Historic Nazareth

William Penn's family originally owned the Nazareth region. In 1740, an English evangelist by the name of George Whitefield purchased the 5,000-acre tract of land that encompassed the areas now known as Nazareth Borough, Stockertown Borough, Tatamy Borough and the Townships of Upper Nazareth, Lower Nazareth and Bushkill. The annual tax on this land was one rose, so the region came to be known as the Barony of the Rose.

Whitefield planned to establish a school and hired a group of Moravians, a Protestant religious group from Germany who had encountered adverse circumstances in both Europe and a small Georgia colony formed in 1735, to oversee the land settlement project. He requested their assistance in establishing a free school for black children, as well as a haven for Englishmen "suffering from harsh laws …against insolvent debtors." In May 1740, they began construction on the stone building known today as the Whitefield House, and the nearby Gray Cottage.

Financial circumstances forced Whitefield to sell his Nazareth property, and the Moravians purchased the entire 5,000 acres in 1741. Nazareth and the accompanying farming communities became the "breadbasket" for nearby Bethlehem, founded in 1741, as well as a Moravian education center. As the Moravians began to prosper, they bought many tracts of land. Gristmills and sawmills were erected, and stores were established. Log cabins and stone houses were built, and the number of manufacturing facilities increased.

Nazareth Hall Square was begun in 1755 with the Manor House. It became a prestigious boy's school, Nazareth Hall, from 1759 to 1929. In 1771, communal life ended and an era of private enterprise began. Nazareth continued as a privately owned Moravian community until 1858.

William Henry II opened a gunshop on Main Street in 1782, and test fired his long rifles in the alley next to his shop. He relocated his business to Jacobsburg on the Bushkill Creek in 1792.

Upper Nazareth and Lower Nazareth Townships were incorporated in 1807; incorporation of Nazareth Borough occurred later, in 1858. The land to the north was incorporated in 1813 as Bushkill Township, the name Dutch settlers had given to its rambling creek. Stockertown Borough, comprised of land laid out by Andrew Stocker for use by Bushkill milling industries, was incorporated in 1900. One other area, Tatamy Borough, was incorporated in 1893. It was named for "Moses" Tatamy, a Christianized Native American Indian Chief who lived in the area during early settlement.

The world famous Martin Guitar Company has a long and vital legacy within the community of Nazareth. Founded in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin Sr., the company remains one of the largest surviving family owned and operated manufacturers of top quality acoustic guitars in the world. The original Martin homestead, next to the original North Street factory, now houses the Nazareth Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce.

Life and culture changed dramatically in the Nazareth Area at the beginning of the 20th century, when the cement industry was established. Large labor forces were needed, and people who satisfied this demand came directly from several European countries. The population increased considerably, providing a rich variety of ethnic customs and heritages.

The history of cement production dates back to 1866 when David O. Saylor began producing the first portland cement in America right here in the Lehigh Valley. The company he founded was Coplay Cement. Today, known as ESSROC, the company is the third largest cement producer in the United States.

Historic Nazareth ~ Nazareth Today ~ Quality of Life