The National Park Service has awarded $669,300 to support a three-year project focused on preserving Bethlehem’s historic 1761 Tannery and addressing invasive vegetation through the city’s Colonial Industrial Quarter.
The tannery has been closed to the public for 22 years due to damage resulting from water infiltration. The building originally processed hides for Bethlehem’s colonial economy and later produced leather goods during the American Revolution, helping to supply the Continental Army.
The grant will fund the third phase of ongoing preservation work, focused on the building’s historic stone walls. A final phase will address heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and electrical improvements, with the goal of eventually reopening the space to the public…