Mother-of-pearl carving in Bethlehem Mother-of-pearl carving in Bethlehem Mother-of-Pearl carving, a traditional handicraft in Bethlehem, is said to have been brought to the city by Franciscan friars from Italy in the 15th century. Bethlehem's position as an important Christian city has for centuries attracted a constant stream of pilgrims. This generated much local work and income, also for women, including making mother-of-pearl souvenirs. According to Weir, Bethlehem women's employment in the mother-of-pearl industry goes back at least to the seventeenth century. It was noted by Richard Pococke, who travelled there in 1727. Previously, most of the oysters for the mother-of-pearl supply came from the
Pearl Street Schoolhouse Pearl Street Schoolhouse The Pearl Street Schoolhouse, also known as District 11 Schoolhouse, is located south of the junction of Awosting and Decker roads in the Town of Shawangunk, New York, United States. It was built around 1850. The schoolhouse name is derived from the tendency of the Jansen family to speak often of Pearl Street in what is today Lower Manhattan. The homes of early settlers Thomas and Johannes are within a mile (1.6 km) of each other. Eventually, the whole area they lived in became known as Pearl Street. The building, now a private home, was added to