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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.

Season 1, Episode 16 Landmarks With Leon Marquis de Lafayette Discover the remarkable story of the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1777 recovery in Bethlehem, where the wounded teenage hero of the American Revolution was nursed back to health under George Washington’s personal orders. This episode reveals how a quiet Moravian home, caring hands, and an unexpected Pennsylvania refuge shaped the future of a legendary patriot.

Season 1, Episode 15 Landmarks With Leon The Wilbur Mansion and Flatiron Building Step into the world of E.P. Wilbur, the quiet powerhouse behind the Lehigh Valley Railroad and one of Bethlehem’s most influential industrial leaders. From his Gothic Revival mansion to his sweeping empire in coal, finance, steel, and public utilities, this episode uncovers the remarkable legacy of the man whose vision shaped South Bethlehem—and whose iconic Flatiron Building still anchors the c

Season 1, Episode 14 Landmarks With Leon The Sayre Mansion Discover how engineer Robert H. Sayre helped transform Bethlehem into an industrial powerhouse alongside Asa Packer and John Fritz—then built one of the region’s most remarkable homes. This episode uncovers the innovations, philanthropy, and near-loss of the iconic Sayre Mansion, now restored as a celebrated historic inn.

Season 1, Episode 13 Landmarks With Leon The Moravian Book Shop Discover the story of the Moravian Book Shop, founded in 1745 and considered the oldest continually operating bookstore in the world. This episode explores how a deep commitment to literacy shaped Bethlehem’s early Moravian community and how the shop evolved from a small “bucher” store to a cultural landmark on Main Street.

Season 1, Episode 11 Landmarks With Leon The Crown Inn Step back to Bethlehem’s earliest crossroads and uncover the rise—and fall—of the 1745 Crown Inn. From hosting Benjamin Franklin during the French and Indian War to battling the booming Sun Inn and the coming of Bethlehem’s first bridge, this episode traces the lively fate of a forgotten riverside landmark.

Season 1, Episode 12 Landmarks With Leon The Burnside Plantation Explore The Burnside Plantation—Bethlehem’s first private homestead—where Irish immigrant James Burnside turned Moravian neighborliness into a working farm. Hear tales of resilience, early agriculture, horse-powered ingenuity, organ makers, and civic service alongside preserved artifacts and a rare high-horse power wheel. A living-history episode that roots local identity and invites community stewardship today.

Season 1, Episode 10 Landmarks With Leon The 1742 Apothecary Step inside America’s oldest continuously operated apothecary and uncover the Moravian doctors who shaped early medicine in Bethlehem. From herbal remedies and smallpox inoculation to preserved 18th-century tools and the original hearth, this episode reveals how the 1752 Apothecary became a life-saving cornerstone of the community—and a UNESCO-recognized treasure today.

Season 1, Episode 9 Landmarks With Leon The Bethlehem Rose Garden Steelworkers Monument Dive into the fight for fair labor in Part 2 of our Labor Day special. From Philip Murray and the 1937 Little Steel Strike to Bethlehem’s pivotal 1941 walkout, this episode unpacks the victories that secured modern worker protections—and the steelworkers who helped build America from the ground up.

Season 1, Episode 8 Landmarks With Leon The USWA Steelworkers Monument Join Rachel Leon and Representative Steve Samuelson for a powerful Labor Day conversation honoring Bethlehem Steel’s workers. From its 1857 origins to the fierce 1910 strike and the birth of the Steelworkers union, this episode uncovers the grit, sacrifice, and legacy that shaped America’s industrial backbone.

Season 1, Episode 7 Landmarks With Leon The Central Moravian Church Explore the Moravian Church’s journey—from Bohemian origins and Count Zinzendorf’s sanctuary to global missions—culminating in Bethlehem’s Central Moravian Church. Hear its iconic swallow’s-nest pulpit, musical heritage, and the 1900 American premiere of Bach’s Mass in B minor. A resonant tale of faith, community, and living civic pride today.

Season 1, Episode 6 Landmarks With Leon The Moravian Bell House Discover the story behind Bethlehem’s Moravian Bell House—home to America’s oldest town clock and the first girls’ boarding school in the colonies. From 4:15 a.m. wake-up bells to visits from founding-era scientists, this episode reveals how one historic building shaped a city and still echoes through time.

Season 1, Episode 5 Landmarks With Leon The Old Chapel Step inside Bethlehem’s Old Chapel, where Moravian music, missionary zeal, and visits from America’s founders shaped a sacred space unlike any other. This episode explores Count Zinzendorf’s legacy, early worship traditions, and the chapel that became a cornerstone of a global faith—and now, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.