Moravian University secures $750,000 grant to preserve historic Second Single Brethren’s House
Bethlehem, PA — September 19, 2025 — Moravian University has announced it has secured a $750,000 grant from the National Park Service to fund a vital preservation project at the Second Single Brethren’s House (99 West Church Street, Bethlehem, PA).
The grant, awarded through the Semiquincentennial Grant Program, will support the replacement of all 91 windows with historically accurate, insulated glass and wood models to enhance the building’s energy efficiency while preserving its historical integrity. This project is supported in part by a Semiquincentennial grant from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
The Second Single Brethren’s House is a key structure within the Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem World Heritage Site.
“This grant from the National Park Service is perfectly timed, following Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem recent World Heritage inscription and preceding the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the United States,” said Bryon Grigsby, president of Moravian University and member of the World Heritage Council and Commission. “The Second Single Brethren’s House is a living piece of history, still used by our students today, making its preservation as part of a World Heritage site critically important.”
Established in 2020, the Semiquincentennial Grant Program commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States by supporting the restoration and preservation of historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Second Single Brethren’s House, built in 1748, stands as Bethlehem’s largest and most ambitious eighteenth-century building and a prime example of German Colonial architecture in the U.S.
Key aspects of the preservation project include:
* Preservation of a National Historic Landmark (Second Single Brethren’s House) within the Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District.
* Enhancement of one of nine structures included in the UNESCO-listed Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem World Heritage Site.
This announcement follows the recent appointment of Dr. Katherine Faull as the first Site Manager for the Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem World Heritage Site.