Gracedale's Evolution Over the Years

Blogger's Note: In her State of the County address yesterday, Executive Tara Zrinski spent several minutes reviewing its history from the time it was owned by the Moravians. Several years ago, I spent a day or two compiling a brief history, relying heavily on records at Easton Library's famous Marx Room. What I've learned is that, since its existence, somebody has always been trying to kill Gracedale, including me. It was almost named Valley of the Nuts. Just as important, Gracedale has consistently redefined itself over the years. 

1. The early days. - Gracedale is part of what was originally a 600-acre farm, settled by the Moravians in 1745. Single dudes had to live on a similar-sized farm called Christian Springs, where they had access to plenty of cold showers. Gracedale was for the married folks.

How did it get its name? There were actually two factions. One group of prissies wanted to call it Gnadenthal. Being German, that sounds pretty tough, almost like a name for one of the Transformers. But it actually means Dale of Grace, or Kindness, a point made by Zrinski..

Another group of Moravians, led by Ronald Von Angle, wanted to call it Neissthal. That's another German name and it sounds pretty tough, too. But it translates to Nutty Valley, or Valley of the Nuts, supposedly because of all the hickory and walnut trees.

For some reason, Valley of the Nuts sounds perfect to me, but Moravians had a love feast and went with Kindness.

2. Indian Attempt to Kill Kindness. - Everything went dandy for the married Moravians at Gnadenthal, a farm of "unsurpassed fertility." But in 1763, a group of Indians on their way home from Bethlehem were provoked and robbed. The response was an uprising that coincided with other uprisings elsewhere, and quickly spun out of control. One of the places ravaged, in East Allen Township, is now the home of late County Executive John Stoffa. I kid you not! Andrew Hazlet was the unfortunate owner.

In an account published by none other than Ben Franklin, we learn that Hazlet attempted unsuccessfully to defend his home from attack. "Hazlet attempted to fire on the Indians, but missed, and he was shot himself, which his wife, some distance off, saw. She ran off with two children, but was pursued and overtaken by the Indians, who caught and tomahawked her and the children in a dreadful manner; yet she and one of the children lived until four days after, and the other child recovered. Hazlet's house was plundered."

When word of this and other atrocities reached the Moravians at Gnadenthal, they stockaded the entire farm, which was then considered the "bread basket of Pennsylvania." Fortunately for the Moravians, they had built up such a good reputation with local Indians that most actually assisted in defense. In fact, several Native Americans have been buried with Moravians

3. The first poorhouse. - In 1837, Pennsylvania imposed one of those "unfunded mandates" on Northampton County, requiring it to construct a home "for the Employment and Support of the Poor." According to Express Times historian James Wright, "The philosophy then current in America was that the poor could provide some relief for themselves by doing agricultural labor to defray the cost of their care through the sale of farm produce." Moravians were somehow induced to part with 235 acres for $90 per acre, along with a large dwelling house, stone barn, outbuildings and an excellent spring.

An almshouse was added in 1838, a three-story stone structure that still stands today and is known as the Greystone Building. Total cost? $6,284.99.

4. Life in the poorhouse. - In its first year of operation, Northampton County had 117 "paupers" in residence, administered by exactly one steward (for the dudes) and one matron (for the dudettes). If someone got out of hand or refused to work, the steward could lock him in a dark cell and feed him nothing but bread and water for 48 hours.

Social reformer Dorothea Dix visited Gnadenthal twice. Dix was an advocate for the poor and mentally ill. She believed mental asylums were a humane answer to the cages, stalls and pens in which the mentally afflicted were housed in yesteryear's version of group homes. Kinda' the exact opposite of today's approach. She gave the home high marks.

