The Tannery is a historic tannery building constructed by the colonial Moravians in Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It is a limestone building built in 1761, and is part of the Bethlehem Colonial Industrial Quarter. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The building is part of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem District which was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 2012 and later nominated to the U.S. Tentative List in 2016 for consideration to become a World Heritage Site. Description and history The Tannery was originally built as a small log structure in 1743 along the east side of the Grist Mill (today Luckenbach Mill) tail race. Leather was both an important material and a valuable commodity in early Bethlehem, making the need for the tannery all the greater and one of the most profitable industries. It supplied the necessary leather for shoemakers, harness makers, and saddlers in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and the surrounding areas. As the community grew, so did the tanning operation, and a larger, more permanent stone structure was built on the west side of the tail race in 1761. It was constructed as a 35 ft. by 66 ft., five bay, three-story limestone building with a one-story attic, built in the German Colonial style of architecture. By the 1760s, the colonial Moravians processed 1000-2000 animal hides at the Tannery annually and produced a large variety of leather products such as clothing, shoes, harnesses, and machinery parts. It was one of their most profitable trades. When trade with England ended due to the American Revolution, the need for leather rose significantly. Leather boots, caps, coats, buckets, and saddles were in high demand for the Continental Army. The Tannery increased processed animal hides to an estimated 3000 annually. The Tannery was operated by the Moravians until 1829 and tanning ceased in 1873 due to the rising price of tanbark. The structure was converted into a multi-family dwelling and was then used for various operations. The building eventually deteriorated to the point of becoming a tenement house surrounded by an automobile junk yard. “It is interesting to note that, when the Tannery was constructed in 1761, the first floor would have been accessed by walking up steps rather than down as we do today. Archaeological excavations found changes in the creek bank along with soil deposits around the Tannery, indicating heavy fill. These discoveries