As a young woman, Benigna Von Zinzendorf founded the first school in the colonial United States to educate women. Built in the heart of Bethlehem, the Moravian Female Seminary held a prestigious position in the colonies. George Washington famously enrolled his niece at the school following a visit to Bethlehem. Multiple educational institutions in Bethlehem can trace their lineage back to Benigna’s original institution.
The Moravian Female Seminary was founded in 1742, soon after the christening of Bethlehem by Count Nicolaus Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, founder of the Moravian Church and father to Benigna. The daughter of an immensely influential figure in the region’s history, Benigna has played an equally weighty role in the history of the region, and of the country, as her father.
