Main Street Bethlehem - Dec 2010

For years we have heard about Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet Texas. A Baptist church up there has built a little town of Bethlehem and for 3 weekends during December they host a night in Bethlehem.  Members of their church dress as biblical people and you can walk through the houses and jail and inn and finally make your way to the stable.  It is an amazing production.  It is also 1-2 hours of waiting in line around the town square.  We waited over an hour..which was interesting with a 2 year old and a kid in a leg brace as there were few place to sit.  We even questioned if it would be worth the 20-30 minute tour through the town.  Then we got inside and realized it was very much worth the wait.
 
Most of the buildings were made of concrete and there were passageways to navigate through.There was a jail, a blacksmith shop, stables, candle makers etc.  They have really put a lot of detail into this production to make you feel like you've stepped back in time.

Josh found the public stocks.

Inside a house where they made and sold baskets.  The homes were tiny and cramped and dark.  It was very crowded to move through the streets and homes but you really did feel like you were getting a sneak peek into the past.

Roman chariot

Roman Soldier...who stayed in character very well. 

 The stable and manger...this was a very neat scene to come up on and the crowd was very quiet and reverent as they moved through here. It was neat for the kids to see and envision what the real nativity may have looked like.

Other things inside the town were a bakery which was handing out "Bethlehem Bread".  We decided Bethlehem bread is the BEST bread in the world.  It also takes a lot of work to make so the little sample they give you is something to be savored.  A link to their site as the recipe. http://www.fbcburnet.org/mainstreetbethlehem.html

All in all it was a moving experience to visit "Bethlehem" and imagine what that night would have been like so long ago.