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 BAPL’s Local History pages provide convenient online access to historical content from a variety of sources. Please note that this page is under construction as we migrate materials from the old site to our new system.
» 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.
» 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.