The Flow Of Goods & Money
Bethlehem At The Crossroads
How did a small city in the Lehigh Valley become home to one of America's largest steel producers? In the early decades of the company, Bethlehem's location near major cities, raw materials, and transportation routes positioned it for success.
The Lehigh Canal
was completed in 1829. It turned the shallow, rocky Lehigh River into a busy, two-way mule-powered shipping route. Anthracite coal, delivered from the mines of northeast Pennsylvania made it possible to produce large quantities of iron in the United States for the first time.
The coming of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in the 1850s, and the rail lines it connected, created huge demand for iron, then later, steel rails. The railroads made long-distance shipping an economic reality by providing easy access to the ports of Philadelphia and New York and ensuring finished products could be brought to distant markets.
Coal, Ore, & Cheap Labor
were the ingredients for Bethlehem's early success in the steel business. The railroad brought in raw materials and carried away the company's products. A huge influx of immigrants from Europe provided a steady supply of cheap labor.
[Image captions, from left to right, read]
A 1908 drawing of Bethlehem Steel by Richard Rummel, near the Lehigh River and railroad tracks.
Coal miners from Wyoming Valley, PA.
Bethlehem is approximately 80 miles from New York City and 60 miles from Philadelphia. In the late 1800s, travel to either city by train would take only a few hours.
Erected by SteelStacks.
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lehigh Canal series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1829.
Location. 40° 36.905′ N, 75° 21.899′ W. Marker is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in Northampton County. It can be reached from East 1st Street. Marker is on the Hoover-Mason Trestle at SteelStacks. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 711 East 1st Street, Bethlehem PA 18015, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Lehigh Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Why Did Bethlehem Close?
Also see . . .
1. Bethlehem Steel. (Submitted on January 8, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Lehigh Canal. (Submitted on May 2, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
3. National Canal Museum. (Submitted on February 9, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
4. Lehigh Valley Railroad History. (Submitted on February 9, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
5. Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum. (Submitted on February 9, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
6. What is SteelStacks?. (Submitted on February 9, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 9, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 404 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 9, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
