Hans Herr House and Longhouse
We decided to kill two birds with one stone one particularly hot and humid Saturday in July (yikes!) and visit grounds of the Hans Herr House and Longhouse while attending a Global Missions Fair put on by Eastern Mennonite Missions. All the museum facilities were open for free self-guided tours, which we took full advantage. Normally the tours are guided and last longer, which I would recommend because you will learn much more in the process.
The 1719 Hans Herr House is in Willow Street (minutes from downtown Lancaster) and is the oldest homestead in Lancaster county! It was settled by German Mennonites and is a simple and rustic farm home. It was inhabited by descendents of the Herr’s until the early 1900’s when it became a barn/storage structure. It has been restored to its colonial-era appearance. It’s a great opportunity for you and your children to see what life was like in Lancaster almost 300 years ago! They will gain a better appreciation for their many creature comforts when they consider the privations and hardships of very early colonial life. There are also various outpost buildings and barns to explore; one in particular is set up like a museum displaying farming equipment. Children will enjoy pumping water out of the hand pump in front of the homestead.
On the grounds is a newer component to the museum…the Indian Longhouse! Only a few years old, it was constructed with precise attention to authenticity and for the purpose of connecting the Native American history of Lancaster with the early colonial settler’s history. The Longhouse is an example of what a typical woodland dwelling tribe would live in and many existed in Lancaster County in the 17th century. It is full of Native American replicas of artifacts demonstrating how they lived and worked. My children found it fascinating that many families lived in one longhouse and they had long rows of “bunk beds” for sleeping. They liked looking at all the furs, trying to identify each one, and the everyday items made from natural objects such as teeth, turtle shells, and skins.
This is a relatively quick trip if you live in Lancaster, filled with school field trip-worthy adventure, bringing your children’s social studies lessons to life. Put this trip on your summer travel list and keep the learning alive!
This is one of the sites you can get a free family pass to see through the Lancaster public library. Chances are you will be on a waiting list and will need to be sort of spur of the moment when one becomes available, but it may be worth a try!
Open April through November
Monday through Saturday
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (45 minute tours at 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM for the house; 45 minute tours at 10 AM, 12 Noon, and 2 PM for the longhouse)
Admission: varies depending if you tour both the 1719 house and the longhouse (see website for details)
Hans Herr House
1849 Hans Herr Drive
Willow Street, PA 17584
(717) 464-4438
See www.hansherr.org for more information!
