Winters Heritage House Museum

We are Elizabethtown history!

Published quarterly by the Elizabethtown Preservation Associates Fall Issue 2020


In This Issue — 
New Saturday Hours!
Socially Safe Self-Guided Museum Tour!
 Gorgeous Gardens!
 Free Fun Tours for Third Graders!
 The Incredible History of Stephen Smith!

(717) 367-4672
Permit No. 1
PA Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Elizabethtown, 47 East High St.,
Non-profit Org.
Paid P.O. Box 14
US Postage Return Service Requested Winters Heritage House Museum
Museum Happenings Page
What We’ve Been Up To;

Education is at the heart of the museum’s mission. The pandemic situation has caused us to shift much of our
educational efforts to an online format. This has benefits that will likely, forever forward, have us continuing, at least in
part, in this manner. There are drawbacks, as well; mainly that we don’t get to meet our visitors.

Please enjoy the following, currently available on our website. If you can, take a minute to send us an email with
constructive feedback, questions, and requests. Above all, thank you for your virtual visit!

History Science videos;

 Oil and Water Science — Make an “Ocean in a Bottle” craft while learning about the qualities of
oil and water.
 An Egg-zamination — Open up a fresh egg, and see what an amazing thing it truly is!
 The Story of Soap —a fun tour through the loooong evolution of this very common item.
 Churning Butter Science — See how churning cream causes it to change into something
completely different!
 The Science of Tea — Learn about “infusion” and how plants were a colonial resource for tea
and medicine.

There are also several fun crafts to try, each with a bit of history to go along;
 Make a Packhorse Train — A print and assemble craft that explains the transportation
system that gave Elizabethtown it’s earliest start.
 Natural dyes — Use natural materials to create dyes. Here we dye eggs, but the same dyes,
with a teaspoon of alum, will work on fabrics, too!
 Felting — Make a handy felted soap bar pouch from an old wool sweater or sock.
 Embroidery — learn to embroider with these fun and easy patterns.
 Scherenschnitte — Practice the Pennsylvania German art of Scissors cutting!
 Make a Conestoga Wagon — A fun craft model you can print from your computer and
build together with your child!

In addition to our Summer Crafts and History Science releases, we have included some of our favorite historic and
summer-time recipes. Be sure to visit and enjoy...! www.ElizabethtownHistory.org

We are Now Part of NARM—What is it and how do I get one?

The North American Reciprocal Museum program allows you member access to a wide
variety of museums, galleries, zoos, gardens and other cultural institutions. For a instance,
Just within Lancaster County, NARM Membership allows you to enjoy the Demuth
Museum, the Lancaster Museum of Art, and Wheatland. The association, however, is
nation-wide, with thousands of participating sites. Memberships to NARM are now a
benefit to Patron and above museum memberships.
Visit; ElizabethtownHistory.org/Membership for further information.
A Fair on the Square
Organized by downtown businesses and enjoyed by close to 1,000 people, Elizabethtown’s evening event was a fun
and welcome outing for our community. People generally wore masks and social distanced well enough. The event
included children’s activities and a chance to get out and wander the downtown.

Winters Heritage House participated with a old

favorite summer camp activity; the tried and true
Canoe Race. Children sent a toy canoe down a
raging river of rapids (a rainspout) into a serene
lake of water waiting below (kiddie pool). The
first canoe to hit the lake won, though prizes
seemed to be distributed quite liberally.

Inside the 1812 German log house, visitors could

stop for a photo opportunity using the cut-out
paintings that often decorate the museum’s booth
at the Elizabethtown Fair.

All-in-all, it seemed a very fun community

event!

