Hope is one of the earliest planned communities in the Country, having been established by German Moravians in 1769. Recognizing the need for immediate income to develop the Community, the first industrial building built was the Grist Mill and its Mill Race, which diverted a channel of water to the Mill to run the grinding wheels to grind flour. This was
accomplished in one year and began immediate production, which continued into the 1950’s. This industry was soon followed by the Distillery, General Store, Log Tavern, a Saw Mill, Oil Mill, Pottery, Tannery, Log Cabins, North and South Farms, permanent limestone residences, Single Sister’s Residence and School, Gemeinhaus or Church and “God’s Acre”, the Moravian Cemetery. After almost 40 years of the Moravian “experiment” in Hope, the community was sold and almost all of the Moravians returned to Bethlehem or Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
https://www.hopetownship.com/history.php
