Featured Image: The 1761 Tannery taken last week. Photo credit Katelyn Boburka.
Work Begins This Summer to Reopen Building That’s an Integral Component of U.S. World Heritage Site
BETHLEHEM, PA—Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites has been awarded $75,000 to support the restoration of the historic 18th-century Tannery located in Bethlehem’s Colonial Industrial Quarter. The grant, secured by State Rep. Steve Samuelson through the state’s Local Share Account grants program, will allow the nonprofit to start restoration work this summer on the building, an integral part of the Moravian Church Settlements–Bethlehem World Heritage Site.
“The 1761 Tannery has been closed to public tours for over a decade,” said Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites President & CEO LoriAnn Wukitsch. “Thanks to the support of Rep. Samuelson and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, HBMS now has the funding necessary to kick off the next phase of restoration work necessary to reopen this historic treasure to our community. This project is especially important since it coincides with the development of the adjacent Overlook on History, the enclosed glass and steel connector that will join the Luckenbach Mill and Grist Miller’s House when it opens this fall.”
Built in 1761, the Tannery was essential to Bethlehem’s early Moravian community, with craftsmen transforming approximately 3,000 hides per year into leather goods such as shoes, boots, saddles and harnesses. During the American Revolution, the building played a pivotal role in the creation of supplies for the Continental Army. Originally restored between 1968 and 1971, it is the only extant 18th-century Moravian industrial building in the world. In recent years, HBMS has undertaken additional restoration of the building, including the restoration of doors and windows.
The upcoming Tannery revitalization project will involve both stabilization work and restoration of the building to prepare it for public use and educational programming. When the building reopens, it will become an integral part of HBMS programming, including Birthplace of Industry tours, new Maker’s Retreats, student programs and Community Heritage Day in April.
“I’ve long been aware of the 1761 Tannery’s historical significance as the only extant building of its kind not only in the U.S., but in the world,” Rep. Samuelson said. “Preservation efforts like this are critical in maintaining our Colonial Industrial Quarter. I am especially excited about this project when you consider how many of our school students will be able to see history come alive in this building, as well as for tour visitors and the general public.
“The Tannery was the center of an important industry in its time, and the efforts to restore the building will allow it to remain an important center of learning for years and years to come.”
In addition to the $75,000 Local Share Account grant, the Tannery restoration project has received $63,600 from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission through its Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grants program. To learn more about the Tannery and Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, visit historicbethlehem.org.
About Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is a nonprofit institution preserving over 275 years of local history across 20 historic structures and 60,000-plus artifacts. It is a Smithsonian Affiliate and part of the Moravian Church Settlements-Bethlehem World Heritage Site. Learn more at historicbethlehem.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko
