Springhouse - Bethlehem, PA
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 40° 37.199 W 075° 22.985
18T E 467598 N 4496643
The bountiful spring here led Moravians to settle here in 1741, and this log-cabin style reproduction represents the house that protected that spring around 1764.
Waymark Code: WMMJ8J
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 09/27/2014
Views: 5
In Bethlehem's Industrial Quarter area is this reproduction building of a springhouse that stood here in 1764.
The springhouse is located at the base of a hill directly below the downtown section along Main Street. It is by other buildings that were used for industrial purposes. It is a log cabin-style building with a peaked roof. There is a door at one end and another along the side.
The historical sign for this building has the following:
"A bountiful spring was one of the reasons why in 1741, the Moravians chose to settle where the Monocacy Creek joined the Lehigh River. The spring flowed at the rate of more than 1 million gallons of potable water per day and it never dried up or froze over.
Over the years, the Moravians constructed various kinds of enclosures around the spring to protect it from dirt and animals. After a permanent springhouse was built, it was used to store vegetables and dairy products such as cheese and butter. The current timber springhouse is a reconstruction of the kind that stood here in 1764.
The spring served as Bethlehem's water supply until 1912 when it was found to be contaminated."
I'm not sure if this is the exact spot where it was, but I'm pretty sure that it either on the spot or very close.
The following link is from a school project web site that features Industrial Quarter buildings, including the springhouse. Link -
(
visit link)