You may not know much about history, but Emmaus Patch is going to help change that. Every Friday in July, you're invited to join Peggy Heminitz for a brief history lesson. Peg will share a local photograph and some historical fact about the place we call home. We promise there won't be any tests!
This week, we're focusing on the 1803 House:
The is located on South Keystone Avenue and is one of the oldest structures in Emmaus. It serves as a museum to show visitors what the early days in the borough were like.
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The home was built by Jacob Ehrenhardt, Jr., son of one of the founding fathers of Emmaus. Born in 1760, he was one of the village’s 12 Revolutionary War veterans.
He took up the trade of shoemaker, and he and his wife, Susanna, raised their four daughters in the house.
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In 1858, a barn on the property burned due to what was thought to be sparks from the wood-burning steam engine of a train as it passed by the property.
The house was continuously occupied until 1975, when Robert Rodale purchased it and donated it to the Borough of Emmaus. Soon, the Friends of the 1803 House Society was formed to preserve and restore the house.