BETHLEHEM, Pa. — With Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem coming off a historic World Heritage Site approval over the summer, it seems timely that one of the Colonial Industrial Quarter landmarks got some updates to continue that legacy.
Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites on Sept. 30 announced the removal of three steel support beams at the 1782/1834 Grist Miller’s House. That’s all part of an effort to open the new Ralph G. Schwarz Center for Colonial Industries at the site, which is set for completion later this year.
“The removal of these massive steel beams marks the last significant restoration project in the Colonial Industrial Quarter tackled by HBMS over three decades. So many Lehigh Valley residents know the building by the steel beams.”Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites President LoriAnn Wukitsch
The beams had stabilized both the exterior and interior of the building for more than 20 years, HBMS said, and the broader preservation efforts are “a notable step forward in ensuring the historic structure can soon be enjoyed by visitors.”
“The removal of these massive steel beams marks the last significant restoration project in the Colonial Industrial Quarter tackled by HBMS over three decades,” said HBMS President LoriAnn Wukitsch, in a news release. “So many Lehigh Valley residents know the building by the steel beams.”
A new attraction in the mix
Once completed, the Ralph G. Schwarz Center for Colonial Industries would be the newest attraction among the various structures in what’s been coined the nation’s first industrial park.
“Primarily, it is planned to be a hands-on interpretation and demonstration space for visitors to learn about Colonial industrial trades and crafts,” the release reads. “Additionally, the site will serve as an exhibition space featuring the history of The 1751 Mill and the daily life of the miller and his family.”
HBMS described Schwarz as “a driving force,” whose work led to Historic Bethlehem’s founding and restoration of Moravian landmarks around the city’s historic areas, including the Sun Inn and Gemeinhaus, among others.
“Primarily, it is planned to be a hands-on interpretation and demonstration space for visitors to learn about Colonial industrial trades and crafts."Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, on the incoming Ralph G. Schwarz Center for Colonial Industries
He also was involved in projects in New Harmony, Indiana; the Getty Center in Los Angeles; and New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Wukitsch said she felt Schwarz would be “extremely proud” to know Bethlehem brought home World Heritage honors, being the 26th site in the United States with such a recognition.
Artefact, Inc., a women-owned architecture firm out of South Bethlehem specializing in preserving historic properties, is on board assisting in the Grist Miller’s House facelift.
