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BHistory
History · Bethlehem Township

Bethlehem Township dates to 1798, and 19% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 56% of U.S. towns · #266 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1790.

1798founded
0on the National Register
19%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Bethlehem Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Bethlehem Township began

When was Bethlehem Township founded?

1798

Bethlehem Township dates its founding to 1798 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 1,335 in 17902020 census: 3,745228 years

How historic is Bethlehem Township?

B

More historic than 56% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1879.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bethlehem Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bethlehem Township is more historic than 56% of U.S. towns, #266 of 468 in New Jersey. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bethlehem Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1798, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194018.9% of homes (±6.5) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%B+National RegisterNo listings counted · typical NJ town 3.7 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 56%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 43%

New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bethlehem Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (12% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.5 points). Two sources give 1798.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Bethlehem Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1880 and 1930, then grew 5-fold.On the map since 18904 editions of the USGS map, 1890 to 1970. Watch Bethlehem Township change.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Bethlehem Township, and 4 old place names are still on the map.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bethlehem Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bethlehem Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewBethlehem (Township); Bethlehem Busines…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Bethlehem Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000180018501900195020002,830 in 1880Low: 735

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1880 and 1930, then grew 5-fold.

23 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bethlehem Township’s Wikipedia page.

On the map

Bethlehem Township on the map, 1890 to 1970

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bethlehem Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bethlehem Township on the 1890 USGS mapBethlehem Township on the 1943 USGS mapBethlehem Township on the 1955 USGS mapBethlehem Township on the 1970 USGS map1890Easton sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bethlehem Township.

The story

How Bethlehem Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bethlehem Township.

Read it all →

Before European settlement, the land was settled by the Lenape Native Americans, whose presence remains in the names of places and bodies of water in the township.

Bethlehem was first mentioned in official records dating back to 1730, though details of its formation are uncertain. Bethlehem was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Kingwood Township (1749, date uncertain), Alexandria Township (March 5, 1765), Union Township (February 17, 1853), Junction borough (February 20, 1895, now known as Hampton borough), Bloomsbury (March 30, 1905) and Glen Gardner (March 26, 1919).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bethlehem Township, 1776 to 2010

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1776Born hereJames Parker II is born here
  3. 1798
    FoundingBethlehem Township is established
  4. 19th century
  5. 1858Born hereJohnston Cornish is born here
  6. 1873In the archiveBethlehem (Township); Bethlehem Business Notices.; Junction (Village); Junction Business …
  7. 1879Post officeThe West End post office opens
  8. 1881Post officeThe West End post office closes
  9. 1881Post officeThe Valley post office opens
  10. 1890On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 20th century
  12. 1908Post officeThe Valley post office closes
  13. 1908Post officeThe West Portal post office opens
  14. 1956Post officeThe West Portal post office closes
  15. 21st century
  16. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 3,979
By decade

Bethlehem Township, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1870s1 item
Bethlehem (Township); Bethlehem Business Notices.; Junction (Village); Junction Business Notices1873Bethlehem (Township); Bethlehem Business Notices.; Ju…
Date unknown1 to date
Census Bureau map of Bethlehem Township, New JerseyDate?Census Bureau map of Bethlehem Township, New JerseyMap
Today13 recent
Bethlehem Township, NJ municipal complex (2), June 20232023Bethlehem Township, NJ municipal complex (2), June 20…Bethlehem Township, NJ municipal complex (1), June 20232023Bethlehem Township, NJ municipal complex (1), June 20…Bloombury, NJ 012022Bloombury, NJ 01Asbury Graphite Laboratory, Asbury, NJ2021Asbury Graphite Laboratory, Asbury, NJThomasBConleyElementarySchool2010ThomasBConleyElementarySchoolFoxinBTNJ2010FoxinBTNJEHMSdiploma2010EHMSdiplomaBTNJtrees2010BTNJtreesBTNJfield2010BTNJfieldBTNJfarmbuilding2010BTNJfarmbuildingBTNJdevelopmenthomes2010BTNJdevelopmenthomesBTNJMunicipal2010BTNJMunicipalBethlehem twp 019 nj2005Bethlehem twp 019 nj
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bethlehem (Township); Bethlehem Business Notices.; Junction (Village); Junction Business Notices
Retake this viewBethlehem (Township); Bethlehem Business Notices.; Junction (Village); Junction Business Notices, 1873

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bethlehem Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

2 famous people were born in Bethlehem Township

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Johnston CornishAmerican politician · b. 1858
J
James Parker IIUnited States Representative from New Jersey · b. 1776
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

West End
1879–1881
Valley
1881–1908
West Portal
1908–1956
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
CharlestownPolktownValleyWest Portal
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Bethlehem Township
NortonNorton Methodist Episcopal Churchyard

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Franklin Township2 historic placesAAsbury1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAlexandria Township5 historic placesA+Holland Township4 historic placesB+BloomsburyIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHamptonIts storyB−Lebanon Township2 historic placesB−Glen Gardner1 historic placeBUnion Township6 historic placesB+Washington Township4 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Bethlehem Township’s history

What year was Bethlehem Township founded?

In 1798, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bethlehem Township’s post office opened in 1879, and the first U.S. census counted 1,335 people here in 1790.

How does Bethlehem Township rank for history?

Bethlehem Township is more historic than 56% of U.S. towns, #266 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Bethlehem Township?

19% of Bethlehem Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.5 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1979.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (15), Wikidata (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.