Shelter House

Shelter House is a historic home located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Constructed in 1734, it is believed to be the oldest continuously occupied building structure in both Lehigh County and the Lehigh Valley and among the oldest still-standing building structures in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[2]

Shelter House
Shelter House in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, October 2012
Location601 S. 4th St.,
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Coordinates40°31′50″N 75°29′6″W
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Builtc. 1734, 1741
Architectural styleGermanic log house
NRHP reference No.78002426[1]
Added to NRHPFebruary 17, 1978

History

The first floor was built around 1734. In 1741, a three-room second story and a two-story annex were added. The house was built by early Pennsylvania German settlers and is a medieval-type Germanic log house made out of oak and chestnut and measuring approximately 40 feet by 25 feet. Mud, straw, and horse hair were used as the filling, or chinking, in between the gaps in the log walls, providing protection and insulation from outside elements.[3] It has a gable roof and large, square stone chimney.

The Shelter House got its name from the German word "zufluchtshaus," meaning "house of refuge or shelter."[4] The House is situated in a clearing of woods along a well-traveled Indian path and often served as a stopover for travelers. The house was inhabited at a time when there existed conflicts in the area between American settlers and British colonialists and Native Americans. Many years later after the founding of Emmaus in 1759, the House became a hostel and tavern where the wayfarer could find lodging, food, and drink.[5]

In 1952, the cabin was purchased at a public sale by a group of preservationists who raised $35,000 to stabilize and restore the structure and its grounds. In 1963, the Borough of Emmaus assumed ownership of the property, while the Shelter House Society continues with the responsibility of maintenance and preservation.

In 1978, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Shelter House official website, retrieved May 4, 2022
  3. "The Shelter House: A Place of Refuge Since 1734". Emmaus, PA Patch. 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  4. "Shelter House Society at MuseumsUSA.org". www.museumsusa.org. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  5. c95992x1. "Shelter House". Emmaus Public Library. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
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