Students worked together to conduct in-depth analyses on a significant aspect of Bethlehem's history. Their research showcased the importance of local history and used diverse methods of exploration. Students completed archival research in Lehigh Special Collections and Bethlehem Public Library, ethnographic research and resident interviews, and scholarly research, consulting academic publications.

At the end of the semester, each team presented their research in the Small Cities Lab space on Mountaintop campus.

Highlighted Projects:

The Mountaintop team studied the landscape changes in lower Saucon township and at Mountaintop campus which used to be a research center for Bethlehem Steel before it was incorporated into Lehigh University. The team created a compelling video showcasing the history, transformation, and perception of Mountaintop as well as future goals for the campus.

Another team of students led a project called South Bethlehem Greenway: Landscapes of Industrial Transformation. They studied “the emergence and subsequent dissolution of Bethlehem Steel and the North Pennsylvania/Lehigh Valley Railroad line” and how it “changed the landscape of South Side Bethlehem, adapting its primary uses and encouraging outdoor recreation and interaction between citizens of the southside on a new all-purpose trail known as The Greenway.”