5. Cholera's Attempt to Kill Kindness. - Did you know there was a cholera outbreak in 1849? It's a vicious disease that attacks the intestines, causing diarrhea and nausea, leading to dehydration, shock and death. There was no vaccine at the time. It hit poorhouses and factories hardest. In Bucks County's poorhouse, 120 of 150 residents died. The Durham Iron Company was hit hard, too. People refused to leave their homes for fear of contracting the disease.

Some of Gnadentahl's residents did unfortunately contract cholera and die, but comparatively few. Once again, Kindness dodges a bullet.

6. Transition for Almshouse to Retirement Community. - Sometime around WWI, other agencies began to provide services to the poor, making poorhouses increasingly irrelevant. The population that did exist got older and more infirm. Farmers have to be hired to till many of the fields. The population diminished as staffing needs doubled.

7. 1951: The Birth of Gracedale. - As the poorhouse died a slow death, County officials embark on a new project, a nursing home. By the end of 1951, a new and modern institution costing approximately two million dollars was completed and placed in service. The retirement home's new name, Gracedale, is the English translation of Gnadenthal. Three physicians and four pastors were always on call.

In 1951, Gracedale still had 100 pigs and 500 laying hens. 

8. 1975: Unions Threaten to Kill Gracedale. - In the wake of Indians and cholera comes the union, with a third attempt to kill Gracedale in 1975. Following an AFSCME vote to strike on July 21, 1975, leaflets were passed out that demonstrate pretty clearly just what these union workers really then thought of the residents. "It is obvious that Gracedale must be closed for an indefinite period of time. Some residents can go home with relatives or friends, hospitals should be notified to be ready to admit the ill, while our County Home may be able to care for the balance. ... Call the Commissioners. Demand your rights. Together we shall overcome the Commissioners' brand of politics in Northampton County."

This threat to kill Gracedale, of course, failed. But no matter how much unions claim to care about the residents, their 1975 leaflets indicate they were willing to subject residents to removal, all for the sake of a few bucks.

9. 2011: Attempt to Sell or Lease Gracedale Fails. - In the wake of rising costs, then Executive John Stoffa proposed the sale or lease of Gracedale. Despite arguments that the best way to save Gracedale was to sell it, voters decided overwhelmingly to keep it.   

10. 2011: Third Part Administrator Hired. - After the attempted sale of Gracedale failed, a third-parter Administrator - Premier Health Care Services was hired to manage the home. County Council adopted an ordinance providing that all funds that went to Gracedale would stay there, which would prevent the county from using any profit to run other operations. By 2015, census had risen to 681, and the county went two years in a row with deficiency-free surveys. 

11. 2019: Third-Party Administrator Replaced With In-House Administrator. - Despite the success shown by Premier, the county decided to return to an in-house administrator in 2019. 

12. 2020: COVID and the Great Resignation. - A COVID pandemic was particularly deadly to senior citizens, and many staffers decided to resign. Things got so bad at one point that then Exec Lamont McClure called in the National Guard. Many staffers never returned, and Gracedale began to rely heavily on agency nurses. 

2025: Gracedale Placed in Provisional License Status. - As a result of a number of elopements., Gracedale was placed in Provisional I license status. That has since been downgraded to Provisional II. 

Conclusion. - Over its lengthy history, Gracedale has evolved from working farm to stockade to poorhouse. In its last seventy-five years, it has been a nursing home. What Zrinski has proposed amounts to another step in its evolution. 

Sources:

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY COMM'RS TO NAME NEW ALMSHOUSE "GRACEDALE", Easton Express, 12/24/51.
COMMONWEALTH MAGAZINE, GRACEDALE (July 1952)
TRENDS AT "GRACEDALE": MORE AND OLDER GUESTS, MORE WHO ARE INFIRM, Easton Express, 8/18/53
GRACEDALE: Moravian Setting for Modern Northampton County Courthouse, by Edward F. Reimer
MODERN MEDICAL CENTER SETS GRACEDALE APART FROM OLD COUNTY HOME, Easton Express, 8/18/53
10-STORY GRACEDALE TOWER IS DEDICATED, Free Press, 2/19/1975.
ALMSHOUSES, FACTORIES HIT BY 1849 CHOLERA EPIDEMIC, James Wright, Looking Back, The Easton Express, 12/31/89, page C-6.
GRACEDALE FOUNDED AS MORAVIAN SETTLEMENT, JAMES WRIGHT, Easton Express (date unknown)
GRACEDALE: Moravian Setting for Modern Northampton County Courthouse, by Edward F. Reimer

