By Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
"I am a native Bethlehemite. I am proud to be one and dearly love my Bethlehem," Mrs. Eugene C. Grace said on Dec. 7, 1937.
"There is one thing, however, about my Bethlehem that I have never been proud of," she continued, "and that is our Christmas decorations." Then she threw the switch illuminating lights and ornaments adorning Main Street, and her hometown was officially declared "Christmas City USA."
In the 80 years since, Bethlehem has embraced its Christmas City character. And throughout that time, its most prominent decoration has shined down from South Mountain, a giant star mimicking the Biblical guide of the Magi.
As Christmas draws near once again, we delve into the history of the city’s spiritual symbol.
The star on South Mountain, seen over Route 378 from Broad Street, lights the way through Bethlehem.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
The star's start
There has been a star on South Mountain for as long as Bethlehem has been the Christmas City — and maybe longer, though it’s surprisingly difficult to pinpoint.
Newspaper accounts years after the fact — including from the Bethlehem Globe Times (which later became The Express-Times, which is affiliated with lehighvalleylive.com) — say a wooden star was built on the mountainside in 1935, though other published works say it was unveiled during the Christmas City dedication in '37 or as late as 1938.
A Bethlehem Press retrospective published in February says the Globe Times owner Rolland J. Adams built the original wooden star as a gift to the city.
A 1988 Globe Times story quotes Bethlehem resident Pearl Frantz, whose husband Stanley worked for the city early in the 1900s as superintendent of accounts and finance: “The idea for the star came from some city employees — Robert Fox, a city engineer; Dr. Rauch [no first name given] and Fritz Klein. The idea was conceived by these councilmen at my kitchen table. To me it was idle talk. I thought it would never happen.”
It has evolved
The original star on South Mountain was made of wood, but steel supports from Bethlehem Steel were installed in 1939, per the Globe Times. A new star was installed by Stehly Sign Co. in 1967.
The design is a five-pointed star with eight rays, with the design on north- and south-facing sides of the steel tower.
Before it was replaced, both faces were lit by a total 280 50-watt special clear lamps. That was changed to 252 25-watt lamps in 1967.
In 2010, the bulbs were replaced with 258 7-watt LED lights, said Greg Kreider, Bethlehem’s head electrician.
There are 258 7-watt LED lights on both faces of the star, which can be seen more than 20 miles away.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
The structure — rooted at Bethlehem’s highest point, 890 feet above sea level — is 91 feet tall and 40 feet wide, and when illuminated can be seen more than 20 miles away. When it was built, it was reported to be the largest individual electric display in the world.
An undated newspaper illustration, courtesy of the Bethlehem Area Public Library.
Maintenance was a problem
Before the LEDs were installed, city workers had to haul up to the mountain at least every two years to replace the lights, Kreider said. Each trip cost the city $6,000.
The LEDs, on the other hand, shouldn’t need to be replaced for at least 23 years, he said.
A panoramic view atop South Mountain shows the star site and its view of Bethlehem, seen to the left.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
Bethlehem, including Martin Tower, and areas to the north are seen from the site of the Bethlehem star tower on South Mountain.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
It wasn't always on year-round (and it wasn't always a star)
The star is lit up every evening at dusk and switches off at midnight, set by a pair of systems that keep it on a timer and measure light, Kreider said. But that wasn’t always the case.
Until the mid ‘90s, the star was only lit during the Christmas season, according to the book “Christmas in Bethlehem: A Moravian Heritage,” by Vangie Roby Sweitzer.
Even now, Kreider said, there are occasionally hiccups with the timers and sensors. Power outages will sometimes throw them off, meaning a city worker has to reset them.
But the timing can also be thrown off on purpose, he said — during the city’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony, a worker connected via radio will turn the star on when the switch is thrown for the city’s tree in Payrow Plaza, illuminating them simultaneously.
“It’s a great illusion,” Kreider said.
At least for a time, the city would selectively light parts of the structure, turning it into a cross for Easter.
The Bethlehem star is a symbol of the city. Here, star decorations wave in the wind at Payrow Plaza.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
It's different from the Moravian star
Don't confuse the Bethlehem star with another design prominent in Bethlehem.
Variations of the Moravian Star hang on display in the Moravian Book Shop.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
The Moravian star is seen in many Bethlehem doorways. Also called the Advent Star or Herrnhut Star (for a long time, it was made exclusively in Herrnhut, Germany), this three-dimensional design used by the Moravians dates back to 1850.
It is distinguished by its numerous points — despite popular theory, the Moravian Archives says that all the points do not have to be equal in length.
The Bethlehem star, however, has fewer points and the top and bottom are elongated. This design is used in logos and signs around Bethlehem, including the star set in the middle of Main Street.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
The star is a symbol for Bethlehem, appearing on signs and decorations around the city.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
MORE PHOTOS: The star of Bethlehem -- Christmas City's iconic landmark
It's not open to visitors
Despite its status as one of Bethlehem’s most prominent symbols, the star on South Mountain is accessible only to city workers. A chain crosses the access road off Mountain Drive and signs warn away trespassers.
A chain blocks access to the star from Mountain Drive on South Mountain, and a sign warns against trespassing.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
Historic Bethlehem includes a stop at the star on its Bethlehem by Night bus tour, but gets you only as close as you can legally go: The access point on Mountain Drive, about a quarter mile from the tower.
The area around the star is off-limits to all but city workers. Some utility poles, light posts, guide rails and other equipment are kept at the site.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
The original star ended up in Pittsburgh
The 25-foot wooden star that was first erected on South Mountain was shipped across the state after it was replaced in 1939, donated by Bethlehem to the Pittsburgh Optimist Club, according to Globe Times reports.
A Christmas card from the 1930s on display at Historic Bethlehem's Goundie House museum shows the original star after Bethlehem was proclaimed "Christmas City USA."
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
The club had the star affixed to a tower in Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington section, where it was used as a symbol of the club’s annual toy drive with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. But in 1965, the Globe Times reported the star had to be taken down because it was causing too much stress on the tower supporting it.
Its ultimate fate is unclear.
The Bethlehem star shines in the darkness over South Side Bethlehem.
Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
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Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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