Second Tavern Built

Second Brewery Built

Hendrich Fieldhausen Banished

Trade and Profession Slows at Bethabara

This timeline focuses on significant events regarding the Moravians in North America and Bethabara. There is a particular focus on how alcohol was ever-present in Bethabara's economy, trade, and the diets of Bretheren. 

Several brothers from Bethlehem, PA, led by Bishop Gottlieb Spangenburg, set out to survey a new possible Moravian settlement in North Carolina. The journey lasted approximately five months. While they didn't immediately settle on the plot of land that became Bethabara, it was one of the places mentioned.  

Fig 1. "Aug. Gottlieb Spangenberg," Image courtesy of Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem, NC. 

Moravian's Survey the Carolina's 

After Spangenburg's findings were sent for review and accepted, the purchase of Wachau in North Carolina followed. Fifteen men, most of whom came from an agricultural center in Nazareth. Of those fifteen people was Henrich Feldhausen who became Bethabara's first brewer/distiller. 

Fig 1. "Map of Wachovia," Image courtesy of Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem, NC.

Bethabara Purchased and Founded

The brothers erected Bethabara's first brewery/distillery. Alcohol was one of Bethabara's most profitable exports, being traded or sold at the Tavern. The brewery/distillery produced beer, whiskey, and brandy. Beer was used for diet, while liquor was sold at the tavern or traded. 

Conditions in the Brewery would have likely been extrodinarily hot and uncomfortable. 

In the image above, plot #5 indicates the location of the brewery/distillery. Today, the brewery and its foundation no longer stand, and the building is in a parking lot. 

Fig 1. "1766 Map of Bethabara," Image courtesy of Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem, NC.

First Brewery Built

In June of 1757, several brothers began clearing land for a vineyard. The wine was produced in some quantity at Bethabara, however, it was not nearly to the extent of beer, whiskey, and brandy. 

Vineyards in the eighteenth century were notoriously hard to establish as a lot of environmental factors go into making them, and further, maintaining them. 

Foundation of Vineyard

1763 marked a change in who was present in Bethabara. Franke was the first enslaved individual to come to Bethabara. We know that she was not purchased but rented from another enslaver. A document from the Moravian Archives notes she was assigned to the tavern to complete her work. It is unknown how long Franke remained in Bethabara. If she were still alive when Salem's tavern began operating, there is a possibility she would have been transferred there. 

Fig 1. "Tavern," Image taken August 21, 2024. 

First Enslaved Individual in Bethabara/Wachovia

Moravians in North Carolina wrote extensively about daily, monthly, and yearly operations, including extensive lists of inventories. According to monthly inventories taken in 1763, the Brethren kept 270 gallons of brandy and 40 gallons of rye whiskey. The approximately 300 gallons would have been stored in large barrels and in dark, cool areas. As for beer, it was only listed three months out of that year (April, May, and June). Because there were hops in the beer, it was easier to store without the risk of spoiling. The image above shows what many inventories and debt collection documents looked like from the Moravians. 

Figure 1. "Inventorium" April 30, 1788, Image courtesy of Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem, NC.

Inventory's of Alcohol

The Herman Butner House still stands at Bethabara today. While it was not a location where any brewing was ever done, brewers/distillers would have lived here until production stopped later into the nineteenth century. 

Fig 1. "Herman Butner Distilling House." Taken April 20, 2018. Courest of "Well Crafted." 

Brewer's House Built 

Four years after Henrich Feldhausen's bannishment from Bethabara, Christian Pfieffer was listed by the Moravians as the "brewer" for Bethabara while Nils Peterson was listed as the "Distiller." In that same list, Peter Mücke was noted as the apprentice. 

Fig 1. "Brewing in the Eighteenth Century," Courtesy of National Parks Service. 

Christian Pfieffer Listed as "Brewer" and Nils Peterson as "Distiller" 

After completing the Brewery/Distillery, Bethabara needed a way to profit from alcohol beyond just trading it. The tavern allowed for liquor to be sold to "strangers," better known today as guests. These strangers could come and buy liquor and rent a room. The Moravians noted that both the first and second taverns were places of disruption for the church. 

The Tavern is #6 on this map. When the second tavern was built, it was slightly behind the original tavern. Note the separation of the Tavern from the rest of Bethabara. 

Fig 1. "1766 Map of Bethabara," Image courtesy of Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem, NC.

First Tavern Built

In an unfortunate event, Bethabara's second brewery/distillery burned to the ground in 1802. Fires from distilleries and breweries in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were common as many of the buildings were wooden, and fire was always present as part of the brewing process. 

After the fire, alcohol production slowed in Bethabara. With much of Bethabara's population and production already being transferred to Salem, another brewery was not built. It was noted in a document from 1803 that the production of alcohol had moved into a shed, and by the mid-1810s all production moved to Salem. 

Standards for Timeline of Moravians and Alcohol in and Beyond Bethabara