Zrinski Unveils Long-Term Gracedale Plan in State of the County

Yesterday, at the close of the work-day, members of our local ruling party convened at the National Museum of Industrial History on Bethlehem's south side to hear Tara Zrinski's first "State of the County" address as County Executive. I watched it on Facebook, not in person, because I had a conflicting matter at the same time.  I'm glad I watched. At the end of her presentation, Zrinski finally unveiled what I've been waiting for - a long-term plan for Gracedale.  

The beginning intros were a bit cringeworthy. It's a bit unclear to me, but there may have been an open bar. It wasm, after all, happy hour. But this is a far cry from the 7 am addresses delivered in previous years by the likes of John Stoffa and Glenn Reibman. Instead of black coffee and orange juice, there was Rocky music and some goofy guy who sounded like a WWE announcer introducing speakers who themselves were making introductions and announcing a lengthy list of corporate sponsors. I was waiting for "Let's get ready to ruuuuumble," from this guy but he must have left for a Trump rally somewhere. Nearly eight minutes went by before Zrinski ever made it to the podium. 

When she did, she was fairly relaxed and amiable. She started off with the obligatory joke (about her numerous hair colors), told guests she didn't mind of they wanted to sneak off to the bar, and went to work. 

About 90% of what she had to say could have been said by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Becky Bradley. It was all about county demographics and how they've changed over the years. 

Toward the end of a 47-minute speech, Zrinski unveiled her "strategic" plan for Gracedale. Administrator Michelle Morton had a "strategic plan" for the beleaguered nursing home nearly a year ago. This is a new one. 

Zrinski's goal is to keep Gracedale both county-owned and county-operated (meaning no third-party manager). She also wants it to be self-sustaining with no need for county contributions. 

To accomplish this feat, she's planning for a new Gracedale that makes use of its 365-acre campus. A rejuvenated Gracedale, with adjoining medical offices, a dialysis center, workforce housing for county employees and retail space. There already is a daycare at the facility, and she is hoping to partner with area colleges that offer nursing, and Gracedale would in turn provide affordable housing for these students after they graduate. "That is how we solve our agency-nurse dependency," she said. She acknowledged "it's not going to be easy." 

Zrinski said people might think she's cRaZy after seeing this plan, but I'll be honest. It is eerily similar to a proposal I made in December 2024. I called it "A Modest Plan to Retain NorCo County Workers and Provide Workforce Housing."

The county owns 375 acres at Gracedale and 500 acres elsewhere. Here's what I suggested back then:

Northampton County has about 1700-1800 employees, though its actual number should be closer to 2,000. It has problems attracting nursing care at Gracedale, despite offering retention bonuses and even building a daycare that may or may not yet be open. This is a nationwide problem, and the county has been forced to hire outside nurses to provide care at higher rates than it pays its own. 

In addition to a shortage of nursing care at Gracedale, there is also a shortage of corrections officers, youth care workers and 911 dispatchers. They are often forced to work overtime to fill gaps in coverage, which exhausts them and can make conditions unsafe. 

Couldn't we express our appreciation to these unsung heroes by providing them with an affordable place to live?

Here's what I would suggest as a pilot program. The Gracedale campus is huge. Some of that land is used neither for farming nor anything else. It's just grass to cut. How about a small development of about 30 homes for workers in critical departments like the jail, Gracedale, Juvenile Justice Center and 911. I'm not speaking of McMansions but am thinking of smaller homes like the Boxable Casita. 

