City of Bethlehem

The City of Bethlehem is located between Allentown and Easton. Founded in 1741, many buildings from the original Moravian settlers remain in Bethlehem’s historic downtown.
Bethlehem is perhaps best known for Bethlehem Steel. Officially chartered in 1904, Bethlehem Steel’s plant stretched 4 1/2 miles along the Lehigh River. The influx of immigrants to Bethlehem’s Southside to work at “The Steel” resulted in a community with a rich tapestry of cultural traditions and religions which still remains today after the company's closing and ultimate dissolve in 2003.

Bethlehem’s quaint historic district thrives with bustling shops and an area of trendy restaurants, affectionately dubbed “Restaurant Row.” Southside Bethlehem has gone through its own renaissance with art galleries, eclectic shops and ethnic restaurants. The Las Vegas Sands Casino opened in May 2009 on the site of the old Bethlehem Steel property, part of extensive redevelopment plans which include an arts center and shopping area. It’s little wonder that in July 2006, Money Magazine ranked Bethlehem among the top 100 in the country to live.

The city is home to various districts, such as the South Bethlehem Historic Conservation District, which has a distinct character and boasts of a unique architectural and cultural heritage. Bethlehem also has six distinct National Historic Districts within its boundaries.

Five fun facts about the city:
1. Historic Bethlehem’s Moravian Book Shop is the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the United States.
2. The electric Star of Bethlehem atop South Mountain was erected in the late 1930s and is 81 feet high and has 246 light bulbs.
3. The last cast at Bethlehem Steel was made on November 18, 1995, just over 100 years after its 1904 incorporation.
4. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is the most famous of the many bridges built with steel produced by Bethlehem Steel.
5. The world famous Bach Choir of Bethlehem is America’s oldest Bach choir, having been the first in the United States to perform Bach’s “Mass in B Minor” and “Christmas Oratorio” in 1898 at Central Moravian Church on Main Street.

Website: www.bethlehempa.gov
City name: Bethlehem
City’s tagline: ca. 1939: Christmas City; ca. 2000: Follow the Star
Population: 72,000
Size (in square miles): 19.39
Sister cities: Schwabisch Gmünd, Germany; Tondabyashi, Japan; Murska Sobota, Slovenia