The Wilbur Mansion
Overview
In 1864 the Wilbur Mansion was originally built, the importance of hospitality and utilizing your surroundings was a way of life. This still holds true with the reimagined Wilbur Mansion, located in Bethlehem, PA -- the area's premier restaurant, event center, and boutique hotel.
Stay at The Wilbur Mansion
Their nine boutique hotel rooms offers timeless, modern decor and amenities that blend seamlessly with the original 1864 architecture of the mansion. Book your stay today!
Dine at Swift at The Wilbur Mansion
Indulge in locally sourced, seasonally inspired dishes and handcrafted beverages created by Chef Brandon Otto. Rooted in European technique and drawing inspiration from around the world, Chef Brandon's cuisine uses familiar flavors of traveling and the diverse cuisine of the Northeast. Check out their menu here and reserve your table today!
Host your event at The Wilbur Mansion
Enjoy the mansion's modern event center with spectacular views overlooking the Lehigh River and SteelStacks, while hosting your wedding, corporate, or private event. Their event center with indoor and outdoor spaces holds up to 200 guests with more intimate spaces available for smaller gatherings of up to 40 guests in their wine cellar. Inquire about your next event here.
History of The Wilbur Mansion
In 1864, Lehigh Valley entrepreneur, Elijah Packer Wilbur, built the Wilbur Mansion for his personal home. Wilbur was the nephew of Asa Packer and was one of the founders of Lehigh University. He started the EP Wilbur Trust, one of the first banks in the Lehigh Valley, and he ran the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company. He lived in The Wilbur Mansion with his family until he passed in 1913.
In 1925, Wilbur's wife, Stella, sold the Mansion to the Bethlehem Masons, who built their Lodge and Temple as an addition to the Mansion. The Masons held their meetings, membership gatherings, and hosted many events and weddings in the grand ballroom for almost 100 years.
In 2015, the Masons put the entire site up for sale. On an intuitive impulse, John and Lynn Noble purchased the site unsure of what to do with it, but knowing it had a lot of really exciting potential! The entire Noble family worked together with the help of Bethlehem's amazing community partners to bring The Wilbur Mansion back to life and establish a spectacular venue at the gateway to Bethlehem!