NEGLECTED Stunning Historic Bethlehem Mansion

     The best kept secret in the Bethlehem area is the stunning mansion hidden on a narrow road in Bethlehem Township. The first mayor of the city of Bethlehem, Archibald Johnston, built it. His management style was described as “gentlemanly.” He graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1889 and started work immediately at the Bethlehem Iron Company. Charles M. Schwab and Eugene Grace saw greatness in Johnston and made him vice-president of Bethlehem Steel. No matter how difficult the project, he got it done in his usual efficient, calm manner and his great regard for human dignity.

     Johnston headed the committee to consolidate Bethlehem with South Bethlehem.  He organized several luncheons for more than 500 workers at the Coliseum on Broad Street. He mapped out a strategy of having every ward, in Bethlehem and South Bethlehem covered by a team of workers. They persuaded the voters in their ward to support the consolidation. Johnston was also instrumental in the completion of the Hill-to-Hill Bridge. So it was no surprise that when consolidation passed, people called for Johnston to run to become the first mayor. He declined the suggestion but when he was presented with a petition signed by 7,000 voters he finally agreed to run. Johnston was elected in 1918 as first mayor of the city of Bethlehem. He served one term. His First Annual Message can be found on-line at the Bethlehem Area Public Library website: http://bapl.org/lochist/government/1918mrpt/1918mr01.htm

     When Archibald Johnston retired from Bethlehem Steel in 1927, it made headlines nationally. He was independently wealthy from his Bethlehem Steel stock. Johnston continued to advise Bethlehem Steel along with devoting his time to his large estate on Santee Mill Road. His property included two hills known as “Quaker Hill” which he renamed “Camel’s Hump.”  He put his mechanical ingenuity to work in keeping the Santee Grist Mill (built in 1722) in working order. The mill was 200 years old at the time and was the oldest operating mill in Pennsylvania. Once a year, Johnston would ground grain at the mill for family and friends. Johnston listed his occupation as “farmer” in the 1930 Federal census. He named his estate “Camel Hump Farms.”

     Johnston’s three-story mansion was built in 1923 located on a ridge above the Monocacy Creek. The mansion’s grounds once included manmade waterfalls, landscaped gardens, tennis courts, a dairy farm, a horse farm and a gristmill. A boathouse was constructed for canoes and an underwater concrete platform allowed the servants to wash Johnson’s cars with creek water. Johnson planted many trees around his estate. He used the springs and creek to provide water for his home. He engaged at least fifty people to build his vision of his estate. In addition he employed maids and caretakers on staff. One of the maid’s fiancé was a pilot who would fly by every weekday to drop off a copy of the New York Times for the mayor. The pilot in his open cockpit plane would perform a few acrobatics for entertainment as well.

     Johnston died at home on February 1, 1948, at the age of eighty-three, after a long illness. His granddaughter, Janet Housenick, donated 36 acres of the Johnston estate to Northampton County as the Archibald Johnston Conservation Area, in 1986. After her tragic death in a house fire in 2005, Housenick had willed another 55 acres including Archibald Johnston’s house, located on the property, to Bethlehem Township to create a park. She also left to the township almost $2 million to maintain the property.

     Local historians are concerned about past public discussions by Bethlehem Township council to demolish the home. Council member Jerry Batcha stated in 2008 that if the home turns out to be a money pit he would be leery of wasting more money on it. Housenick frequently told her long time friend and former township commissioner Timothy Brady that she could not bear the thought of the home being torn down.