The county could offer these homes and agree to hold the mortgage at a low interest rate. The qualifying employee would own, not rent the property to erase any illusion that this is a company store. If the employee either leaves county employment or decides to sell the property for a larger home, the county would have an option to repurchase at its appraised market value. That way the employee could build equity, and the county could attract and retain good workers. 

I discussed this idea with several members of County Council, who themselves had similar ideas. So I think she'd have support and believe this could actually solve Gracedale's biggest problem, a reliance on agency nurses who lack the empathy that county employees have. The only part of her Gracedale presentation I dislike is her insistence that the home be county-managed. I think the county has demonstrated over and over that it lacks the expertise to manage a nursing facility. 

Zrinski never got into some of the many other issues facing the county. She noted the county has had no tax hike for eight years (hint, hint), that there's been no reassessment since 1995 (hint, hint). 

Defeated NorCo Council Candidate Sam Elias Was Featured at Trump Rally

I thought Sam Elias, a Bethlehem police officer and a member of the Lebanese diaspora here in NorCo, had a very good shot at winning one of the five at-large seats up for grabs last year. But when the votes were tallied, he ran a distant 6th. He was nearly 10,000 votes behind Nadeem Qayyum, the fifth-place finisher. But yesterday afternoon, during a Trump rally at Mack Truck, he got rock star treatment from none other than the President himself. 

According to Trump, Elias has named his youngest child Melania. 

I hope it's a girl. 

For his part, Elias thanked Trump, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie and the entire white house for helping him as a father of six in a single-income household. "Hard work should pay off, not get punished with higher taxes," he said. He lauded Trump for severely curtailing tax on tips and overtime. 

He also praised Trump for his approach to Lebanon. "The Lebanese people finally have an American ally who advocates for a sovereign and independent Lebanon governed by the Lebanese people." 

Israel thought it had a great American ally in Trump, too. 

So did Italy ... and Britain ... and Canade ... and Mexico ... and Denmark.

Ukraine was a bit smarter and started making its own drones. 

Two Suicides at NorCo Jail Within Past 10 Days

NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski has confirmed that, over the past 10 days, there have been two suicides at the jail. The names of the deceased are being withheld until next of kin are notified and Coroner Zach Lysek completes his investigation. I will update this story with more details as they are known. I am told by a source (the mother of an inmate) that the deaths include one male and one female and they were days apart. 

According to a news release from Coroner Zach Lysek,

"One of the individuals is Katelyn M. Godiska, a 34-year-old woman from Bethlehem, PA. On June 14, 2026, she was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital, Easton Campus from the prison, where she was pronounced deceased. The cause of death was Asphyxiation, and the manner of death was Suicide.

"The other individual is Randolph P. Adams, a 35-year-old man from Bethlehem, PA. On June 19, 2026, he was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital, Easton Campus from the prison, where he was pronounced deceased. The cause of death was Asphyxiation, and the manner of death was Suicide."

According to her obituary, Godiska was "a bright and gifted graduate of Nazareth Area High School, where she also excelled in Lacrosse. Kate was working for Nick’s On Main, of Bethlehem. She was known for her artistic creativity, vibrant imagination, and ability to bring beauty and inspiration to those around her. Kate had unconditional love for her family and held a strong bond with her siblings."

Godiska was in jail because she was unable to post $75,000 bond after being charged by Bethlehem police with aggravated assault and related offenses. She was still awaiting her preliminary hearing., which would have taken place today.

Like Godiska, Adams was in jail because he was unable to post $50,000 bond after being charged by Palmer Tp police with robbery of a motor vehicle, theft and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. 

When there is a suicide at the jail, it goes into lockdown. Inmates are stuck in their cells and only allowed out for showers and meals.  Given that a high number are already suffering from serious mental illness, this policy should be reconsidered. According to Truthout, lockdowns are considered more severe than solitary confinement because of the lack of structure. They cause or exacerbate anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues

(Originally posted 6/22/26 at 1:56 pm.)

