First established in 1774 as Lloyd's Hills, the town was incorporated on December 27, 1799, as Bethlehem. The n
ame was selected on the last Christmas Day in the century. Bethlehem was the last of the provincial land grants in the state.
The town is home to Mount Agassiz, named for Jean Louis Rudolph Agassiz, explorer and naturalist.
More than half of this town lies within the 780,00 acre White Mountain National Forest. Bethlehem encompasses acres of real estate, it is the second largest New Hampshire municipality in terms of land area.
Today, the town is known for its special Christmas postal cancellation stamp. Hundreds of visitors travel to Bethlehem every year to mail Christmas cards and letters.
The Rocks Estate - a popular hiking and sight-seeing area is located here. The White Mountain School is located on the west side of Bethlehem. Bethlehem's Main Street features several unique shops, art gallerys, antique stores and restaurants. T
he historic downtown Colonial Theatre has recently undergone renovations. The theatre is the longest continually running movie theatre in the United States.