Archibald Johnston | |
|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Archibald_Johnston_(1864-1948),_first_mayor_of_incorporated_city_of_Bethlehem,_Pennsylvania.jpg) Johnston in the 1910s | |
| 1st Mayor of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | |
| In office 1918–1922 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | James Yeakel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Archibald Johnston May 30, 1864 Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 1948 (aged 83) Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican Party |
| Spouse |
Estelle Sophia Borhek Johnston (1867–1952)
(m. 1891) |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation |
|
Archibald Johnston (May 30, 1864 – February 1, 1948)[1] was a mechanical engineer who, favored by Bethlehem Iron Company management and senior Bethlehem Steel Company president Charles M. Schwab, became president of Bethlehem Steel Company. He was subsequently appointed as first vice president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in charge of foreign sales. While first vice president, he led a municipal consolidation campaign to create the modern city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, from the boroughs of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem.
As the first mayor of the newly incorporated city, he presided over the construction of the Hill to Hill Bridge as chairman of the Bethlehem Bridge Commission, significantly enlarged the city's area, extended paved streets, water mains, and municipal sewerage, and provided the city's first municipal park.[2]
After leaving office, he returned to Bethlehem Steel and moved his family to nearby Bethlehem Township, to a new property, "Camel's Hump Farm", formed from over 390 acres of land purchased beginning in 1919 from local farmers. Upon his retirement from Bethlehem Steel in 1927, he began describing himself as a "gentleman farmer" and continued in public service until his death at his home in 1948.[3]
- ^ "Archibald Johnston". .findagrave.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ Johnston, A. (1921). Fourth annual message of Mayor Archibald Johnston to the members of council and citizens of Bethlehem, Pa: and reports of superintendents of the various city departments. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: City of Bethlehem. p. 131.
- ^ Samuels, Karen M. (2013). Legendary locals of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781467100830.