The Lehigh River

D.C.M.’s most impressive work may be his photograph of the old covered bridge, which crossed the Lehigh River where today’s Hill-to-Hill-Bridge is. This shot framed Central Moravian Church on the horizon and, amazingly, captured a train heading south on the railroad trestle. Other images show crowds on this railroad trestle watching the canoe races on the river. D.C.M. also photographed the Bethlehem Steel works to the east (included as well in a spectacular view from the heights of South Mountain) and Calypso Island to the west. About two years after D.C.M. took his photograph, this very large island was removed from the Lehigh River: its earth was used to fill in the river’s south bank so the railroad tracks could be straightened.