Featured image of the Historic Grist Miller’s House provided courtesy of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites
Grand Opening of Historic Grist Miller’s House Set for April 25
Building on National Register of Historic Places to open to public for 1st time in 20 years
BETHLEHEM, PA—After being vacant for two decades, one of Bethlehem’s historic gems will be re-opened to the public starting with a special grand-opening weekend that kicks off Fri., April 25. The 1782/1834 Grist Miller’s House, which in the 18th and early 19th centuries was home to the miller and his family, will open its doors with a ribbon cutting April 25, 11 a.m., followed by a community open house Sat., April 26 from 1-4 p.m.
Located adjacent to the Luckenbach Mill on 469 Old York Road, the Grist Miller’s House stands as a gateway to Bethlehem’s Colonial Industrial Quarter, a location that in the mid-1750s was home to approximately 50 crafts, trades and industries and is generally considered to be one of the first industrial centers in the nation. Listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places, the Grist Miller’s House was completed in 1782 and expanded in 1834, serving as a residence from the 1830s until the 1970s.
In 2024, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) embarked on a major renovation project to restore the house. Following extensive structural repairs and reinforcements, the external steel beams that were in place for two decades to help stabilize the Grist Miller’s House walls were removed in September 2024, marking a major milestone in the project.
“The restoration and opening of the Grist Miller’s House create a unique destination where students, residents and visitors can explore the site’s history and significance,” said Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites President & CEO LoriAnn Wukitsch. “We’re grateful to everyone who helped transform this long-shuttered building into a vibrant space that celebrates Bethlehem’s rich heritage.”
Designed by Christine Ussler and Artefact Inc., the revitalized Grist Miller’s House will be home to the Ralph G. Schwarz Interpretation Center for Colonial Industries, showcasing the early industrial trades and crafts in Bethlehem and highlighting the ways in which the early Moravians joined art and innovation to enhance life in their community.
A longtime resident of Bethlehem, Ralph Grayson Schwarz (1925-2018) was a driving force in preserving Bethlehem’s Moravian heritage and recognizing the city’s rich industrial history. His efforts played a key role in Bethlehem being designated Pennsylvania’s first Historic District in 1961 and during his lifetime, Schwarz served in leadership roles at the Bethlehem Visitors Collegium, the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, Historic Bethlehem Partnership and Historic Bethlehem Inc., a nonprofit organization that supported the efforts to preserve the city’s colonial-era buildings. These organizations, along with Burnside Plantation and the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts Inc., collectively became Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites. To honor Schwarz’s legacy and impact on Bethlehem, the Ralph G. Schwarz Interpretation Center will focus on sharing Bethlehem’s Moravian and industrial history and culture through exhibitions, a shop showcasing handmade works by local artisans, educational programming space for students and more.
GRIST MILLER’S HOUSE OPEN HOUSE & TOURS
On April 26 from 1-4 p.m., the public is invited to visit the Grist Miller’s House for a day of free programming including demonstrations focused on 18th and 19th century trades, hands-on children’s activities and tours of the Colonial Industrial Quarter. In addition, visitors can explore two exhibitions, “Reviving the Past: The Restoration of the 1782 Grist Miller’s House” and “Timeless Trades: From Colonial Hands to Modern Minds.”
The public can also learn about the Grist Miller’s House on HBMS’ new Birthplace of Industry Walking Tour that covers the Colonial Industrial Quarter’s rich history, from its home to approximately 50 trades and industries in the mid-1700s through the site’s revitalization starting in the 1960s. The tour is offered at 3 p.m. on Sundays in April and 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in May and June. Tickets are on sale now at historicbethlehem.org.
ABOUT HISTORIC BETHLEHEM MUSEUMS & SITES
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) is a nonprofit institution that brings to life three centuries of American history. HBMS tells the story of a small town of great influence, home to some of our nation’s earliest settlers, America’s first municipal water pumping system and one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. HBMS is located in eastern Pennsylvania, only a one-hour drive north of Philadelphia and two hours west of New York City. The nonprofit is a partner in Moravian Church Settlements-Bethlehem, the United States’ 26th World Heritage site; an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution; and part of Historic Moravian Bethlehem, which is a National Historic Landmark District. For more information, visit historicbethlehem.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko
