Bethlehem Area Public Library is a great place to learn more about the rich and diverse history of our city, region and people. BAPL’s Local History pages provide convenient online access to historical content from a variety of sources.
» Local History Timeline — Bethlehem’s history from 1741-present.
» Local Historical Newspaper Archives (including obituaries)
» WWII Article Index — Includes local news article extracts pertaining to WWII personnel from the pages of the Bethlehem Globe-Times.
» First Annual Message of Archibald Johnston — Text of the Mayor’s speech, delivered in 1918
» House Research Guide — Prepared by Bethlehem’s North by Northwest Neighborhood Initiative, this general guide is a how-to on researching the hands of a home’s ownership, with some helpful tips and informative websites.
» Black Bethlehem Project — This oral history collection was spearheaded by M. Rayah Levy of the Bethlehem Area Public Library, with support from collaborators Sholomo Levy and Matthew Rothfuss. The collection focuses on the Black experience in Bethlehem, PA, from the mid-twentieth-century to the present
» Interested in the history of Bethlehem’s churches and religious communities? Check out the book: A journey of faith : brief histories of Bethlehem’s religious communities.