Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,329. Bethlehem lies in the center of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley region, a 731-square-mile area that is home to more than 650,000 people.

The Lehigh Valley region embraces a trio of cities (Bethlehem, Allentown and Easton) within two counties (Lehigh and Northampton), making it Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area. Smaller than Allentown but larger than Easton, Bethlehem is the Lehigh Valley's second most populated city.

There are three general sections of the city, North Bethlehem, South Bethlehem and West Bethlehem. Each of these sections blossomed at different times in the city's development and each contain areas recognized under the National Register of Historic Places.

History

On Christmas Eve in 1741, Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf of Saxony, Germany, leading a small group of Moravians, founded the city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the "Forks of the Delaware" River along the banks of the Monocacy Creek by the Lehigh River. They named the settlement after the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the place where Jesus Christ was born.

In 1762, Bethlehem became home to the first water works in America to pump water for public usage. While George Washington and his troops stayed in Valley Forge, his personal effects were stored at the farm of James Burnside, which is now a historical museum. ^* The prosperous village was incorporated into a free borough in the County of Northampton in 1845.

In the early part of the 20th century, Bethlehem was a hotbed of American soccer, with the corporate Bethlehem Steel team, named Bethlehem Steel F.C. after the company, winning the 1918-19 championship in the National Association Football League (NAFL), and then winning what amounted to national championships three more times during the next decade (1920-21 in the NAFL; 1926-27 in the American Soccer League I; and in 1928-29 winning the EPSL II). The Bethlehem Steel sides consisted largely of British imported players and also had the distinction of being the first American professional soccer team to play in Europe, which it did during its tour of Sweden in 1919. The team also won the US Open Cup, now called the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after billionaire sports franchise owner Lamar Hunt, five times beginning in 1915, and for the last time in 1926.

In 1937, the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, mindful of Bethlehem's historic tie to the Christmas story since its founding, adopted the nickname "Christmas City, USA" for Bethlehem. Many tourists now come to Bethlehem each year at Christmas time to see the historic downtown and the 81 foot high electric "Star of Bethlehem" on South Mountain. The city's Musikfest festival in late summer can also draw more than one million people.

Bethlehem became a center of heavy industry and trade during the industrial revolution. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation, founded in 1904, began producing the first wide-flange structural shapes to be made in America, was the first company to produce the now-ubiquitous 'I-beam', and was a major supplier of armor plate and ordnance products during World War I and World War II. After roughly 140 years of metal production at its Bethlehem plant, Bethlehem Steel ceased operations in Bethlehem in 1995.

Post-secondary and primary education

Colleges and universities

Bethlehem is home to two institutions of higher learning, Lehigh University and Moravian College. Moravian College also has a Theological Seminary with approximately 100 students of differing religious backgrounds.

Primary education

Bethlehem is home to two public high schools, Freedom High School and Liberty High School, for grades nine through 12.

Bethlehem also has two private schools, Bethlehem Catholic High School, which serves grades nine through 12, and Moravian Academy, which serves all primary school grades.

Bethlehem Catholic, Freedom and Liberty each compete in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley Conference, one of the most competitive athletic conferences in the state.

Bethlehem is also home to four middle schools for grades six through eight: Broughal Middle School, East Hills Middle School, Nitschmann Middle School, and Northeast Middle School.

Bethlehem is also the home of the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts, or LVPA.

Athletics

The Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League hold their pre-season training camp each summer at the Bethlehem-based football facilities of Lehigh University. Bethlehem also is home to Stabler Arena, which hosts numerous athletic and music events. Stabler will play host to the new Great Lakes Indoor Football League's Lehigh Valley Outlawz.

Geography

Bethlehem is located at (40.626198, -75.375673). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50.3 km² (19.4 mi²). 49.9 km² (19.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.88%) is water.

Famous people from Bethlehem

Michael Andretti, professional racing team owner, former professional race car driver.
Stephen Vincent Benét, author.
Chuck Bednarik, former professional football player, Philadelphia Eagles.
H.D., writer.
Russell Davenport, publisher and writer.
Jonathan Frakes, actor.
Dwayne Johnson ("The Rock"), professional wrestler and actor.
Steve Kimock, rock musician.
Daniel Roebuck, actor.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, actor.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 71,329 people, 28,116 households, and 17,094 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,429.9/km² (3,704.4/mi²). There were 29,631 housing units at an average density of 594.0/km² (1,538.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.85% White, 3.64% African American, 0.26% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 9.44% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.23% of the population.

There were 28,116 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.0% under the age of 18, 14.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,815, and the median income for a family was $45,354. Males had a median income of $35,190 versus $25,817 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,987. About 11.1% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

The city is served by Lehigh Valley International Airport, which also serves Allentown, Pennsylvania and the greater Lehigh Valley.

Politics and government

The city government is composed of a mayor and a 5-person city council. The current mayor of Bethlehem is John B. Callahan, who was elected to his 2nd term in November of 2005. His election marks the 10th year that a Democrat has sat in the mayor's office in Bethlehem. ^{^*}

Bethlehem has a seven-member council.

External links

Cities in Pennsylvania | Lehigh County, Pennsylvania | Northampton County, Pennsylvania | Lehigh Valley

Bethlehem (Pennsylvania) | Bethlehem (Pensylwania) | Bethlehem (Pensilvânia) | Bethlehem (Pennsylvanie)

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