| On October 30, 1791, the Rev. Johannes
Stauch presided at the organization of the Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran
Church making it the first Lutheran congregation in Washington County.
German settlers chose a hilltop where the cemetary had been deeded in 1788,
and thus began a long heritage for an area once know as Dutch Glory.
The Church has been lovingly maintained and updated by the congregation with the intent of providing a comfortable and preserved structure dedicated to the glory of God. In 2002, the entire building was insulated and a new heating and air conditioning system was installed to compliment the state-of-the-art sound system to enhance the quality of the services. The structure is also handicapped accessible. |
The present structure (which is adacent to the original cemetery) was dedicated
on July 14, 1907. The original pipe organ, shown in the picture to
the left, was a gift from Andrew Carnegie.