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Season 2, Episode 13 Landmarks With Leon Nisky Hill Cemetery Step beyond the gates and into Bethlehem’s past on this episode of Landmarks with Leon . Explore Nisky Hill Cemetery — where rolling hills and ornate headstones tell the stories of steel magnates, civic leaders, war heroes, and artists who shaped the city. From the legacy of Bethlehem Steel to the resting place of poet H.D., this episode reveals how one cemetery became a living archive of community, culture, and his

Season 2, Episode 12 Landmarks With Leon Augustus Wolle Was Bethlehem built on faith—or forged in steel? In this episode of Landmarks with Leon , discover the untold story of Augustus Wolle, the Moravian merchant who helped bridge two worlds by founding the Saucona Iron Company—laying early groundwork for what would become Bethlehem Steel. From communal living to industrial ambition, his journey reveals how religion and industry didn’t clash—they combined to shape a city. Spe

Season 2, Episode 11 Landmarks With Leon Samuel Wetherill Before South Bethlehem became an industrial powerhouse, it briefly bore another name — Wetherill. On this episode of Landmarks with Leon , uncover the story of Samuel Wetherill II, the chemist-entrepreneur who revolutionized zinc production and helped spark the region’s industrial rise. From pioneering “white zinc” in America to shaping the workforce that fueled Bethlehem’s future, this episode reveals how one innovato

Season 2, Episode 10 Landmarks With Leon Hilda Doolittle H.D. Before she became a defining voice of modernist poetry, H.D. was a Bethlehem native shaped by hymn, ritual, and imagination. On this episode of Landmarks with Leon , trace the life of Hilda Doolittle — from her Moravian roots and literary rise alongside Ezra Pound to her groundbreaking work in Imagism, explorations of identity, and reflections on memory after the London Blitz. Visit the resting place where seashell

Season 2, Episode 9 Landmarks With Leon Nain-Schober House Hidden within Bethlehem stands a rare and powerful witness to early American history. In this episode of Landmarks with Leon , explore the story of the Nain-Schober House — the only surviving 18th-century structure in eastern Pennsylvania built and lived in by Native Americans. From Moravian missionary ambitions and cultural exchange to the tragic aftermath of the Paxton Boys uprising, this episode reveals a complex c

Season 2, Episode 8 Landmarks With Leon 1742 Moravian Sisters' Home Long before women’s independence became a national movement, Bethlehem was home to a remarkable experiment in female leadership and community. In this episode of Landmarks with Leon , explore the fascinating history of the Single Sisters’ House — where unmarried Moravian women from diverse backgrounds lived, worked, worshiped, and led together in the 18th century. Discover how this unique community fostered e

Season 2, Episode 7 Landmarks With Leon 1741 Gemeinhaus and the Lewis David de Schweinitz Residence Before American science had a name for it, one Bethlehem native was cataloging an unseen world. On this episode of Landmarks with Leon , discover the extraordinary life of Lewis David de Schweinitz — Moravian minister, global church leader, and the “Father of American Mycology,” who identified more than 1,200 fungi and helped shape early American botany. From Nazareth Hall to N

Season 2, Episode 6 Landmarks With Leon Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski Meet Casimir Pulaski — the Polish-born cavalryman celebrated as the “Father of the American Cavalry,” whose daring charge at Brandywine helped turn the tide for Washington and led to the formation of Pulaski’s Legion. Tune in to Landmarks with Leon  to hear the thrilling story of Pulaski’s fight for freedom, his American adventures, and the legacy he left behind.

Season 2, Episode 5 Landmarks With Leon The First House of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Step into 285 years of hospitality on this episode of Landmarks with Leon : from the humble 1741 First House where Bethlehem got its name, to the grand Golden Eagle and the iconic Hotel Bethlehem that welcomed figures like Amelia Earhart — discover how one site shifted with the city while keeping its spirit of welcome. Tune in for a lively tour of architecture, famous guests, and local stories

Season 2, Episode 4 Landmarks With Leon The Archibald Johnston Mansion Discover the man behind Bethlehem’s Hill to Hill Bridge and his estate in this week’s  Landmarks with Leon : a compact, illuminating look at Archibald Johnston — Bethlehem’s first mayor, Bethlehem Steel executive, and the visionary who helped stitch the city together physically and civically. Hear how a young engineer rose to lead consolidation, finance the hill-to-hill bridge, and build the Georgian-Reviv

