Winters Heritage House Museum

Member N e w s l e t t e r
Published quarterly by the Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. Winter 2015

In this Newsletter Also inside—

 Crazy Christmas Ideas!  Fun Findings in the Seibert Library
 Helpful College Students!  Dear Elizabeth — Our Historic Advice
 Growing Up in Elizabethtown Column
Facebook Page!  Museum Happenings
 ….and more!
E-town College Edition! This quarter’s news compiled by guest editors, Rachel Barnes and Bailey Schoenbeck

(717) 367-4672
Permit No. 1
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Elizabethtown, PA
47 East High St.,
Non-profit Org.
P.O. Box 14
US Postage Paid Return Service Requested
Winters Heritage House Museum
Christmas Shopping Mania at Winters Heritage House Museum
Pick up a unique gift for someone on your list, and support the museum and a local craftsperson all at the same
time. Many of these gifts are available only at the Winters Heritage House Museum gift shop.

Winters Heritage House Museum logo mugs. Each mug was handmade for us
by potters in the U.S., and graced with the museum’s logo of a thistle and
crossed pipes, reflecting our Scots-Irish heritage. Several shapes and glazes are
available. Mugs are 12 ounces and are suitable for a hefty serving of your
favorite hot winter beverage or ice cold beer. Microwaveable and dishwasher
safe. $24.50

Images of America: Elizabethtown This book explores Elizabethtown’s fascinating

history through images and story line. A perfect gift for new neighbors, history buffs, or
just to have on hand. Members price $16.00/non-members $20.00

American Heritage Chocolates! Send folks something made

right here in town. Mars Chocolate produces this historic
chocolate recipe at the Elizabethtown plant (it’s what we smell
just before it rains!).
We have Chocolate Drink Mix, Baking bars, Chocolate Sticks and a Muslin Gift Bag of
Chocolate Sticks. All are made with the Colonial spiced dark chocolate recipe.
See www.AmericanHeritageChocolate.com for info and recipes.

Various and Assorted really cool locally made items —

Hand dipped candle tapers by the pair (Harrisburg)
Skeins of mohair, alpaca and wool yarns from Whispering Willow Farm, Rheems
Wrought iron hooks, copper stars, cooking items , Stan’s Blacksmith shop, Mt Joy
Hand quilted wall hangings table runners and baby blankets at wonderful prices!

Three (3) Wild and Crazy Ways to Shop:

1. Drop-in Shopping — Winters Heritage House Museum store will be open on Thursdays
and Fridays through December 18, from 9am to 2pm. Stop by for a visit!
2. Call Ahead Shopping— If you know what you want, simply give us a ring. Leave a message
if we’re not in, and we’ll call you back shortly. We’ll gather your things and, if you’re fairly
local, even deliver them to your door, . 717 367-4672
3. Make a Shopping Appointment — sounds pretty crazy, I know!! We are here more than
you would believe. Call us, and we’ll work out a common time for you to swing by.
Two more

Wild and Crazy gift ideas!!

The raffle for this lovely quilt, designed and

pieced by Dottie Leban and completed by the
Winters Heritage House Quilting Committee, is
coming close to its goal.

Tickets are $1 each or 6 tickets for $5.

The quilt is a true work of art and would make a

lovely wall hanging, twin bed or sofa throw
(measures 5’3” x 7’3”).

Enter while you can! The drawing will be some-

time after Christmas, as soon as the goal is met.
See other side for Wild and Crazy times to visit
and purchase tickets!

Holiday Gift Donation Winters Heritage House Museum is an educational non-profit that preserves two
1760s log houses and two mid-1800s buildings in Elizabethtown, and is home to the Seibert Genealogy Library
and Resource Center. Your patronage supports the efforts of the Elizabethtown Preservation Associates to
keep these initiatives an active part of our community.
Donations are our main source of income. Please support the Winters Heritage House Museum.

