PilgerHaus - Luxury Condominium Complex - Historic Downtown Lititz, PA
History of the PilgerHaus
By Bill Oehme
In 1754, George Klein built a two-story stone house, at 127 East Main Street,
which became the “PilgerHaus,” or “Pilgrim’s House.” This was the first house in
Lititz. This house was built by Mr. Klein before the transfer of 511 acres of
land from him to the Moravian Church. He built it without having any definite
purpose in mind. This house later gave the direction to the main street of the
village, and accounts for the fact that it does not run due East and West. It
was used as a dwelling for ministers, sisters and congregational meetings.
The sketch below by H.M. Eberly gives a sense of the property in the late 1700s.
Bro. George Nixdorf, of Lancaster, was the first occupant. It was in this
building that the first settlers of Zinzendorf’s Congregation village, three
families from Donegal and four from Bethel, found refuge when they fled to
escape Indian raids. A portion of the wall of this first house was left standing
when the building was removed in 1866, and now forms part of the rear wall of
the present three-story brick building which stands on its site at 125 East Main
Street. (a) (d)
From August 13 to 17, 1754, a Provincial Synod was held in the stone house, with Bishop August Spangenburg presiding. The general superintendent of the Country Congregations had been committed to Bishop Matthew Hehl, and as the new settlement was to be a center for them, it might have been assumed that Hehl should take up his residence here. The question, however, was brought up and discussed at a Conference of the Elders held the day after the meeting of the Synod on August 18, 1754. Bishop Spangenberg stated the reasons pro and con for his own appointment, and also the pros and cons for Bishop Peter Boehler’s or Hehl’s appointment.
It was decided the decision should be left to the lot. Four folded slips of paper were provided. On one was written the Latin word “est”, meaning “he is the one.” The others were left blank It was possible that none of them would be designated. After fervent prayer, each one took a slip. Bishop Hehl received the one with “est.” He was accordingly charged with the organization and guidance of the new settlement, in external as well as spiritual affairs, and also the supervision of the various country churches. On November 9, 1754, he arrived from Bethlehem and took up residence in Klein’s stone house, which it was the custom thereafter to call the PilgerHaus.
From June 10th to the 16th in 1756, another conference was held in the
PilgerHaus. "The Watchword", a Moravian publication with a different Bible verse
for every day, had the following text for June 11th. "I have hallowed this
house, which thou hast built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and
mine heart shall be there perpetually." The conference attendees took this
scripture as a message from the Lord that this house and the Klein farm should
be the location of the Church Settlement. The next day, a letter was received
from Count Zinzendorf designating the name of the settlement as Lititz.
(Sometimes the second "t" was dropped in early writings).
In 1760, the Congregational Store was located in the PilgerHaus. It remained
there until 1764, when it moved across the street to 120 East Main Street, the
house built in 1762 by Mathias Schady. John Fenstermacher was the first manager.
In 1767, Jasper Payne came to Lititz from Philadelphia to manage the store.
(a)
The PilgerHaus was also the very first hotel in Lititz, started by the Moravian
Brethren in 1762. The Zum Anker, or “Sign of the Anchor,” was originally located
in George Klein’s stone house. The first innkeeper, who was paid by the
Moravians, was the well-liked Brother Andrew Horn, who received his license on
February 8, 1762. In 1764, Horn moved the inn to a newly constructed two-story
frame building on the southeast corner of Broad and Main Streets and what is
today known as the General Sutter Inn. (b)
David Tannenberg moved to Lititz in 1765 because he couldn’t take the life style
in Bethlehem. He set up his shop in a stone building to the rear of the
PilgerHaus. The individual trade shops were behind the residences and opened
onto North Lane. Tannenberg was America’s first full-time organ builder. He
constructed about forty-five instruments. He continued to build organs until
falling off scaffolding to his death while installing an instrument for the
Lutheran Church in York in 1804. (c)
The watercolor below by Samuel Reinke, completed between 1810 and 1820, shows a
later view of the PilgerHaus from the steeple of the Moravian Church (which was
built in 1787).
From 1862 to 1878, 125 E. Main St. was a school for girls. In 1855, Rev. Julius Theodore Beckler was principal of Linden Hall. In 1862, during the Civil War, the enrollment at the school diminished and Beckler was dismissed. After his dismissal, he started Sunnyside College for Girls. The school was greatly objected to by the Provincial Elders Conference, because of its possible injury to Linden Hall. In order to afford better accommodations for the young ladies, the present commodious edifice was erected in 1867, five years after the school opened.
He replaced the two-story stone PilgerHaus with the current three-story brick building (except for the rear stone wall). A third floor was added. In the back, you can still see the first and second floor made of stone, while the third is made of brick. On the second floor, a door led to an extensive balcony overlooking the main street, accessible to the young ladies at all times during the hours of recess.
The principal, the Rev. Julius T. Beckler, lived next door in the Warden
House. Theodora Beckler was the lady principal. Julius wanted his building to be
taller than Linden Hall, so he added a widow’s walk on top. Later, Linden Hall
added two widow’s walks of their own. (c) (e) (f)
J. W. G. Hershey added the two wings to the back of the building. He kept horses
in a barn where the garages are now located. That was the area where the spring
was located. Old Lititz maps show a small stream running from the spring to
Lititz Run.
During World War II, the basement was designated an Air Raid Shelter. Abe
Hershey was Chief Air Warden and supplies were stored in the basement. Abe
purchased the building from his mother’s estate in 1952. (g)
Sources:
(a) A View from Main Street by Gladys J. F. Crowl—Lititz 250th Book
(b) Hotels Spring to Life by Aaron E. Fry—Lititz 250th Book
(c) A Walk Down Main Street by Dale Shelley
(d) Historical and Pictoral Lititz by John G. Zook 1905
(e) Circular of Sunnyside College from the Moravian Church Archives
(f) Education-The Pride of Our Community by Dale Shelley—Lititz 250th
Book
(g) Conversation with Henny Hershey