If you’ve never heard of the Moravians, get ready for some serious road trip magic.
This group of peaceful, hymn-singing settlers showed up in Pennsylvania back in the 1700s and left behind some of the most unique little towns you’ve probably never visited.
We’re talking cobblestone streets, centuries-old churches, stone houses that look straight out of a storybook, and cemeteries where every gravestone tells a tale.
This road trip takes you through hidden history, charming towns, and spots that feel frozen in time (in the best way).
1. Lititz
Lititz is a small town in Lancaster County, about 20 minutes from the city of Lancaster, and it’s basically Moravian central.
It was founded in 1756 by Moravian missionaries, and you can still see their roots all over town, especially at the stunning Moravian Church Square which includes the 1787 church and the original Brothers’ House.
The super charming Lititz Museum and Johannes Mueller House give you a peek into what Moravian life was like in the 1700s, complete with period furniture and fascinating stories.
If you’re into history, this place is a dream with cobblestone paths and one of the oldest girls’ boarding schools in the country, Linden Hall, which the Moravians started way back in 1746.
2. Schoeneck
Keep cruising just 20 minutes up the road and you’ll hit Schoeneck, a tiny town with big Moravian roots and a name that literally means “pretty corner” in German.
Schoeneck was once home to a tight-knit Moravian farming community that helped spread the church’s message across the Pennsylvania countryside.
The original Moravian church here is long gone, but you can still spot traces of their influence in the old cemeteries, early stone houses, and the simple, community-focused layout of the town.
It’s the kind of blink-and-you-miss-it place that’s perfect for a quick stroll and imagining what life was like when Moravian hymns echoed through the hills.
3. Emmaus
Next up is Emmaus, sitting just outside Allentown in Lehigh County, and packed with Moravian history that’s still front and center.
Founded in 1759 as a Moravian village, the heart of the town is the Emmaus Moravian Church, which still holds services and sits on the same street where the town’s first buildings went up.
You can swing by God’s Acre Cemetery, where early Moravians are buried in traditional flat gravestones, all facing east, just like they believed they’d rise on Judgment Day.
Emmaus blends old and new in the best way as you’ll walk past 18th-century homes on Main Street and then grab a coffee from a local café that’s probably inside one.
4. Bethlehem
And then there’s Bethlehem, the ultimate Moravian showstopper, sitting right along the Lehigh River and absolutely bursting with history.
Founded on Christmas Eve in 1741 by Moravian missionaries, this town features the massive 1741 Gemeinhaus (the oldest building in town) and the single sisters’ and brothers’ houses.
You can tour the whole historic district, see where the first waterworks in America were built, and even catch a concert in the old Central Moravian Church where music has always been a big deal.
Bethlehem feels a bit like a Moravian history theme park where every brick and cobblestone has an interesting story to tell.
5. Nazareth
Just a 20-minute drive from Bethlehem, Nazareth keeps the Moravian story rolling with its own deep roots and a name straight from the Bible.
The town was founded in 1740 by Moravians who originally tried to settle in nearby places but finally made Nazareth their home sweet home.
You can check out the 1740 Whitefield House and the Gray Cottage, both packed with Moravian history and now part of the Moravian Historical Society’s museum campus.
It’s also where they started one of the oldest Moravian congregations in North America, and walking through the town square today still feels like stepping into a Moravian time capsule with its brick sidewalks.
6. Lehighton
From Nazareth, head northwest to Lehighton, where the Moravian legacy takes a more dramatic turn thanks to its ties to the Lenape people and early mission life.
Back in the mid-1700s, Moravian missionaries set up a village called Gnadenhütten right here, working closely with Indigenous communities until it was tragically destroyed during the French and Indian War.
Today, the spot is marked with a memorial and museum that tell the powerful story of faith, community, and conflict on the Pennsylvania frontier.
It’s a deeper, more reflective stop on the road trip, where the past feels raw and real, and you leave with a stronger sense of just how far the Moravian story reaches.
7. Hope, New Jersey
Cross over into New Jersey and you’ll land in Hope, a super charming little town that was actually one of the first planned Moravian communities in America.
Established in 1769, the Moravians designed the whole layout from scratch, building stone houses, a gristmill, a distillery, and of course, a church right at the center of it all.
The Hope Moravian Church is still standing today, and you can walk through the historic district spotting original buildings that haven’t changed much in over 250 years.
It’s like the Moravians left behind a full-size model village that is quaint, walkable, and full of surprises if you know where to look.
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