by Susan F. Ellis (Author), The Moravian Historical Society (With)
In 1740, Moravian immigrants made their first permanent American settlement in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Nazareth was closed to residents outside of the Moravian faith. In 1856, the town opened to non-Moravians, who were then allowed to own property and live and work in the town. Early industries, including textiles, cement production, and agriculture, attracted immigrants and expanded the town's diversity from a predominately German origin to include a sizeable Italian and Polish population. During the 20th century, many of these businesses continued, including the world-renowned C.F. Martin Guitar Company, which has been family owned and operated since 1833. By mid-century, at least three large cement companies surrounded the Nazareth borough area and employed hundreds of laborers. Nazareth was also home to the Nazareth Speedway, a one-mile tri-oval paved track of Indy and United States Auto Club (USAC) racing fame, and is home to racing champions Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, and third-generation driver Marco Andretti.