Karen M. Samuels (Book order)

Karen M. Samuels Book order

Karen M. Samuels contributes a history column to the Bethlehem Press, delving into the rich tapestry of local narratives. Her work is characterized by a deep engagement with community stories and historical inquiry. With an advanced diploma in Local History from the University of Oxford, she brings a scholarly yet accessible approach to her writing. Samuels's prose invites readers to connect with the past through evocative storytelling and insightful analysis.

South Bethlehem

128 pages
5 hours of reading

5.0(2)Add rating

The story begins in 1848, when the Moravian Brethren sold 274 acres of farmland to investors who resold them as building lots. By 1855, Asa Packer had laid the tracks of his Lehigh Valley Railroad along the Lehigh River, bringing coal from Carbon County to markets in New York and Philadelphia. Industries rapidly grew, with the Pennsylvania and Lehigh Zinc Company in 1853 and the Saucona Iron Company in 1857. By 1865, South Bethlehem became a borough. Charles M. Schwab headed the former Iron Company in 1906, renaming it the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, and was instrumental in uniting the Bethlehems as one city in 1918. Countless immigrants shaped the tone of this region. Today the Sands Casino occupies part of the former Bethlehem Steel site. It is the future home of art and music venues that will contribute to a city already known for its historic and cultural heritage.