Delaware Lehigh Hudson is comprised of Philadelphia, the Delaware and Lehigh River Valleys north of the city, New York City and the Hudson Valley which extends 150 miles above the tip of Manhattan. Designated as a National Heritage Area, the valley is steeped in history, natural beauty, culture, food and farmers’ markets. It is anchored around the historic town of Bethlehem, named on Christmas Eve, 1741, by a group of Moravians who settled at the confluence of the Lehigh River and Monocacy Creek. The canal and the railroads lured large-scale industry to the south bank of the Lehigh River and the Bethlehem Iron Co., soon dominated the town’s economy and way of life. Steel made from local iron, coal and limestone was milled and forged, launching the Industrial Revolution of the late 19th Century.