Menu

About 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 on a plot of land owned by his father, Jacob Ehrenhardt Sr.  Step inside and go back in time to the early 1800's after the Moravians had settled in Emmaus.  The house preserves the architecture of the Moravian culture of Colonial Pennsylvania and illustrates the lifestyle of Colonial America. This beautiful renovated "time capsule" is a vital link to our heritage and one of the oldest structures in  Emmaus. The 1803 House is located at 55 South Keystone Avenue in  Emmaus, PA is managed by The Friends of the 1803 House. National Register of Historic Places.  More history; A Photo Tour; How to help; Become a Member 

     
     
     

Archeological Dig at the 1803 House

Archaeology Professor David Small of Lehigh University has been working with teams of students and with important volunteers from  Emmaus on excavations at the 1803 House.  Lehigh’s enterprise was not the first however, and due recognition must be given to Ryan Loughren who was a teacher at the local Seven Generations Charter School.  Ryan took several  students to dig south of the kitchen and exposed important walls to a building which we are today exploring.  For the past two years Lehigh students and Emmaus volunteers have been working to understand the buried walls behind the kitchen. They have currently excavated a small section of  what was a larger building. What this building was is still undetermined. The best estimate to date is that it was a log cabin which was used by the builders of the 1803 House, before the house was built. See progress; 2019 Privy Project; 2019 East Penn Press Article

   

Events held at the 1803 House

Winter Events:
Every Year...Old Fashioned Christmas at 1803 House [Flier]:This event is always the 1st Saturday of December at the 1803 House. In 2019 visitors enjoyed the fire in open hearth baking gingerbread and beef stew, warm cider, holiday treats, Christmas tree with colonial  decorations, window sill decorated by members of the Emmaus Garden Club, scale Emmaus building models by Andre Fatula, ornament crafting for the children, "1803 House Church Baby" sale, annual homemade wreath sale and holiday tours of the 1803 House. View The Photo Gallery 

Spring Events:
2020 "Goblets & Games"...May 17, 2020 from 2pm-5pm [details coming soon]: This fundraiser will help us to restore the colonial windows in the 1803 House.  Come and enjoy an afternoon with wine, food  music and games. 2019 Article from the East Penn Press; Photo Summary; Spring Event Photo Gallery;

Emmaus Heritage Alliance Education Project:  For the fourth year, The 1803 House, the Shelter House, God's Acre and the Knauss Homestead will be hosting a Pilot Program with the East Penn School District.  Third graders from five elementary schools will explore and learn about their community, the history of Emmaus and how children lived during the time periods of each site. 2018 article or 2019 East Penn Press article

Summer Events:
Lehigh Valley Passport to History...August 15-16, 2020: The 1803 house is partnering with many other historic sites in the Pennsylvania's Lehigh and Northampton counties.  Come visit the 1803 House on August 15th and 16th from 10am to 4pm. More details to come.

Fall Events:
"Fall Event"...September 20, 2020 from 4 to 7 [Details coming soon]: This fundraiser will help us to continue to restore our colonial windows on the 1803 House.  Come and enjoy some beer, food and music. 

Facebook

         

Recent News:

Emmaus Paint-A-Hydrant Program

East Penn Press Article; Detailed Pictures
Meet Lindsay Fujita...she was inspired to paint something to represent the history of the Moravians and showcase the 1803 House as one of their historic sites.  This fire hydrant is perfectly situated for her inspiration as it is located across from the Moravian Church and in front of the home of the future builder of the 1803 House.  The 1803 House in honored...
THANK YOU LINDSAY!

Why NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in Emmaus?

Morning Call article; or  "Ramblings from the Bench" 

 Appeal to Restore Windows...
  
 Donation form

Need a Tour or Speaker? 
Tours-Slideshow@1803house.org

Links: