Local History

For the next four weeks, votes may be cast once a day per device at VoteHotelB.com. Winners will be announced Aug. 13.

Easton's Heritage Day, made famous for the reenactment of one of the earliest public readings of the Declaration of Independence, will feature plenty of historical reenactments, food, fun and music on Saturday. A fireworks display is set for Sunday night.

Politicians, nonprofits and other contributors came together in Easton's Vanderveer Park to celebrate a refreshed space with new playground equipment and more to promote community.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs unveiled their Easton City Series jersey in Centre Square Tuesday, featuring a few hallmarks including the Square, the free bridge, and more.

Members of Easton's Blueprint Communities organization announced their first project, a mural at Chubby's honoring South Side's past, present, and future, on Monday afternoon.

The Knauss Homestead Preservation Society is coming back for its fourth year this summer at the Knauss Homestead Farmhouse in Emmaus. The late July event is free, but registration for attendance is required.

Sigal Museum held a screening of Mariska Hargitay's movie about her famous mother for staff and volunteers on Tuesday. Hargitay filmed at the museum while tracing her family tree for the film.

Life changed for Bethlehem's Moravian community as the Revolutionary War waged. "Suddenly, the world just descends," said one historian. This is the first in a recurring series exploring the Lehigh Valley's place in American history.

George Gray was the founder of the U.S. Coast Guard Art Program and a combat artist during World War II and in Vietnam. Gray painted 233 murals for hotels across the country. Historic Hotel Bethlehem is the only hotel that still retains Gray's work, and has gained national recognition.

Next year marks 250 years since the colonists produced a bold declaration of freedom and self-governance that still echoes today. It will be an occasion celebrated and recognized across the land — and we at Lehigh Valley Public Media are no exception.