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Welcome to The 1803 House in Emmaus, Pennsylvania


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


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.
 

Lehigh County Americ250 Treasure Trail at the 1803 House

        

Celebrate with all the 16 historic sites, including Shelter House and Knauss Homestead, both in Emmaus.  Go to Lehigh County Treasure Trail | Discover Lehigh Valley and you will find a map of all the sites on the treasure trail. A stroll through the1803 House will take you back to colonial life of the 1800's.  

The 1803 House Needs Your Help to Restore its Aging Roof...

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

After much research and deliberation among the 1803 House board, the Emmaus Historic Commission and the borough, we’re excited to announce that the 1803 House will be getting a much-needed new roof, as the current roof is leaking and causing support beams to sag and compromise the structure. The 1803 House board have concurred that a metal roof would be an appropriate material to use to maintain its historic integrity, as early American rolling mills began producing sheet iron in the late 1700s.  Even The Monticello, Thomas Jeffersons home, built in 1781, had a metal roof.  It is a material that continues to be popular because of its durability, low maintenance and energy efficiency.
We are truly grateful for the support of many individuals who have contributed to our 2026 fundraising campaign to make this happen. There is still time to donate, helping to keep history alive in your beautiful town.  Check out our “See My Legacy” New Roof Capital Campaign by opening Raise the Roof.
  
    

           Donate Online...go to Participate Now to donate online and receive your tax-deductible acknowledgement and receipt.
      Donate by Check...Make check payable to "The Friends of the 1803 House" and mail it to P.O. Box 7, Emmaus, PA 18049.

Utility Sponsorhsips

"The Friends of the 1803 House" needs your financial support to sponsor our monthly utility bills:
Neighborly Light Sponsor: $100
Steady Flame Sponsor: $250
Current of Kindness Sponsor: $500
Heart of the Home Sponsor: $1,000

Please consider giving a contribution, so we can continue to preserve and maintain the 1803 house for the community. 
To donate scan the "QR" code above, OR mail a make a check payable to "The Friends of the 1803 House" and mail it to P.O. Box 7, Emmaus, PA 18049.

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. In 2012 Ryan Loughren, a teacher at  Seven Generations Charter School, 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;
 

Become a Friend of the 1803 House...

To become a "Friend" click on the "Become a Member" button below mail it with your tax-deductible contribution.

Attend an 1803 House or Emmaus Event:

For more information Go to Events;

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.

1803 House Education Programs:

 
We currently have an educational partnership with nearby Seven Generations Charter School and East Penn School District. For more nformation Go To Education or contact us

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"; Paul Reinhard-Morning Call