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Welcome to The 1803 House in Emmaus, Pennsylvania

Location: 55 South Keystone Avenue, Emmaus PA 18049; Email: Friends@1803house.org; Mailing Address: Post Office Box 7, Emmaus, PA 18049

The mission of "The Friends of the 1803 House" is to help preserve and maintain the 1803 House, as a museum for the community of Emmaus.
We protect the past while ensuring the next generation of Americans will learn from the lessons of our history.

The 1803 House:

In 1803, Jacob Ehrenhardt, Jr. built this stone, Federal-style home for his wife Susanna and their four daughters, Barbara, Anna Marie, Anna Eleonora and Suzanna.  It was located near the Moravian Church, surrounded by crop fields, the South Mountain and a stream nearby. The house preserves the architecture of the Moravian culture of Colonial Pennsylvania and is located at 55 South Keystone Avenue, Emmaus, PA and is managed by The Friends of the 1803 House. More history;

1803 House Archeological Dig:

Since 2015, Lehigh University Archaeology Professor David Small, has been working with teams of students and Emmaus volunteers on excavations at the 1803 House. Lehigh's enterprise was not the first however, as Ryan Loughren, a teacher at  Seven Generations Charter School, in 2012, took several students to dig south of the kitchen. In 2017, the project took on an exciting new focus. Lehigh University will be constructing an integrated, interactive website which will contain not only the information from the excavation, but the information from the 1803 House itself. This new focus is only possible through the "Mellon Digital Initiative Grant", which Lehigh University helped the 1803 House procure. That same year the excavating crew uncovered a "privy". In 2019, the team completed their excavation of the site. They preserved the site walls and then placed clean fill over the area. Now, the 1803 House, anxiously awaits the release of the new website being created by Lehigh University students. More on Dig;
 

Annual Appeal

   
Because of our membership, a very talented Board of Directors, and the generosity of the community, we continue to advance the historic significance of the 1803 House Homestead. We especially appreciate the response to our annual appeal. This year we asking for funding to restore the 16 colonial windows and 30 shutters. To contribute to our "Appeal", click on the button below, fill out the form and mail it with your tax-deductible donation.

 

1803 House & Dale Earnhardt Jr.:

 

Why was NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Emmaus?  His Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather was Johannes Ehrenhardt who was the father of Jacob Ehrenhardt Sr. who was the father of Jacob Ehrenhardt Jr., who built the 1803 House.   Morning Call article; or "Ramblings from the Bench";

Need a Speaker?:

 
Planned Programs...The 1803 House also gives slide show presentations to a group or organization at another location. Since we totally rely on donations to achieve our mission, we would greatly appreciate a donation.  To schedule a planned program, contact us.