Crazy Moravia

This here photo is looking in to the old colonial industrial quarter of Bethlehem

If you find yourself hangin' out in downtown Bethlehem (Bethlum is how they say it around these parts) you can't help but notice the beautiful old college named after the Moravians. Who the hell are the Moravians? As if you don't know. Just in case you're a little rusty on your reformation era churchies here's a bit of a reminder; catholic-ish folks from Moravia and Bohemia (the lands of my people) who, after an unsuccessful attempt to establish a Moravian settlement in Georgia (1735-1740), settled in Pennsylvania on the estate of George Whitefield. Moravian settlers purchased 500 acres to establish the settlement of Bethlehem in 1741. Soon they bought the 5,000 acres of the Barony of Nazareth from Whitefield's manager, and the two communities of Bethlehem and Nazareth became closely linked in their agricultural and industrial economy.
Walking around present day Bethlehem one is treated to all kinds of great old buildings. The Moravians started a college here in the 1880's on some land from their church, and strolling through the grounds of the campus is like being transported back to...well, some other time. It's actually really pretty and the leaves
falling in the autumn air really adds to the feel.
Here is one of the entrances to the Old Moravian Cemetary (1742-1910). The stones all lay flat on the ground for some damn religious reason, and it's wild to find stones of people born in the late 1600's. Apparently the Moravians were friendly with the Injuns and quite a few can be found buried here 'bouts.

Creepy door knobOne of the many sweet old houses around town.



There is a cute, but also kinda late-in-the-season-to-really-enjoy-it Garden down here called the Miller House garden. As the name indicates, the garden graces the house of the miller who ran the grist mill, which ran until the 1950's!That's the miller's house behind the ruined mill. Behind both is the Bethlehem Hotel, built circa 1910.


The trout stream running through the old industrial area.



The 1762 waterworks is considered the first municipally pumped water system in the country. Since Bethlehem is built on a hill, it took quite a bit man-power to deliver the everyday water needed to live and work, so, voila! The waterworks!

Next time on Lelko Blog...Hawk Mountain!!!!