When Archibald Johnston gave his first annual message to Bethlehem as the city's first Mayor in 1918, it's unlikely he thought those words would be asked nearly 100 years later. But that's exactly what community activist Vicky Bastidas did on Feb. 1 when she and about 50 other "Friends of Johnston" kicked off a $2 million capital campaign to preserve and enrich what Johnston once called "Camel's Hump" farm.

This large tract along the Monocacy Creek is familiar to many Bethlehemites, including Northampton County Council member Ken Kraft. As a boy, it's where he and friends would launch inner tube expeditions. As he got older, he took a young lady there to impress her with all the wildflowers. It worked. She married him. Kraft is one of the council members who voted unanimously last year to spend $675,000 to help preserve part of that land. Joining him were Scott Parsons and Bob Werner.

The Natural Lands Trust has increased that sum to over $800,000.

"I feel the soul in this property," remarked the Trust's Diane Rosencrance.

This is land that, until recently, was under threat of development for yet another strip mall along Route 191, along with "luxury" apartments that would displace wildlife and threaten the Monocacy Creek at a vital recharge point. That threat still exists. Unless $2 million is raised to complete the purchase and maintain the property, the land will have to be sold to someone else.

What's at stake are 44 acres currently owned by the Central Moravian Church and the Leckonby Estate. This is next to other former Archibald Johnston properties that have already been preserved.

Johnston's granddaughter, Janet Housenick, conveyed 36 acres of Camel's Hump to Northampton County as the Archibald Johnston Conservation area. In her will, she devised another 55 acres, including Johnston's mansion, to Bethlehem Township as a park. She also set aside $2 million for the township to maintain the property.

Working in concert with The Natural Lands Trust, Bastidas hopes to create a multi-faceted nature center that would include a pre-school center and environmental education center and day camp for learning applied sciences. This is in line with Johnston's belief that educational resources be maximized.

It will also serve as a community garden and volunteer farm that will provide fresh produce to local food banks at no cost. This is another homage to Bethlehem's first mayor. During the Great Depression, capitalist Johnston formed the area's first cooperative farm, enabling families to stay in their homes and feed each other during the lean years.

Lands near the Monocacy Creek will be converted into a riparian buffer, with trails connected to 135 acres of preserved land. This is expected both to mitigate flooding in downtown Bethlehem, and help preserve what local Sierra Club President Don Miles has called "the most environmentally sensitive land in Northampton County."

Former Northampton County Executive John Stoffa, who joined Bastidas for this capital campaign kickoff, repeated his belief that this is nothing less than the creation of a Lehigh Valley Central Park.

State Senator Lisa Boscola, joined by State Representative Marcia Hahn, suggested tapping into casino funds as a possible source of revenue.

Of all the numerous funding projects on Bastidas' wishlist, the most critical is the $750,000 needed to complete this purchase. The "For Sale" signs on the property indicate that, instead of being preserved, this land could soon fall under a developer's bulldozer.

Also attending this kickoff were Bethlehem Township Commissioners' President Tom Nolan and Bethlehem City Council member Karen Dolan, whom Bastidas referred to as "my sister on the creek."