Because of the shifted update schedule, this will be the final MarkerQuest adventure for 2018; and because it's the week leading up to Christmas, I've been saving this specific subject for this very moment. Bethlehem is, as the locals know, "the Christmas City." What a lot of people might not know is that this isn't just because it's called Bethlehem - it's because it was literally founded on Christmas Eve.
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| The plaque is on the southern side of the Hotel Bethlehem, near the main entrance |
Moravians the world over trace the origins of their faith to 15th century Europe. It started in 1457, when Jan Hus and his followers formed the Unitas Fratum (Unity of the Brethren) in Kunvald, in what is now the Czech Republic. Although the movement was driven underground, it eventually resurfaced in 1722 thanks to Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. He allowed a contingent of Protestant refugees from Moravia (also in the Czech Republic) to move onto his estate in what is now eastern Germany, where they set up a village called Herrnhut. Under the good count's leadership, the Unity of the Brethren was revived and the settlement attracted people from all over Europe. Since the original settlers were from Moravia, the followers of this religious movement came to be called Moravians.
They soon began branching out to other parts of the globe in order to spread their beliefs, settling in several European nations and finally departing in ships for other destinations. Moravian settlements were soon established in places like Greenland, the Caribbean, and what would eventually be the United States. Their tenancy in Savannah, Georgia, didn't last long; they moved north to Pennsylvania, and in spring of 1741, William Allen sold them five hundred acres of land where the Lehigh River meets the Monocacy Creek. It was here that they settled and started setting up shop. Count Zinzendorf came to visit for Christmas, by which time they doing well enough that, during his visit, they had the means to purchase another tract of land in Nazareth and establish a second community.
The first structure in the Monocacy Creek settlement was a small log house, which was designed as temporary living quarters for both the people and, in a smaller part of the building, cattle. When Count Zinzendorf came to visit for Christmas, he led the people in a worship service in this house on Christmas Eve. As part of the service, they sang the hymn "Not Jerusalem, Lowly Bethlehem." John Mack, one of the settlers who recorded his first-hand account of the events, asserted that the hymn inspired the Count to name their settlement Bethlehem, in honor of Christ's birthplace. Whether that's true or not, nobody really knows and it's a bit late to ask him, but it's hard to deny that Mack's feelings are still palpable in his words almost three centuries later.
The first structure in the Monocacy Creek settlement was a small log house, which was designed as temporary living quarters for both the people and, in a smaller part of the building, cattle. When Count Zinzendorf came to visit for Christmas, he led the people in a worship service in this house on Christmas Eve. As part of the service, they sang the hymn "Not Jerusalem, Lowly Bethlehem." John Mack, one of the settlers who recorded his first-hand account of the events, asserted that the hymn inspired the Count to name their settlement Bethlehem, in honor of Christ's birthplace. Whether that's true or not, nobody really knows and it's a bit late to ask him, but it's hard to deny that Mack's feelings are still palpable in his words almost three centuries later.
"Thus the new place was named Bethlehem. I still remember the impression I had during it all and I will keep it until I die. And so, he named the new settlement Bethlehem."
The first house remained part of the Bethlehem settlement for a long time. Even as the settlement grew around it - adding such noteworthy structures as the Waterworks and the Sun Inn, and of course the Central Moravian Church - it was still an important part of the community. According to Bethlehem historical records, it was the location of the Golden Eagle Hotel, which was operating in 1794. It was finally demolished in 1823 when the Eagle Hotel was built; the first house was torn down in order to make room for a stable for the hotel, which was enlarged in 1874 and later served as a convalescent home for recovering soldiers in World War I. Today the site is occupied by the Historic Hotel Bethlehem, which has the historical marker on one of its walls.
Since the first house was torn down over a century before I was born, I can't very well show you pictures of it. But what I can show you are pictures of the replica. My best friend Andrea and I struck out for the Bethlehem Rose Garden on a fine sunny day in early autumn; Pennsylvania had a very rainy 2018, so we were sort of excited to see the sun. The garden was swarming with people despite the chill, which surprised me until Andrea informed me that they were probably playing Pokemon Go. We had a good laugh about that, because she herself is a player; she joked that she would play her game while I played "Historical Marker Go." I do have to catch them all.
The replica log house, constructed in 1931 by the Bethlehem chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, is situated on the eastern border of the rose garden. Its formal address is 416 West Union Boulevard, Bethlehem.
(There's a plaque by the door which says that they erected it in memory of the five hundred soldiers buried on the hillside during the war. This is related to Bethlehem's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which we also visited on the occasion.)
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| Statue in the rose garden |
After photographing the house, we walked into the garden and took a look at the statues among the roses. One of these, a towering pillar topped with the figure of a soldier, included engraving relevant to my quest. I know the picture doesn't do it justice, partly due to the lighting, so here's what it says:
About the time of the shortest day in December, 1740, the first tree was felled on the site of Bethlehem by David Nitchmann, Sr., Martin Mack and others. The first house was built early in the year 1741. On December 24th, 1741, the settlement was named BETHLEHEM by Count Zinzendorf. Until January 11th, 1844, this town was an "exclusive Moravian settlement," in which none but members of the Moravian Church were allowed to hold real estate. On March 5th, 1846, the village was incorporated as a borough.
Monday will mark the 277th anniversary of Count Zinzendorf's service and proclamation. The city is at its most festive just now, with lights and horse-drawn carriage rides and greenery everywhere. If you celebrate Christmas, do yourself a favor and try to see it in Bethlehem at least once, because it really is "the Christmas City" in every way you can imagine.
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| Replica of the First House of Bethlehem |
Whatever you're celebrating, wherever you're spending it, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year! Thanks for joining me on my history quests, and keep up with me in 2019 as I continue trying to "catch them all"!
Sources and Further Reading:
"Visit, Explore, Experience Historic Moravian Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: A National Historic Landmark District," published by the Historic Bethlehem Preservation Association
Moravian Walking Tour and Guide Book, published by the Moravian Historical Society, 2014
Rupnik, Ric. First House in Bethlehem. Video on YouTube, published September 28, 2016.
Radzievich, Nicole. "The man who wrote the story behind Bethlehem's christening." The Morning Call, December 16, 2016.
First House at the Historical Marker Database
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Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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