Original photography by Archibald Borhek Johnston circa 1910.
Archibald Johnston arrived in Bethlehem from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania while still in elementary school. He thrived in school, was a graduate of Lehigh University, and became an employee of the Bethlehem Steel Company. His intelligence, salesmanship, and people skills were valued by senior management. He made “the Steel” - and himself - a lot of money.
Johnston married the daughter of a local family, Estelle Stadiger Borhek (center right in photo), and they had two children, Elizabeth (center left) and Archibald Borhek Johnston (right).
In the late 1910s, Bethlehem Steel’s senior management saw the wisdom in the consolidation of the three Bethlehem boroughs - Bethlehem, Northampton Heights, and South Bethlehem. Johnston led the consolidation campaign and voters selected him overwhelmingly as their first mayor. He served one term and moved to his new country estate, “Camel’s Hump Farm” in Bethlehem Township.
The mansion
Johnston hired Curtis Lovelace, who would later create an architectural firm which would become today’s Spillman Farmer, to design a suitable residence for himself and his wife. His two children, already adults and married with their own children, would not accompany them to the 6,000-square-foot home completed in 1923.
Johnston had a passion for civil engineering projects as well as civic work. He walled the Monocacy Creek, built a fish hatchery, a riding rink, and a series of roads and bridges connecting the buildings and homes on what was almost one square mile adjacent to Nazareth Pike.
Johnston died on February 2, 1948, having enjoyed nearly 25 years of family life with his wife and their children and grandchildren.
“Arch and I have had a very happy life and he has done a good work here on Earth - always helping someone who is in trouble. Everybody loves him.”
What We've Achieved
Worked closely with Bethlehem Township and the Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Foundation to establish goals for the Mansion
Visited similar historic homes and properties in Pennsylvania and surrounding states to learn how they can be put to year-round use
Created a non-profit corporation to receive grant funds
Attended grant writing and grant making training
Opened lines of communication with neighboring non-profit organizations
Networked with faculty from local colleges and universities
Established a relationship with Lehigh University to house Archibald Johnston’s papers and other artifacts to preserve them for future use and study