Elizabethtown Mural Tour

Stop by any of the four murals on the map to Train
Train
the right. Scan the posted QR code with your mural
mural Rita’s
phone’s camera. The link provided will give
you an interactive slide show of information
reviewing each part of the mural. What a great South Market
way to learn about our community’s history!
Public Parking Lot
4 Centuries Mural

Folklore Groff Lucky

The slide show was put together and made Meats Ducks
Cooper Mural

Coffee
available by the Winters Heritage House P&J
Museum staff. Pizza Donegal to Donegal Mural

QR Reader instructions; Public Parking Lot

From an android phone, access the Google
app. At the bottom, select “updates”. Again at Winters
the bottom, to the left of the microphone icon, Heritage
House
East High

tap the QR icon. When you frame up

the posted QR code, it will link you to Museum
the mural information.
Fun Findings in the Seibert Library

How a Former Slave Became a Millionaire

(the story of Stephen Smith)
It is a unique rags-to-riches story from the early 1800s. Stephen Smith was
a self-made black millionaire who worked and lived in Columbia, Pennsylvania.
He made his money in the lumber industry and through thoughtful investments.
Instead of being proud of his success, many people in Columbia were jealous of
him causing him to move to Philadelphia. Today, few people in central
Pennsylvania have ever heard of him.
Smith was purchased at the age of 6, by General Thomas Boude. General
Boude, a hero of the American Revolution, had married Elizabeth Wright, a
Quaker. She was the granddaughter of John Wright, who had started a ferry to
transport people, animals, and wagons across the Susquehanna River at a site
then called Wright's Ferry, now Columbia.
Although the General was a soldier and the Quakers were pacifists, he most
certainly was sympathetic toward Quaker views on the equality of individuals.
The Quakers emphasized that the "inner light" of God was in every person.
Respect was to be extended even to a 6-year-old black slave.
Lancaster County historian Samuel Evans gave an anecdote that told as much
about General Boude as it did about the sharp-witted little boy he had
acquired. According to Evans, young Smith was accompanied by a dog when the
General was taking him to his new home at Wright's Ferry.
When the two made a stop in Harrisburg, a boy approached Stephen Smith and
offered him 50 cents for the dog. Stephen accepted the money and gave the dog
to the boy. When the General and Stephen departed, the dog jumped out of the
boy's arms and returned to Stephen.
The kid from Harrisburg wanted either to keep the dog or his money back,
but Stephen kept the dog and said that he was keeping the money, too. General
Boude realized Stephen wasn't giving up the money so he solved the dilemma by
giving the kid 50 cents and allowing Stephen to keep the dog. Apparently,
General Boude was always similarly generous to his new worker.
Stephen Smith's stroke of luck was that Columbia, according to the 1800
Census, had 10 free blacks and that population increased exponentially from
1800 to 1820. By 1820 that black community numbered 288, close in number to
the 308 blacks in Lancaster.
With a large free black population and sympathetic white Quaker community,
slaves from the South headed for Columbia, an important link in the Underground
Railroad before the Civil War. If Smith worked hard, he had the definite
prospect of gaining his freedom from his generous owner and taking his place in
the freed black community.
General Boude had purchased timberland upstream of a sawmill he owned in
Columbia. After the logs were floated down the Susquehanna, they were grappled
out of the water, passed through the mill and turned into boards. Smith was
taught every aspect of the business from sawing to selling.
He did so well that by 20 years of age he was managing the General's
extensive business. On reaching 21, Smith asked to be allowed to buy his
freedom for $50.00. The General accepted the proposal and Stephen Smith became
a free black resident of Columbia.
Smith's wealth started to accumulate rapidly. He soon had his own
lumberyard. He associated with another successful free black, William Whipper,
Who looked after their
business interests in
Philadelphia. Through
joint ventures they
acquired land in
Pennsylvania and
Canada. They also
owned other
lumberyards, railroad
cars, and a steamship
on Lake Erie.
Reportedly, many of
their resources were
used to help black
fugitive slaves escape
to Canada.
Smith became a
symbol of black social
and economic mobility
in Pennsylvania prior
to the Civil War. In Logs that floated down the Susquehanna River to Columbia
1820 Stephen Smith were turned into boards in General Boude's sawmill under
paid taxes on vacant Stephen Smith's supervision in the early 1800s.
lots worth $300 in
Columbia; in 1829, he had 5 houses and 5 vacant lots; and in 1833, he had a