Name: ____________________________________________ Donation in Honor of*: _____________________________________

Address: __________________________________________ Town: ________________________ State: ______ Zip: ___________

u!!!
Phone : ____________________________________________

k y o
Donation amount: ______________ Enclosed check # _______ Than
Submit contribution to: Winters Heritage House Museum, P.O. Box 14, Elizabethtown, PA 17022
You will receive a letter for your contribution suitable for tax purposes.

*Please provide information if you would like a Christmas gift letter of donation to go out to this person.
 Fun Findings in the Seibert Library
Flames Across the Rooftops High winds spread the flames to buildings on either side of
the “Chronicle” office. Soon the east side of South Market
Contributions by Pat and Lloyd Reed
Street was engulfed from High Street to the office and home
On a bitterly cold and windy night in February 1892, John of Dr. A.C. Treichler, now Hornafius Insurance. In a heroic
Westafer returned late at night to his apartment on Center effort to save his home, Dr. Treichler had gotten on his roof
Square, Elizabethtown. He and his wife, Esther, lived on the and townspeople attached buckets of water to a rope that he
first floor behind the office of their newspaper, “The pulled up to his roof. His hands were burned and blistered
Elizabethtown Chronicle”. He wasn’t home long before he from the heat as he poured the water on the roof shingles.
heard the fire bell ringing. He smelled smoke. A fire had
The town needed help. There weren’t many telephones in
erupted overhead in the second floor office of C.G. Gabel, a
use but Elizabethtown had one of the first telegraph stations
dentist.
in the country. A telegram was sent to Lancaster pleading for
Dr. Gabel had been a good neighbor. Every now and then he a pumper engine to be sent to Elizabethtown immediately.
appeared in the “Chronicle” office to ask someone to come The Lancaster Fire Company responded by putting a pumper
upstairs to hold a patient because he had to extract a tooth. engine on a flat bed railroad car and sending it to
However, on that evening of the 12th of February, he had Elizabethtown. By the time the Lancaster fire engine arrived,
not paid sufficient attention when he banked his coal fired George Wagner’s shoe store, Susan Hornafius’s
stove. After putting extra coal on the grate, he failed to use confectionary shop, Maurice Roeting’s housewares store, the
the damper lever to decrease the flow of air into the “Chronicle” office, and Frank Sweigart’s cottage restaurant
simmering coals. With the damper open and extra coal, the were heaps of embers. Everything on the east side from High
February winds produced a strong draft and the stove soon Street down to Dr. Treichler’s home burned. Dr. Treichler’s
became a blast furnace. It wasn’t long before a curtain, cloth house was saved as was every house south of him.
or wood resting near the stove caught fire.
According to Ray Westafer in a 1986 interview, his
The Elizabethtown Fire Company, of which Mr. Westafer was grandfather, John, had allowed the fire insurance on the
a member, did not have far to go. The firehouse, now “Chronicle” to lapse. He said, “ My grandfather did not get
Lynden Gallery, was located in the next block to the south. any insurance money , not a cent, for the fire.” John got a
The Fire Company had purchased a Rogers steam engine shed down by the Catholic Church and put an old printing
pumper just three years earlier. The steam-powered pumper press together. He only missed putting out two issues (two
pulled it with a heavy rope. While it was being pulled to the weeks) of the “Chronicle”. John published the “Chronicle”
sight of the fire, a fireman sat on a backseat feeding wood from the shed beside the Catholic Church until he bought
and coal to build a fire under the boiler so enough steam and equipped a building on North Market Street .
pressure was produced to pump water by the time apparatus
arrived at the fire.
As there was no city water system, the steam pumper was
attached by hoses to cisterns in the area until they ran dry.
Then the firemen pushed the pumper to the Conoy Creek
and long hoses were used to get the water to the burning
building. Too much steam pressure was generated for the
little engine and the head on the cylinder blew apart. With
the steam engine pumper out of service, the only water
available to fight the fire was with a bucket brigade.

