Brigita McKelvie - Lehigh Valley, PA, Residential, Rural & Horse Properties

Welcome to the historic town of Nazareth, PA! Let me give you a brief tour of our quaint little town.

As you walk down the streets of Nazareth, you see so much history.

Strolling down Main St., you see Nazareth Furniture, which used to be the old Nazareth Hotel

Across the street from Nazareth Furniture, you see one of our banks. When you enter, it has kept it's old world charm. It feels like you have gone back in time.

Continue north on Main Street and you will come upon the circle. In the circle you will find a memorial to the local war veterans and our cannon,

surrounded by some more historic buildings in the business district.

As you continue your stroll through Nazareth, you see many historic homes along the way.

A few blocks from downtown Nazareth, you will come across the Whitfield House and the Gray Cottage. The Whitfield House is a museum with many photos are artifacts explaining the history of Nazareth and the Moravians settling into this area back in the 1700's.

So ends our tour for today of Nazareth, PA. As you can see, Nazareth is full of history and this is only some of it. There is much, much more history to see. Just think, a small town with history that is close to major routes, shopping malls, within commuting distance to New York and Philadelphia, and also has an excellent school system.

Hope you enjoyed your tour. When you come up to Nazareth, PA, make sure you see me and I can show you around to see some other sites.

The Lehigh Valley and Nazareth, PA area is growing and there are many signs that show it.

The Regency Centers Has recently acquired 32 acres in Lower Nazareth Township. They are planning on developing this land for retail stores. with ground breaking expected to occur in the spring. This a $30 million project, including the purchase of the property.

This property will be called the Lower Nazareth Commons shopping center. It will include a Target, which will be located next to the existing Wegman's supermarket. Other shops that will be included will be restaurants, service and retail businesses.

There are other signs that show the Lehigh Valley is growing in retail investment. Recently, in Whitehall, the Lehigh Valley Mall was renovated and expanded with 17 new tenants. Some of them are: Barnes & Noble, Williams Sonoma, Ann Taylor, Apple and Yankee Candle, Pottery Barn, and many more. Within the past couple of years, the Promenade Shops in Saucon Valley opened their doors.

Another sign of growth is the old Bethlehem Steel site in Bethlehem. The whole Beth Steel (as it is now called) site will have not only the casinos, but also hotels, shops and residences. Once the casino is completed, the property values will rise and when the project is completed, values will skyrocket.

As you can see, the Lehigh Valley and Nazareth, PA area is not in a slump. The real estate market may have slowed down, but it is still continuing. Now, with the lower interest rates on mortgages, and more job opportunities opening up with the new developments, I'm sure we will see even more growth in real estate sales. The population will continue to grow and as it grows, more housing will be needed.

Mansion for sale in the Lehigh Valley, PA area!

This mansion is the home of Michael Andretti, son of Mario Andretti, and is currently on the market. It is located on 10 acres overlooking the beautiful views of the Lehigh Valley. It includes a full size tennis court, USGA spec golf course, a naturalized pool area, along with plenty of garage space. The inside of the home has outstanding craftsmanship. This 12,226 sq. ft. home has 6 BR and 6.5 baths. Oh, by the way, the property is zoned for horses.

The property is priced at $3,400,000

"Nazareth, PA? Where the heck is Nazareth, PA?" I have heard this from a number of people from out of state. So, to help give you an idea, I will do my best to explain the area and give you a quick overview.

Nazareth, PA is a nice, quiet, little town, located in central, eastern part of Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lehigh Valley, north of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, PA. New Jersey is only 20 minutes away. New York City and Philadelphia are only 1 1/2 hours away. Even though Nazareth is a small town, it is close to major routes, shopping and malls, and recreation. For those of you that are into NASCAR, it is home to the Andretti family.

Nazareth has many things to offer, especially if you are a history buff. On Main St., in downtown Nazareth, there are quaint little shops that offer friendly service. These shops are located in historic buildings, dated from the late 1700's to 1800's. One store that is great to spend an afternoon in is Nazareth Furniture Nazareth Furniture used to be a hotel years ago and the owners have tried to keep it as original as possible. It offers different types of furniture set up in the original hotel rooms. Some of the rooms even have the original old style phones on the wall.

The Nazareth area is packed full of history and many things to do. It has the Whitfield House and Museum, the Gray Cottage, Jacobsburg State Park C.F. Martin & Company (better known as Martin Guitar) and many historic homes to name a few.

Nazareth holds many events throughout the year. For example, in June you have the Nazareth Carnival, assorted parades throughout the year, walking tours, tree lighting and arrival of Santa the first Thursday after Thanksgiving, car show, go cart races, etc.

Nazareth is also well known for an excellent school system. Many move into the area just for the schools. My children have attended the schools, so I am speaking from experience. In addition to offering a good education, they also offer many after school activities and clubs for the children to get involved in. Nazareth HS is known to have an excellent orchestra and band and drama club. Nazareth Band is consistently in the top 3 places in competitions. The drama club offers great plays and musicals. Many throughout the Lehigh Valley attend the numerous performances and usually have a full house.

Nazareth is a great area to live. The people are friendly, you know your neighbors and they tend to help each other out, plenty of activities for all ages, and full of history. Even the churches have some history to them. There is even an assisted living facility.

So, if you are tired of city living and are looking for a better life for your family with a small town feel, you will find it here in Nazareth. You will not regret the move.

Nazareth, PA is home to C.F. Martin & Co., which is celebrating it's 175th Anniversary this year. It is the oldest surviving producer of guitars in the world and currently the largest manufacturer of acoustic guitars in the United States. The company is known for making some of the finest, quality instruments, and introducing standards in the music products industry. C.F. Martin & Co. was started by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin, Sr. in 1833 and was founded in the U.S. It has been family owned and operated for 6 generations.

The company will kick off it's year long celebration in honor of the acoustic guitar, which has been played in all types of music, from classical and country, to blues, folk and acoustic rock. Special events will include an auction of exquisite Martin prototypes to benefit the Martin Foundation in late 2008. In addition, the company will introduce a line of limited edition guitars, publication of several books, a CD featuring performances of Martin artists, an in-depth online photo gallery showing the company's history, as well as the copmany's accomplishments and cultural contributions throughout the world during the last 175 years.

C.F. Martin & Co. has survived many economic, social and political events, such as the Civil War, post war turmoil, immigration, World War I, the "Roaring 20's", the Great Depression, World War II, the Vietnam War and the technological revolution. Not only did it survive through it all, it also improved and increased. Recently, Martin has set company sales records even with the down economy. It has crafted it's millionth acoustic guitar, has undergone renovation and expansion of the factory, plus, it unveiled a new museum and visitor's center in Nazareth, PA.

Over the years, Martin started producing mandolins in the late 1800's, and becoming the top producer of ukuleles in the 1920's. In 1970, Martin acquired Darco String Company and are also now producing quality guitar strings.

Christian, better known as Chris, Frederick Martin IV took over the company in 1986 and is the current Chairman and CEO. Under his leadership, he has increased sales and production, maintained the level of quality, introduced new technologies and expanded the factory to nearly 3 times its prior size. He has also introduced many affordable guitars.

If you are ever in the area of Nazareth, PA, be sure to stop and visit the museum and take a tour of the factory. You will be totally amazed at the craftsmanship that goes into manufacturing a guitar.