total of 6 houses, 6 lots. He became the largest stockholder of the Columbia
Bank, and he hired whites to oversee it. Happily, the value of all black owned
Columbian real estate grew during the period from 1820 to 1833 indicating his
was not an isolated success.
In 1831, a black slave in Virginia, by the name of Nat Turner started a
rebellion that resulted in 10 whites being killed. That rebellion kindled fear
in a lot of white people and in 1834 riots against blacks took place in
Columbia.
Smith became a special target for verbal and physical attacks because of
his prosperity. Some white townspeople held a meeting to see what could be
done about decreasing the size of the black population in town. After
conducting an economic census of the black community, they suggested black
property owners should sell their properties and businesses at fair market
value and advised black residents not to harbor any more black transients.
Thirty-seven black property owners were identified and all expressed
interest in selling at a fair market price, including Stephen Smith. On
September 13, 1831, Smith announced his intention to sell his various
properties and close his businesses in Columbia. Apparently, none of these
transactions were completed because by 1835 Smith's Columbia holdings had
actually grown to 8 houses, 13 vacant lots and other additional property.
Besides that, he and Joshua P. B. Eddy jointly owned a house and a lot and an
agent for Smith owned 5 houses and 5 lots.
Although Smith could rely on the Wright Family to stand with him in
Columbia, by 1842 he had enough of the jealously of his white neighbors. He
traded places with his Philadelphia partner, William Whipper, and went to live
in Philadelphia. When he died in Philadelphia in 1873, his net worth was over
$1,000,000, in 1873 dollars.
Researched and written by Patsy and Lloyd Reed
Dear Elizabeth Fall Calendar
Our Historic Advice Column
The spirit of our town founder,  Our new Self-Guided Museum
Elizabeth Hughes, residing here Tour, complete with activities,
from 1750 to 1760, offers her
colonial foods, and crafts , is in
advice to our generation.
place and ready for your visit!
Please send your questions to
Dear Elizabeth, c/o Winters  Don’t miss our fall exhibit:
Heritage House Museum email; headstrong ways in their Saving the Heritage House
youth. October 1st at
Winters-HH
@ElizabethtownHistory.org
ElizabethtownHistory.org
I would then recommend
Dear Elizabeth, you locate an apprentice  The Annual Elizabethtown
I have two boys ages 8, and situation for the younger Heritage Craft Show is being
11, and my daughter is 14. two. Certainly a child of 8 planned for November 13 & 14.
Schools are very tentatively or 10 is old enough to earn 4pm-8pm Friday
re-opening, due to the 9am-3pm Saturday
pandemic, and I am not sure their keep working
how to plan for the children’s alongside a master
 The museum will be open
unreliable schedule with my craftsperson.
need to work during the day. through November 21st, and will
Additionally, this will set be available by appointment
If I pay for daytime care, and them up to care for you as
through the winter.
school remains in session, I
will lose the money. If I don’t you reach your upper
Be sure to visit our website for craft
sign up for daytime care, the years. activities and recipes.
schools may close and I will Yours,
have to stay home from work
to assist the children. Elizabeth Mural information is posted online
for four of Elizabethtown’s
Money is tight just now and Dear Elizabeth, downtown murals;
either situation is a drain on My teenage son is learning Donegal to Donegal, located
our finances. What do I do? to drive. My worry is that he is in the E. High parking lot.
always on his phone and that
Covid Quandry it will distract him from safe The Train Mural, visible from
driving. How do I let him the square.
become independent, but still
Dear Covidly Quandered, keep him safe?
The Cooper’s Mural, on the
Anxious Dad north side of Lucky Duck’s Bar and
Might I read between the Grille
lines and suppose that the Dear Anxious Dad,
daughter is unable to care I would recommend a And the Four Centuries of
for the younger two due to horse and cart until he is Elizabethtown History mural,
a wayward nature? If this old enough to trust. The located in the S. Market St. parking
is the case, I suggest that horse surely will not be lot.
you quickly find her a distracted by his device
suitable match and marry and shall bear him safely
her off, as that seems the down the road.
Yours,
best resolution for those
who tend towards Elizabeth
Gardens Ho(e!) A Heritage Garden update. bags per week to the Elizabethtown Community
Cupboard. We estimate that is about 20 pounds of food
Three great gardens, each with a purpose; each week! I will add that picking green beans while
The museum’s gardens are in full swing, and we hope you standing upright is a much improved upon experience!
will stop out to visit and enjoy them!