NorCo's New Fiscal Affairs Director Declines the Job Over Low Salary

Last week, Northampton County Council voted to confirm Deb Watlington, a CPA with 30 years of accounting experience, as the county's new Fiscal Director. But they did so at a lower starting salary - $109,632 - than the $125,108 proposed by Executive Tara Zrinski.  Council members Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan, Jason Boulette, and Jeff Warren were more than happy with a higher salary for what would have been the county's first Fiscal Director with a CPA. 

The final vote to confirm Watlington at the lower salary of $109,632 was approved by Council members Lori Vargo Heffner, Tom Giovanni, Ken Kraft, Dave Holland, Jason Boulette and Theresa Fadem.

Council member Qayyum was opposed to hiring Watlington at any salary.

County Solicitor Melissa Rudas had argued that the Executive has the authority to hire at a higher rate, but my reading of the Career Service Regulations (which could be incorrect) limits the Executive's authority to raise anyone's salary to only one step. Council approval is needed for anything higher. 

In a comment published on this blog, Council member Kelly Keegan warned that this could happen. She stated, 

Northampton County has gone months without a Fiscal Director, one of the most critical financial positions in county government. We've struggled to attract qualified candidates because the salary simply isn't competitive. Potential candidates have declined interviews or withdrawn from consideration because they could earn significantly more elsewhere.

Then, after an extensive search, we finally found a highly qualified candidate willing to leave her current position and take a pay cut to serve Northampton County. Instead of welcoming her and recognizing the sacrifice she was making, Council chose to amend the resolution and reduce her starting salary from Step 3 to Step 1.

Think about the message that sends.

We complain that we can't find qualified people. We acknowledge that the private sector and neighboring organizations pay more. We finally find someone willing to come here anyway, and then we decide to pay her even less?!

This wasn't fiscal responsibility. The difference in salary is negligible in a multi-million-dollar county budget. What isn't negligible is the cost of leaving a key financial leadership position vacant, delaying projects, overburdening existing staff, and creating instability in county government.

The question taxpayers should be asking is simple: Are we trying to recruit and retain talented professionals, or are we making political points at the expense of effective government?

Actions have consequences. If this candidate walks away, Northampton County will once again be searching for a Fiscal Director while wondering why qualified applicants aren't lining up for the job.

I believe that Watlington should have been hired at the higher rate requested by Zrinski. In pushing this hire down to the low rung on the pay scale, a majority of County Council allowed the perfect to be the enemy of the good. Watlington may have had no specific experience with county government. But she has 30 years of accounting experience and is a CPA and would be part of an office that is already very talented. County Council should reconsider what really was a mistake if Watlington is still willing to serve. 

Gracedale is Only Nursing Home in Pa With a Provisional II License

As I told you last week, Northampton County's Gracedale nursing home now has a Provisional II license. It previously had a Provisional I license. In early May, Executive Tara Zrinski said the home did very well in its annual survey, but the downgrade from Provisional I to Provisional II indicates that the facility is in worse shape now than it has ever been. 

Although Zrinski has previously stated that she is happy with Administrator Michelle Morton, the state Department of Health has had to visit the home 27 times since she has been there. Gracedale has been cited eight times since her arrival last year (six times last year and twice this year). The home has been repeatedly cited for elopements (escapes) and a failure to meet minimum staffing requirements. 

I've told you that the latest CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) rating places the home at just one star, which is considered well below average. The home has the added indignity of a scarlet letter in the form of a 

 next to its name to warn potential residents and their families about the possibility of abuse. The home has operated with a Provisional license since February.

All of this, not some of it, has happened during Morton's tenure. And that's understandable. She's had 23 different jobs since 1983. Her background is therapeutic recreation, not nursing or nursing homes. 

