rooted Moravian heritage and serves as the final resting place for many prominent figures from the area’s past. The name "Nisky" is believed to be derived from "Niesky," a town in Germany that was closely connected to the Moravian Church.
The cemetery was originally created to accommodate the growing population of Bethlehem and to provide a space distinct from the traditional Moravian burial ground, God’s Acre. Unlike God’s Acre, where all gravestones are flat and uniform to reflect the Moravian belief in equality in death, Nisky Hill allowed for more individualized markers and monuments.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Nisky Hill Cemetery became the resting place for many notable residents, including influential industrialists and civic leaders.
Some prominent figures include - Eugene Gifford Grace who was the president of Bethlehem Steel from 1916 to 1945, and chairman of the board from 1945 until his retirement in 1959.
William Radford Coyle was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. As a Congressman, he served three terms in office between 1925 and 1933.
Archibald Johnston was a mechanical engineer and the first Mayor of Bethlehem.
And Jessie Wilson Sayre was a political activist who worked for women's suffrage and social issues. She is the second daughter of US President Woodrow Wilson and wife Ellen Axson Wilson.
The cemetery also contains graves of veterans from multiple wars, including the Civil War, World War I, and World War II.
William Emile Doster was a Civil War general and long-time president of the Lehigh National Bank. General Doster is buried in the section of Nisky Hill Cemetery, formerly known as Union Cemetery, featuring a Dahlgren cannon and stacked cannon balls, often referred to as the plot honoring Civil War veterans and other Union soldiers.
Over time, the cemetery expanded, adding sections to accommodate different religious and ethnic groups, reflecting Bethlehem’s diverse population.
The cemetery’s landscape features rolling hills, mature trees, and winding pathways. Many of its older headstones and mausoleums display intricate carvings and elaborate designs.
Among its most famous burials of local artists lie Hilda 'H.D.' Doolittle was an American modernist poet, novelist, and memoirist. H.D. has come to be seen as a central figure in the history of modernist literature. H.D. was the first woman to be recognized with the Award of Merit Medal for poetry from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. And James Paul Kocsis was an independent American painter and book illustrator of over 500 paintings and an illustrator of 20 books.
Today, Nisky Hill remains an important historical and cultural landmark, attracting genealogists, historians, and visitors interested in exploring Bethlehem’s rich past. Despite the passage of time, it continues to serve as a symbol of the city’s heritage, preserving the stories of those who contributed to its growth and legacy.
Information for this episode was provided by the Nisky Hill Cemetery website at NiskyHill.org. Nisky Hill Cemetery is open from dawn to dusk and is located at 254 E Church Street in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.