Season 2, Episode 3 Landmarks With Leon Fire Fighting in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Fire, fear, and resilience shape this episode of Landmarks with Leon  as host Rachel Leon traces the dramatic evolution of firefighting in Bethlehem — from 18th-century bucket brigades and hand-pumped engines shipped from London to the rise of organized fire companies that protected a growing industrial city. Drawing on vivid Moravian accounts and centuries of innovation, this episode reveals how

Season 2, Episode 2 Landmarks With Leon LVRR Black Diamond Express Ride the rails of history on this episode of Landmarks with Leon  — a fast-paced look at the Lehigh Valley Railroad, from Asa Packer’s coal-driven vision and the glamour of the Black Diamond Express to wartime sabotage, decline, and the surviving stations that keep its legacy alive. Tune in to discover how a single railroad reshaped industry, travel, and community in the Lehigh Valley — and special thanks to J

Season 2, Episode 1 Landmarks With Leon 1869 Luchenbach Mill Step inside the powerhouse that built Bethlehem.  This episode of Landmarks with Leon uncovers the dramatic evolution of the 1869 Luckenbach Mill—from Moravian grist mill fueling a colonial industrial center, to steam-powered enterprise, to salvage yard, and finally its stunning rebirth as a cultural hub. Discover how this World Heritage–recognized site shaped a community, survived fire and reinvention, and now pre

Season 1, Episode 23 Landmarks With Leon Cathedral Church of the Nativity The story continues on Landmarks with Leon  — Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Part 2 . Host Rachel Leon and historian Martha Capwell Fox revisit the church’s earliest days, from vestry meetings held in a private parlor to a Gothic Revival sanctuary whose first services unfolded during one of the most tragic moments in American history. This episode explores the architects, expansions, and living tradi

Season 1, Episode 22 Landmarks With Leon Cathedral Church of the Nativity Dive into Landmarks with Leon  — Part 1: the Cathedral Church of the Nativity. Join host Rachel Leon and historian Martha Capwell Fox as they trace the cathedral’s origins, its Episcopal roots tied to American history, and the industrial families and local craftsmen who shaped its Gothic presence on the Southside. Rich with local lore and big-picture context about church, community, and civic life, this

Season 1, Episode 21 Landmarks With Leon Holy Infancy Church On this episode of Landmarks with Leon , we trace the rise, silence, and triumphant return of the Holy Infancy Church bell — the resonant “sound of South Bethlehem.” Founded in 1861 and rebuilt in an ornate Gothic Revival style by local hands, Holy Infancy has anchored immigrant communities for generations; after more than twenty years of silence, parishioners raised over $35,000 to restore the bell in 2022 and brin

Season 1, Episode 20 Landmarks With Leon Saint John's AME Zion Church On this episode of Landmarks with Leon , we unearth the remarkable story of Saint John’s African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church — a congregation born from exclusion and built by courage. Tracing threads from 18th-century missionary ties and canal-era laborers to the 1894 charter and the 1901 sanctuary that still stands in Fountain Hill, historians and community leaders reveal a powerful testament to faith,

Season 1, Episode 19 Landmarks With Leon Asa Packer and Lehigh University Explore the remarkable rise of Asa Packer, a self-made carpenter-turned-industrial titan whose vision shaped the Lehigh Valley. This episode traces his journey from canal boatman to railroad builder, philanthropist, and founder of Lehigh University. Discover how Packer’s commitment to education, innovation, and community transformed a region—and why his legacy continues to define Bethlehem and the Lehig

Season 1, Episode 18 Landmarks With Leon The Steelworkers Veterans Memorial Discover the story behind Bethlehem’s powerful Steelworkers Veterans Memorial with Katie Rymon of the National Museum of Industrial History. Learn how steelworkers—many themselves veterans—designed and built this striking 16-by-8-foot steel monument honoring U.S. service members and the major wars of the 20th century. Hear how the memorial was created inside the former Bethlehem Steel plant, why it st

Season 1, Episode 17 Landmarks With Leon God's Acre Step into God’s Acre, Bethlehem’s Moravian cemetery founded in 1742. This episode uncovers the “democracy of death”—equal flat stones, choir-ordered burials, and graves of Moravian leaders, Native converts, and veterans—tracing how ritual equality, community faith, and reverent silence shaped life, memory, and belonging in America’s earliest Moravian settlement.