Moravian Sun Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Moravian Sun Inn
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Moravian Sun Inn, October 2011
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 564 Main St., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1758 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001658 |
| Added to NRHP | October 2, 1973 |
The Moravian Sun Inn is a very old building in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was built in the 1700s by the Moravian community. They built it to give a place to stay for people who were not Moravians but needed to do business with them.
Many important people from the time of the American Revolution stayed at the Sun Inn. These included George Washington, who was the first president, and his wife, Martha Washington. Other famous guests were Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the Marquis de Lafayette. On September 22, 1777, fourteen members of the Continental Congress also stayed there. The Continental Congress was a group of leaders who helped create the United States.
History of the Sun Inn
Building the Inn
The first part of the inn was built in 1758. It was a stone building with two floors. It was about 66 feet long and 40 feet wide.
Over the years, the inn grew bigger. In 1826, they added a third floor. This new floor had 17 more rooms for guests. Later, in 1866, the building was made even larger. This made the original inn almost completely hidden by the new parts.
A Special Place in History
The Sun Inn is a very important historical building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it is recognized as a place that is important to the history of the United States.
During the American Revolution, the Sun Inn was a busy place. After George Washington's army lost the Battle of Brandywine, many supplies and belongings from the army were kept near the inn. Also, many people who were escaping from Philadelphia found a safe place to stay at the inn.
Later, in 1799, during something called Fries's Rebellion, some followers of a man named Fries were held at the inn. But Fries himself came and helped them get free.
Gallery
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This picture shows what the inn looked like when it was first built and after it was made bigger in 1866.