The “Girl Scout Garden”, is bursting with herbs and

medicinal plants as well as few very large tomato bushes.
The picket fence has its work cut out for it, holding it all
back! Along the outside is some ornamental tobacco,
given to us by a generous garden enthusiast! Tobacco is a
native plant that has gorgeous tall flowers.

Be sure to notice our community green space flower bed

Despite getting a late start, the vegetable-focused “Eagle
Scout Garden” has had a very productive rookie year.
This garden has grown cucumbers, peppers, green beans,
carrots, squash, okra, onions, eggplant, tomatoes and
potatoes. Volunteers have delivered four to five grocery
next to P&J Pizza. The seeds were a donation from
Elizabethtown’s Warburton Greenhouses, and the bed has
been faithfully watered and weeded by museum
volunteers. My favorite is the sunflower, also a volunteer,
that seems to be watching over everyone.

Winters Heritage House Museum — We are Open! New Saturday hours!

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 9:30am to 3pm, and always by appointment.
P.O. Box 14 / 47 East High Street, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 717 367-4672
Website: www.ElizabethtownHistory.org Email: Winters-HH@ElizabethtownHistory.org
 The Bev Ulrich Third Grade Walking Tours —
it’s a whole new world!
KEEP YOUR
For thirty years, the museum has provided each EASD third
MEMBERSHIP grade student with a history tour of Elizabethtown. The
ACTIVE! program was developed by the late Bev Ulrich in 1990, and

Memberships are our primary

resource for maintaining museum &
programs. while it initially focused on the museum’s historic buildings,
it quickly grew to encompass much of the downtown. The
annual Third Grade Walking Tour now includes three
Please take the time to renew your annual
historic sites (Peach Alley School, Christ Lutheran Church,
membership. If you renew early we will add the new and the Winters Heritage House) and three Wayne Fettro
membership year to your existing due date. murals (Donegal to Donegal, the A.S. Kreider Shoe Factory,
and Four Centuries of Elizabethtown). It requires over 30
Membership Form NEW ReNEW volunteers and not just a small amount of planning.
Name: _________________________________________ This year, with schools struggling with plans to go forward,
off-site school trips were quite obviously not an option.
Address: _______________________________________
However, the museum staff had put together a fairly
Phone: ________________________________________
successful virtual May Quilt Exhibit, as well as some
summer crafts and fun History/Science videos...it was just a
Email: _________________________________________ small jump from there to deciding we should attempt a
virtual walking tour for the students. The teachers seem very
Membership level (circle one) receptive of the idea, so we have cobbled together a fun
Individual—$25 5-Year Individual ——$100 interactive google slide show that covers Elizabethtown’s
Family — $40 Sponsor — $250 history using the murals and sites visited by students each
Sustaining — $60 Benefactor — $500 fall. Additionally, each third Grade student has been invited
Patron — $100 Associate — $1000
to tour the museum for free using a self-guided tour. We
Thank you for your support! think Bev would be very pleased!

Check enclosed # _________ Amount : ____________

Or call for credit card processing.

All members receive free admission to museum

events, and unlimited research time in the Seibert
Library. Be sure to use these and the other
membership benefits listed online!
The Seibert
Genealogy
Please send this form to the address provided here. Library is now
The museum does not have an on-site mailbox. open by
reservation.
Winters Heritage House Museum Set aside an hour or
P.O. Box 14 two for some fun.
We will help you
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 explore our town’s
unique story or trace
your own family tree!