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All the United States Pennsylvania Emmaus Shelter House

Shelter House

A "house to which to flee" for settlers in colonial Pennsylvania.

Emmaus, Pennsylvania

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Adam Smartschan
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Colonial-style spinning wheel   Adam Smartschan / Atlas Obscura User
Colonial American furniture and traditional construction   Adam Smartschan / Atlas Obscura User
The Shelter House from the front.   Adam Smartschan / Atlas Obscura User
Early 1800s building techniques   Adam Smartschan / Atlas Obscura User
The colonial hearth   Adam Smartschan / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the 18th century, rural Pennsylvania wasn't an easy place to live. Established settlements were scarce, and the fear of attacks by Native Americans was constant (if ultimately unfulfilled). But for settlers looking for safety, there were places that could provide food and shelter. Nearly a decade before the Moravians started their famous community at Bethlehem, settlers 10 miles south erected their own place of sanctuary. Built around 1734, the Shelter House—from the German zufluchtshaus—now stands as the oldest continually occupied structure in the Lehigh Valley.

The medieval-type log building was constructed along a well-traveled path traversing South Mountain, on the outskirts of what would become Emmaus. Originally conceived as a refuge in the event of violence, Shelter House evolved into a place for settlers to get much-needed rest, food, and drink as they staked their claim in the area.

Today, the Shelter House stands as a local landmark. The building was restored in the 1990s, and it serves as a pristine example of early 1700s German construction techniques, including the technically demanding "Dutch notch" style. The roof is supported by 16 hand-hewn triangular joists, and the original chinking between the oak and chestnut logs consists of mud, straw and horse hair. The Shelter House is home to one of the area's largest collections of period-style furniture and household items.  

Related Tags

Architecture Colonial America

Know Before You Go

The Shelter House's live-in curator provides private tours by appointment. You should call 610-965-9258 before visiting.

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Added By

Adam Smartschan

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jyackabonis

  • jyackabonis

Published

February 27, 2020

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  • https://www.emmauspl.org/shelter-house
Shelter House
398 Fairview St
Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 18049
United States
40.529944, -75.487822
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