On July 1, 1966, a small nonprofit made a decision that would shape the future of Bethlehem and continue to strengthen the community today. A press release noted that Historic Bethlehem Inc. signed a 99-year lease with the City of Bethlehem almost 60 years ago to preserve several deteriorating 18th and 19th century buildings and ruins along Monocacy Creek.
The organization, now named Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, has expanded from preserving buildings to also providing education and cultural opportunities to the community.
Those buildings include:
The 1762 Waterworks- The first pumped municipal water system in the American colonies.
The 1761 Tannery- The only existing 18th century Moravian industrial building in the world.
The Luckenbach Mill, built back in 1869.
The 1782/1834 Grist Miller’s House- Recently restored and opened to the public after closing its doors for two decades.
To commemorate the anniversary of the decision made almost 60 years ago, construction and restoration work started last week for the Grist Miller’s House and Luckenbach Mill, which will see stabilization work done on the stone wall between both properties, in preparation for the new “Overlook on History,” a glass and steel classroom and exhibition space that will provide connectivity to the Grist Miller’s House and Luckenbach Mill.
“For 60 years, the restoration work in Bethlehem’s Colonial Industrial Quarter has been a shining example of how historic preservation can strengthen a community’s identity and economy,” said Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure. “It shows what is possible when a community comes together to protect its history.
With the restoration of the Grist Miller’s House now complete, the next major project in the CIQ is the development of the Overlook on History. This modern addition to the site is being designed by nationally renowned architect David Scott Parker, whose credits include numerous National Historic Landmarks ranging from the U.S. Treasury in Washington, D.C. to the Mark Twain House and Greenwich Historical Society in Connecticut.
