On Christmas Eve, 1741, a small group of Moravian settlers gathered together in a house at the confluence of the Monocacy & Lehigh rivers in what was then the colony of Pennsylvania. It was on that night that their leader, Count Nikolaus Zinzendorf decided to name their new home “Bethlehem”, after the birthplace of Jesus.

Over the years, the Moravian settlement grew into a thriving religious and economic community that eventually became known as “Christmas City”.

In this episode of Your History Your Story, our guest is Craig Larimer. Craig is a lifelong resident of Bethlehem and a member of the Central Moravian Church, where he serves on the church’s communications committee. Craig will talk about Bethlehem’s rich history and why his home town means so much to him. He will also tell of the many sites and events that make Bethlehem, Pennsylvania a wonderful place to visit, especially at Christmastime.

Music: "With Loved Ones" Jay Man

Photo(s) and songs: Courtesy of YHYS

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To learn more about this episode, check the links below:

Central Moravian Church

Historic Bethlehem

Moravian University