The south-east section of Market Street burned down in a huge fire

in 1892. Looking towards the square Hornafius Insurance is on the
far right side.
 Museum Happenings
Into the Streets is a program through Elizabethtown
College designed to foster community service and
civic engagement. This year, the student volunteers
from the college did a wonderful job with clean up
around the museum. The volunteers’ efforts included
cleaning out the garden, planting flowers along the
front of the buildings, straightening out the log pile,
cutting back the vines that were eating the garage,
and laying landscape fabric and bricks in an area that
was a chronic mowing and mud issue. We are
thankful for all of their help! The museum looks
great!

The photo above left, shows what the museum looked

like before the volunteers’ efforts. The photo to the left
shows what the garden looks like now.

A New Look for Hoss’s—With a Little Help

from Long Ago!
Helpful College Students Hoss’s Steak and Sea House on route 743, E-town,
approached the museum last summer requesting
We have had plenty of help from the students of help finding some new ‘old’ material, as they re-
Elizabethtown College. Interns Rachel Barnes and decorate the dining room. We were happy to help!
Bailey Schoenbeck are in this semester and next to help Among other old photos from the Siebert Library’s
keep things running in the museum office and store. collection, note the mural of the 1900s
Elizabethtown train station! The new décor will be
Professor Jean Paul Benowitz’s First Year Seminar titled
in place early in 2016.
Landmarks and Legends: Learning Local History
students are supplying the community with two hours
each of volunteer service time. Many students helped
at the Holiday Craft Show with set up in the beginning
and clean up at the end. Other students from the class
helped us spread the word on our ExtraGive
participation.
 Dear Elizabeth
Our Historic Advice Column
The spirit of our town founder, Elizabeth
Hughes, residing here from 1750 to
1760, offers her advice to our
generation.
If you have any advice needs from or a
history question for Elizabeth, please
send them to Dear Elizabeth, c/o
Winters Heritage House Museum email;
Winters-HH@ElizabethtownHistory.org
Dear Elizabeth,
I am getting married in a few
months to an amazing man.
Everything in the wedding planning
has gone perfectly except my dress is
very uncomfortable. It has a corset
on the top which constricts my entire
body and it is hard to breathe.
However, I love the design of the
dress and I cannot afford to buy
another one. Can you please tell me end at my college. I fear I can’t
how you deal with wearing this
uncomfortable thing all the time?
Blushing Bride
Dear Blushing Bride,
I must first lend a warm
congratulations to you on getting
betrothed. As for answering your
question, I wear a corset on most days
especially when I am out in public
with Barnabus, my loving husband.
Over the years, I have become
accustomed to wearing a corset
because I have had to wear one
underneath my dresses since I was 5
years of age.
My only advice for you is to take
shallow breaths while wearing the
dress on your wedding day. I know
this sounds silly but trust me, it works! were a regular day. Stores remain
Don’t worry, if you wear your corset
often, your organs will compress up
into your ribcage, which will make it
much more comfortable.
Sincerely yours.
Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth,
I am stressed beyond belief!
The semester is soon coming to an
handle the stresses of being an adult. After the holidays, Liz
What should I do?
Struggling Sarah
Dear Struggling Sarah,
Drop out. We as women, do not want
to appear overly educated to a man. A
woman’s main goal should be to get
married and have children! You
needn't waste your time in school.
Find yourself a well mannered chap,
and focus on making him happy.
Remember your station in life and
adhere to it at all cost!
Best of luck,
Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth,
As the holidays are quickly
approaching, I have become
increasingly interested in knowing
how you celebrate Christmas.
Festive Frank
Dear Festive Frank,
I am sad to say that in my time
Christmas is not nearly as exciting or
festive as it is for you today. I have
heard that in the South, Christmas is
much more cheerful than it is here in
Elizabethtown. You might be surprised
to hear that on this “special” day we
go about our daily business as if it
open including Black Bear Tavern,
which my husband, Barnabus, owns. I
hope this answers any questions you
may have about Christmases of the
past. As you would say “Merry
Christmas”.
Yours,
Elizabeth
Yoga Classes
Mosher’s yoga classes will
resume on Thursdays from
10:30-11:30am. Classes are
held in the white brick house
at 33 East High St. and cost
$10.00. Call Liz for further
info. 571-481-8095
Growing Up In Elizabethtown!
KEEP YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Did you know about the new Facebook page called Growing
Up In Elizabethtown? It is a place to share Elizabethtown ACTIVE!
history and personal experiences of living in the town with
others in the community. All you have to do is Facebook
search for “Growing Up in Elizabethtown” and request to
The Perfect Gift for the History
join the page.
Enthusiast in You!
Memberships are our primary
resource for maintaining the
museum. Please take the time to renew your
annual membership, or consider becoming a
Nogging Brick member and auto-contributing
monthly. Don’t worry, if you renew early we will
add the membership year to your existing due date.
Membership Form
Name: _________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
Phone: ________________________________________