In her Exec report last week, Zrinski tried to downplay the problems, stating that they were caused by being too lax in admitting people. I'll agree that is likely one of the causes. Sure, Gracedale should be a sanctuary for the indigent, but should decline residents who are violent to other residents and to staff. But that is only one of the causes. 

Administration is another. The sheer number of visits from the DOH alone indicate that people (staff, residents or both) are unhappy with Michelle Morton, the current Administrator. The decline in the home's ratings, the citations, and the downgrade to a Provisional I and then a Provisional II license have all happened under her watch. I have no doubt she could succeed in some role, but not as Gracedale's administrator. 

A third root cause of Gracedale's problems is its heavy reliance on agency nursing. These are nurses brought in from outside agencies. They are paid far more than regular staffers, which obviously causes resentment. And since they come and go as they please, they are unable to build up the relationships with residents that regular staff have.

A final problem, quite frankly, is politics. The continuum of care positions that Zrinski sought and got are political hires who come and go with the exec. They should have the protection of either career service or a contract. When he was first elected Exec, one of the first things Lamont McClure did was fire the Director of Nursing, Her position was career service, but she must have been probationary, or he'd be unable to axe her. Here's what she wrote in 2018:

"Gracedale has been neglected for years. Not just the last four years but for many decades. The outdated and appalling status of the living conditions for the residents of Gracedale actually brought me to tears the first time I saw the cinder block walls and furniture obviously from decades ago. The resident mattresses had not been replaced for years (actually no one could tell me when) leading to resident skin pressure injury. An assessment revealed these mattresses were no longer offering any pressure reduction. The mechanical lifts recently assessed found 22 lifts were in poor condition. The most vulnerable of our population have been ignored and the taxpayers should be appalled as I was. However, my goal was to work to improve the conditions and the mattresses have been replaced, some furniture has begun to be purchased and the next step was to begin mechanical lift replacement. The ultimate goal being to develop a purchasing replacement plan yearly to assure that this would never happen again.

"I knew the position would be a challenge, and I happen to love a challenge that works to improve the lives of residents in long term care. So imagine my response in early December when I received a letter from the new county executive- elect that stated “this past November our voters spoke loudly and issued a mandate for change.” It went on to say “ I write at this time to inform you that you will not be re-appointed to your position in the new administration” and “your last day of employment with the County of Northampton will be January 1, 2018.”

I believe this nurse was canned because she was chosen by the John Brown administration. 

In her report to County Council last week, Zrinski stated that the downgrade to Provisional II occurred because of yet another resident elopement as well as a resident who brought contraband (I'm told it was a K-Bar knife) into the facility. These matters do not yet appear on the DOH deficiency site, but I suspect we'll be seeing them soon. An alarm actually went off during one of Zrinski's visits. "I assure you that person did not get away," she declared.

As NorCo Council member Dave Holland stated last week, a provisional license means that the state DOH can do a number of things. They can stop new admissions. They can stop Medicaid reimbursements. They can take over the facility with their own managers. 

How common is a provisional license in Pennsylvania? I decided to check.

According to the DOH nursing home facility webpage, there are 661 nursing homes in Pennsylvania. Gracedale is the only one operating with a Provisional II license. 

Of 417 for-profit nursing homes, four are operating with Provisional I licenses: Emerald Nursing and Rehabilitation (Elizabethtown); Kadima Rehabilitation and Nursing (Palmyra Pa); Rochester Residence and Care Center (Rochester); and Wecare at South Hills (Canonsburg) Provisional I.

Of 223 NonProfit Facilities, all have regular licenses. 

Of 14 county-owned facilities, only Gracedale has a Provisional license

Of 7 State-owned facilities for veterans, all have regular licenses.

Another point made by Zrinski during her Exec report is that for-profit homes are less likely to accept Medicaid. Northampton County has 11 nursing homes.  All but 1 accept Medicaid.