An Easy Way to Support the Museum: Email: _________________________________________

Membership level (circle one)
Please note: Supporters must now renew their
Individual—$20 Patron — $100
registration each year. Please please do!!!
Family — $40 Sponsor — $250
Sign up for the Darrenkamp’s “Community Rewards”
Sustaining — $60 Benefactor — $500
program. Simply visit the “My Community Rewards”
Set me up as a Nogging Brick Membership at $_______/
website, (www.mycommunityrewards.com) and follow the Month
easy step-by-step instructions to register your Gold Card.
It takes just a few minutes. Thank you for your support!
Check enclosed # ______ Amount : ____________
THANK YOU! Or Credit Card: __________________________________
Expiration: _____
Winters Heritage House
Museum
P.O. Box 14
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
 2016 Events and Activities
2016 Museum Events and Activities
We are still planning the calendar for 2016.
If you would like to support the museum
by teaching a class in a traditional skill such
as health cooking, basket weaving,
whittling, etc., please contact us. Classes
are generally small and are a great way to
share your talent. If there are things you
would like to see offered, we would love to
hear from you, as well.
Volunteer Committees (adults)
The Quilt Committee meets the second,
third, and fourth Monday of each month.
The Textile Group (spinning through yarn
needle skills) meets the third Wednesday
of each month.
The Herb Garden Committee will meet on
a varied schedule through the gardening
season.
The Library and Research Committee
meets bi-monthly. This group helps direct
the programming for the museum.
All committees are fun and friendly to
beginners through experts. If you are
interested in joining a committee or
learning more about them, please call the
museum!
Phone: 717 367-4672 Email: Winters-HH@ElizabethtownHistory.com Website: www.elizabethtownhistory.org
On Going Over The Winter
Children’s story hour– an activity for children ages 4-6. These are held the
second Friday of each month. There are three story hours from which to
choose: 9:30 a.m, 10:45 a.m, and 1 p.m. Children hear a story, do an activity
or craft, and have a snack. Themes change each month . Please contact the
museum for a list of themes and to register. $2/child. Adults are free and
should plan to stay.
Library Research– Winter can be a great time to get moving on your family
research project. Or, do you live in a house with an interesting past and
want to know more? Visit the Seibert Library and dig through our archives of
information just waiting to be discovered. Generally we’re here
Wednesday’s through Friday’s. But do call ahead: 717-367-4672.
Museum Tours – Please share us with your friends and family. We love to
give tours of these wonderful old buildings. Tours only take about 30-45
minutes and are full of fun trivia about Elizabethtown and the area. A fun
outing for kids visiting family or other guests. Call for a tour appointment.
Committee meetings: See the list of museum committees for more
information.
Museum and Seibert Library Hours
The museum will be closed for the winter starting the week of Thanksgiving,
and will re-open the first week of March, 2016. We are only available by
appointment. However, we are often around so please stop by with any
questions. We will be glad to see you!
Please call ahead if you want to do research in our library, so we can be sure
a librarian is on hand.
Contact Us: