Penn Square around 1772

Historic Downtown Lancaster

Self-guided Walking Tour
Start on Penn Square near the monument.
(approx. 1.4 miles, 45 minutes)

When the area's earliest European settlers were Mennonites who

arrived in 1710 and settled along the Conestoga River and Pequea
Creek in Conestoga Township, a part of Chester County, south of
the present day City of Lancaster. By 1721 a small settlement
appeared near George Gibson’s Tavern, located on the north side
of E. King St. near the intersection of Grant St. The town was
known Hickory Town, or Gibson’s Pasture. (See #31 later on the
tour.) There was a large hickory tree in front of the tavern that was
the site of Indian councils. The surrounding area was covered with
woods and swampland
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In 1729 Conestoga Twp. was separated from Chester Co. to form a
new county. John Wright, a Quaker who settled along the
Susquehanna near present-day Columbia named the new county
Lancaster after his homeland, Lancashire, England. In 1730 land
owned by Andrew Hamilton surrounding Gibson’s Tavern was
declared a townstead. It had 200 residents. By 1734 the present-
day street pattern was laid out as a square grid extending 1 mile in
each direction from Centre Square (Penn Square).

* These sites appear on the National Registry of Historic Places, as

does the Lancaster Historic District which includes all of the
downtown area.

*1. Soldiers and Sailors Monument: This was erected in 1874

to honor those who died in the Civil War. The four statues around
the base represent the four branches of the military: infantry,
artillery, cavalry and navy. The Genius of Liberty at the top faces
north indicating Lancaster’s side during the Civil War. Additional
plaques around the base have been added commemorating other
conflicts.
2. Old County Courthouse: From 1738 -1853 a courthouse
stood on the sight of the monument. In 1744 the Treaty of Six
Nations between Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and 6 middle
Atlantic tribes was negotiated and signed in this courthouse. On
Sept. 27, 1777 the Continental Congress met here on their flight
from Philadelphia to York following the British capture of
Philadelphia after Washington’s defeat at Brandywine. Thus the
building served as the U.S. capitol for one day. An artist's
rendition of this courthouse appears on the front cover.
3. King St.: In 1733 the King’s Highway was built between the
square and Philadelphia, following the path of present day route
340. In 1792 the Philadelphia-Lancaster Turnpike was chartered
as the first turnpike in the U.S. This is present-day route 30, the
Lincoln Highway. These roads served as the main travel route
from Philadelphia to the western frontiers during the Colonial
period. This was a main supply route for the armies during the
French and Indian Wars. These turnpikes were heavily traveled by
the Conestoga Wagons, freight wagons which originated in
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 Lancaster County. The 2nd road was paved with stone and gravel.
It was so successful that it led to numerous other turnpikes around
the nation, the forerunners of today's highway system.
*4. Old City Hall: Built in 1795 the building is now the Visitor
Center and the Heritage Center Museum. The building has served
as city hall, library, post office, and as Pennsylvania’s capitol
from 1799-1812. A sketch of the courthouse appears on the front
cover of this guide.
*5. Central Market: Just behind Old City Hall, this is the oldest
operating farmer’s market in the U.S. The present structure was
erected in 1889. This has been the site of a public market since
the city was established in 1730.
*6. Greist Bldg.: At 14 stories, this was Lancaster’s tallest and
only “skyscraper” until the Marriott was built in 2008. Erected in
1925 it was designed by Lancaster architect, C. Emlen Urban. It
is named after William Walton Greist, educator, newspaper editor,
and U.S. Representative
7. Fulton Bank: On this site was the home of Robert Fulton. He
was born in southern Lancaster Co. in 1765. The following year
his father returned to the home on the square where he ran a tailor
shop. As a young boy Fulton frequented the gunsmith shop of
William Henry, located near today’s Central Market. He
accompanied Henry in experimenting with steamboats on the
Conestoga River at the city’s eastern edge. Fulton went on to
operate the first commercial steamboat, the Clermont, on the
Hudson River in New York
8. Site of Joseph Simon home and trading post: Simon, a Jew,
was an early Indian trader, gunsmith and merchant. He arrived in
Lancaster around 1740 and operated one of the largest trading
posts in the colonies on S. Queen St. at Centre Square. One of
the earliest Hebrew meetings in America was held in his home.
His granddaughter, Rebecca Gratz, is believed to be the model for
Rebecca in Ivanhoe (Sir Walter Scott)
9. White Swan Hotel / Watt and Shand Bldg. / Marriott /
Lancaster County Convention Center: From about 1750 until
1924 this was the site of the White Swan Hotel, later known as
Hubley House. At least one public slave auction was held here.
Among the many notables who spent a night were George
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 Washington, John
Marshall, Jerome
Boneparte (Napolean’s
younger brother), William
Henry Harrison, and
Zachary Taylor. The White
Swan was torn down to
make way for additions to
the Watt & Shand store.
Watt & Shand opened on E. King St. White Swan / Hubleys
in 1878 and operated until 1995. The
oldest part of the building is the section along E. King St.,
designed by C. Emlen Urban and erected in 1898. In 2006
construction on the Marriott and Convention center began. Only
the façade of the Watt & Shand building was preserved.

Enter the Marriott and proceed down the stairway through the
Convention Center

10. Lancaster County Convention Center: Opened in 2009 the

Convention Center features a 45,000 sq.ft. exhibition hall, a 9,000
sq.ft. ballroom and other meeting spaces
*11. Montgomery House, 19-21 S. Queen St.: Below the
Marriott lobby, across from Freedom Hall, is the bowed exterior
wall at the rear of the William Montgomery mansion built in
1804. Montgomery was a lawyer. The exterior has been restored
and preserved as a part of the Convention Center. It’s future use
is undetermined.
*12. Yeates House, 24-26 S. Queen St.: Visible through the
windows, the home of Jasper Yeates is across S. Queen St. The
home was built around 1765. Yeates was a delegate to the U.S.
Constitutional Convention in 1787 and served as a PA Supreme
Court justice. Today the building is part of the Cultural Heritage
Center and is used for educational programs.
13. Stevens/Smith Historic Site: As you continue down the stairs
you can see buildings at the corner of S. Queen and E. Vine that
are now part of the Convention Center. These buildings were
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 owned by Thaddeus Stevens, attorney, abolitionist, congressman,
and instrumental in passage of the 13 th and 14th amendments to
the Constitution. The building on the corner was the Kleiss
Saloon. Next to it on S. Queen St. was Steven’s home and law
office. As you approach the Vine St. exit of the Convention
Center you can view a cistern. Archeological evidence indicates
this was part of the Underground Railroad, used to hide slaves
escaping to the north. These buildings, and an underground area
of the Convention Center are to be developed as an Underground
Railroad museum. This is the Stevens/Smith Historic Site.

Exit the building on to Vine St., turn right, and walk to the
corner

14. Swan Hotel, Kleiss Saloon: The building on the NE corner

was the Kleiss Saloon, owned by Stevens. Across Vine St. on the
SE corner was the Swan Hotel, also owned by Stevens.
*15. Southern Market Center, 106 S. Queen St., SW corner,
Queen and Vine Sts.: Southern Market was one of several city
markets. Only Central Market remains as a working market.
Built in 1888 and designed by C. Emlen Urban, the building now
houses the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, and City Council
Chambers.
16. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 119 S. Prince St.: The
church stands on Vine St. just beyond Southern Market.
Organized in 1741 by German-speaking Jesuit priests from
Maryland, this is the 4th oldest Roman Catholic church in the U.S.
The present building is mostly from the 1880s

Turn around and proceed east on east Vine St. to S. Duke St.

17. Lydia Hamilton Smith House, NW corner, Vine and

Christian Sts.: Smith was Thaddeus Steven’s mulatto
housekeeper and business manager. She was probably a
“conductor” for the Underground Railroad. Her home is now part
of the Stevens/Smith Historic site, and the Convention Center.
18. Old Town: The homes on the south side of Vine St. are part
of the oldest area of the city. Houses here date from the mid
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 1700s into the early 1900s. In the 1970s the area was saved from
demolition in one of Lancaster’s earliest historic preservation
efforts. Today the buildings are restored as private residences.
19. Milton Hershey: Beginning in 1886, before his great success
with chocolate, Milton Hershey operated the Lancaster Caramel
Company. His first factory was on the site of the parking garage
at the corner of S. Duke and E. Vine St.. The company outgrew
the building and moved to Church St. a few blocks away.
Hershey lived at 222 S. Queen St., a block south of the Southern
Market. In 1900 he sold the caramel company to devote his
attentions to chocolate.

For an extended tour follow “Side Trip A” (p. 18)

Otherwise, Turn left on S. Duke St.

20. Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, 32 S.

Duke St.: The congregation organized in 1730 and built this
church 1767. It is Lancaster's only surviving house of worship
erected during the colonial period. The steeple was added in
1794. The weathervane topping the steeple incorporated the first
commercial use of ball bearings in America. When completed it
was the seond tallest structure in the U.S. The statues around the
base of the steeple are the four apostles, Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John.. The original carved wooden statues are inside the
church. Enter the church through the doors along Mifflin St. The
sanctuary was redecorated in 1853 at which time the entrance was
moved from the Duke St. side to Mifflin St. On the balcony the
facade of the organ is the case of the original Tannenberg organ
installed in 1774. At the time this was the largest pipe organ in
America. (David Tannenberg was on of America's earliest,
greatest organ builders.) The stained glass window, The
Crucifixion, was created in 1913 by Louis C. Tiffany.

Proceed north and turn right onto E. King St.

21. County Courthouse, NW corner, King and Duke Sts.: As you

approach King St. you will see the County Courthouse ahead on
the left. The original building was constructed in 1852-54. In
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 1923 the low wings extending to King St. were added. .
22. Lancaster Living Center, 105 E. King St. : Built in 1903 as
the Hotel Weber, this later became the King Douglas Hotel. In
the colonial period it was the site of the Buck Tavern and Leopard
Hotel.
23. Residences, 110-112 E. King St.: These homes were built in
the early 1760s
24. Demuth Tobacco Shop, 114 E. King St.: Operating since
1770, this is the oldest operating tobacconist in America. It was
last renovated in 1917.
25. Demuth Foundation, 120 E. King St.: This museum was the
home of Charles Demuth (1883-1935), watercolorist. The
entrance to the museum is in the gardens behind the building.
Use the walkway on the east end of the building. The building
was erected around 1760 by the blacksmith, William Messencope.
It was operated as an inn, The William Pitt, Earl of Chapman,
until around 1842.
26. Messencope House, 124 E. King St. : Built in 1802.
*27. Excelsior Hall, 125 E. King St.: Built in 1855 next to the
Sprenger Brewery, this served as a beer saloon, public hall,
meeting place, and hotel. It is currently being renovated for use
as condominiums.
28. Bausman House, 121 E. King St.: This home was built in
1762. Carefully cross King St. for a closer view of the
“eavesdropper”, a face peering down from the eaves at the west
end of the building.

For an extended walk, follow the Historic East King Street

Walking Tour.
Otherwise return to Duke St. and turn right.
Turn left at Grant St and proceed under the pedestrian walkway
connecting the Court House buildings:

*29. Charlie Wagner’s Café, 30 E. Grant St., on the corner of E.

Grant St. and Lenox Lane: Designed by C. Emlen Urban and
built in 1891 this structure was originally a restaurant and hotel.
Today it houses law offices.
30. Christopher Columbus bust: Walk down Lennox Way beside
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 the courthouse to see this bust placed here in 1992 by Lancaster’s
Italian-American community commemorating Columbus. Return
to Grant St.
31. Hickory Town: The area around the intersection of Grant and
Christian Sts. was the location of Hickory Town, the small
settlement near Gibson’s Tavern that was here before the
Hamiltons purchased the land that would become Lancaster.
There was a grove of hickory trees here, and at times a small
Indian village.
32. First Reformed Church, 40 E. Orange St.: The rear of the
present-day church is to the right. A small log church stood in
this general area as early as 1736. Until a steeple was added to
the church around 1746, the congregation hung its bell from one
of the hickory trees at the site. A stone church replaced the log
church in 1753 and today's brick structure was erected in 1854.
Civil War heroine Barbara Fritchie was baptized here in 1766.
Fritchie was immortalized in a John Greenleaf Whittier poem
with the lines, “'Shoot me, if you must, this old gray head, But
spare my country's flag,' she said.” You will see the front of the
church later on the tour.

Return to Duke St. and continue north.

21. County Courthouse: As you proceed north, note the addition

to the courthouse north of Grant St. This was added in 1974
33. Lawyers Row: So named because of the many law offices in
close proximity to the courthouse, many of these structures date
to the colonial period.
34. Muhlenberg House, 33 N. Duke St.: This was an early
parsonage for Trinity Lutheran. Rev. Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst
Muhlenberg lived here while serving as pastor, 1780-1815. He
was America’s first noteworthy botanist. His father, Henry, was
the patriarch of the American Lutheran Church.
34. First Reformed Parsonage and School, 49 N. Duke St.: Built
around 1760.
36. Catherine Haldeman Long Mansion/Hamilton Club, SE
corner, Duke and Orange Sts.: Built in 1890 as the residence of
Catherine Long, the Hamilton Club moved into the building in
9
 1912. The Hamilton Club was originally an exclusive men’s
club. Today membership is open to spouses and children.

At the corner of N. Duke and E. Orange Sts:

Three significant churches are visible here – First Reformed (twin

steeples ½ block to the left), First Presbyterian (white spire ½
block to the right) and St. James Episcopal (on the corner)
37. First Presbyterian, 140 E. Orange St.: You will get a better
view of this church while in the St. James cemetery. The building
was erected in 1851. The steeple was added in 1877. The
congregation dates to 1742 when services where held in the
courthouse on Penn Square. President James Buchanan and
Congressman Thaddeus Stevens were members.
32. First Reformed, 40 E. Orange St.: Founded around 1730, the
present building was erected in 1852. (This is the front of the
church that was seen on the Grant St. earlier on the tour route.)
38. St. James Episcopal (NE corner, Duke and Orange Sts.):
Founded in 1744 as the Anglican Church (Church of England) the
present building was erected in the 1820s and expanded in the
1880s. Prior to the American Revolution the rector was the Rev.
Thomas Barton. Barton was a loyal subject of King George and
served until 10 days prior to the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. Because he could not break his vows to the
Church and King, he boarded up the church. He remained in
Lancaster conducting baptisms in secret until 1779 when he fled
to New York. Take time to walk into the church, entering through
the doors on the Duke St. side of the building. Also walk into the
courtyard and cemetery surrounding the church. You will see
memorials and grave markers of numerous notable Lancastrians.
Among them, Gen. Edward Hand, surgeon, friend, companion
and Adjutant General to George Washington; Edward Shippen,
father-in-law of Benedict Arnold (see details about Peggy
Shippen at #A5 on the N. Lime St. segment of the tour); Jasper
Yeates, delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention (see his
home on S. Queen St.. #12); Thomas Burrowes, father of PA free
school system; John Passamore (home at #B7), Lancaster’s first
Mayor; Robert Coleman, ironmaster, delegate to the 1787
10
 Constitutional Convention; his daughter, Ann Coleman, fiancée of
President James Buchanan.

For an extended tour follow “Side Trip B”, p. 20

For a shorter tour proceed west on E. Orange St. to Queen St.,
turn left on Queen St. and return to Penn Square.
Otherwise continue north on N. Duke St.

39. Lancaster Municipal Building/City Hall, 120 N. Duke St.:

Completed in 1892 this building was originally the post office.
When a new post office was opened on W. Chestnut St. in 1930
the building was redesigned for use as city hall by C. Emlen
Urban. It is built of Indiana limestone.
40. Lancaster Public Library, 125 N. Duke St.: Founded in 1759
by donations from Juliana Penn, daughter of William Penn. The
present building was erected in 1953.
41. Bowman Technical School, SE corner, Duke and Chestnut
Sts.) Ezra Bowman began operating a watchmaking and
engraving school in 1877. This building became the home of the
school in 1911. Although closed for several decades, most of the
school and store interior are intact. Note the observatory dome on
the tower and the pendulum clock in the window.
42. Former railroad cut: Just north of Chestnut St. note the
former path of the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks between the
buildings. These tracks were originally laid in 1834 by the
Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. The tracks led to the station
one block west at Queen St.
43. Forney Apartments (formerly Friendship Firehouse, 215 N.
Duke St.: One of the oldest firehouses in the city this structure
was converted to apartment, when the Friendship Fire Company
ceased activity in 1882.

For an extended tour follows “Side Trip C”, p. 22

Otherwise turn left on Chestnut St. and proceed to N. Queen St.
and turn left.
The blocks of N. Queen St. to the right are the “Uptown” shopping
district, noted for a “quirky, eclectic” mix of shops and
restaurants.
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At the corner of N. Queen and Chestnut Sts.:

44. Pennsylvania Railroad

Station, NE corner, Queen and
Chestnut Sts.: Beginning in 1834
trains on the Philadelphia and
Columbia Railroad, and later the
Pennsylvania Railroad, traveled
through cuts still visible to the west of Queen St. and the east of
Duke St. to the station on this site. A new train station was built
at the north end of Queen St. in 1930 and this station was
demolished. The first commercial telegraph line in the U.S. ran
along the railroad right-of-way from Lancaster to Harrisburg.
The first message, “Why don’t you write, you rascals?” was
received in 1846
45. Brunswick Hotel, SE corner, Queen and Chestnut Sts.:
Today’s hotel was erected as a Hilton Inn in 1976. This is the site
of the longest continuous hotel operation in the U.S. The earliest
hotel on the site was a 2-story stone structure built in 1776. It
was replaced with a 3-story brick building in 1860, and the
original 8-story Brunswick hotel in 1914. This Brunswick was
demolished in 1966 as part of an
urban renewal project that eventually
created Lancaster Square in the next
block of N. Queen St. Presidents
Buchanan, Lincoln, and Theodore
Roosevelt spoke to crowds from the
balcony of these hotels. Other
presidents stayed on the site.
46. Original site, first F. W.
Woolworth Store , SW corner,
Queen and Chestnut Sts.: The county
office building on the corner stands
on the site of Woolworth’s first
successful “five and dime” store,
opened in 1879. In 1900 the store
relocated to 25 N. Queen St. (site of
F.W. Woolworth, Queen & Grant
today’s Isaac’s Deli)
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47. Lancaster Square/Binns Park, 100 block, N. Queen St.: The
buildings in this block were demolished in an urban renewal
project in the 1960s. In addition to the Brunswick Hotel and
county offices, the block is the site of Binns Park. This is a
gathering place for large concerts and other events such as
“Countdown Lancaster” on New Year’s Eve, and “Celebrate
Lancaster” on Independence Day.

For a shorter tour turn left on N. Queen St. to Penn Square.

Otherwise continue west on W. Chestnut St. to N. Prince St.

48. Davidson Building, 11-17 W. Chestnut St.: Designed by C.

Emlen Urban and constructed in 1898 for a wholesale shoe dealer
the building features terra cotta decorations and a metal cornice.
49. Miller & Hartmann Bldg., 21-23 W. Chestnut St.: Built in
1873 for a wholesale grocer the building features an intact cast
iron storefront.
50. Lancaster Police Station, 39 W. Chestnut St.: Public
restrooms are available here.
*51. Lancaster Post Office/Auntie Anne’s/Pretzel University, 50
W. Chestnut St.: Built in 1929 this was the main post office until
a larger facility replaced it on the west edge of the city. There is
still a post office branch office in the building. In 2006 Auntie
Anne’s Pretzels move their corporate offices and training center
here.
52. PA College of Art and Design, 204 N. Prince St.: The gallery
is free and open to the public. Come back at night to see the
special multi-colored lighting on the front of the building.

For an extended tour follow the Victorian West Chestnut Street

guide.
Otherswise turn left on N. Prince St.

*53. Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 N. Prince St.: The

house was built about 1767. Around 1800 this was the residence
of Andrew Ellicott. an astronomer, engineer and surveyor who
completed the survey of the District of Columbia, and helped
establish the Mason-Dixon line. While in Lancaster he was
13
 commissioned by President Jefferson to train Meriweather Lewis.
Before departing on the Lewis & Clark Expedition., Lewis spent
time here learning the skills he’d need. Today, the building is
home of the Historic Preservation Trust. The museum is open to
the public.
54. Gallery Row: The blocks of N. Prince St. and N. Water Sts.
between King and Walnut Sts. have many art galleries to visit.
55. Millersville University, 42 N. Prince St.: Originally built as
the PA Academy of Music, Millersville offers classes in the
performing arts in this branch campus. The building includes a
concert hall, recital hall, theater, recording studio, and
classrooms. The main campus is a few miles west of Lancaster.

Turn right at W. Grant St. and proceed to Water St.

56. One and a half story house, 28 N. Water St.: Built in 1825,
this house is typical of the architecture during the period of early
settlement of Lancaster, dating from 1730. Most of the local
houses in 1800 were of this style.

Turn left on Water St.

57. County Prison: Just

ahead on the left side of
the street you will see a
large stone wall. This is
the foundation of the
Fulton Theater (# 58).
The wall was part of the
Old County Prison
original County Prison
that was on this site 1753-
1851. In 1763 the surviving members of the local Conestoga
Indian tribe were staying here for protection after their village had
been destroyed by a vigilante group from near Harrisburg. On a
Sunday morning the Paxton Gang returned, broke into prison and
massacred the remaining members of the tribe.

14
Return to Prince St.

*58. Fulton Theatre, 12 N. Prince St.: Originally opened in 1852

as Fulton Hall, this is the oldest continuously operating theater in
the U.S. Visit the box office to learn about current and future
shows, and possibly a tour of the theater.

Continue to W. King St. and turn left

59. Jennie Potts Building/Jasons, 43-47 W. King St.: Another C.

Emlen Urban design, this building was erected around 1895.
60. Home of General John Fulton Reynolds, 42-44 W. King St.:
This was the birthplace and home of General Reynolds, the first
officer killed at the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.
Much of the building is as it was when Reynolds lived here. He
is buried in the Lancaster Cemetery on N. Lime St.
*61. Hagar Building, 25 W. King St.: The Hagar department store
opened on this site in 1821. The present building, designed by C.
Emlen Urban, was erected in 1910-11. When the Hagar store
closed in 1976, it was the oldest department store in the U.S. with
continuous family ownership on the same site.
*62. Steinman Hardware Building/Pressroom Restaurant, 26
W. King St.: Founded in 1744, this was the oldest hardware store
in the U.S. when it closed in the 1965. This building dates to
1866. Note the Conestoga wagon in the leaded glass above the
entrance.
63. Steinman Park: Enter this quiet downtown “oasis” beside the
bronze sculpture of the man reading a newspaper. Make sure to
note the headlines on the papers. The park is a tribute to John
Frederick Steinman and James Hale Steinman, philanthropic
newspapermen. Especially during the summer the park is
frequently a site of musical performances.
*64. Kirk Johnson Building, 16-18 W. King St.: Yet another
Urban design, this building opened in 1912 as the store of a
leading music dealer. The original entry doors and display
windows were restored in 1980 to their original design.
65. site of Francis Bailey's Printshop: From 1773 – 1803
Francis Bailey operated a print shop on the sight of today's
Lancaster Newspaper office. Bailey was the first to refer to
15
 Washington as the “father of his country” in his 1779 almanac.
Bailey printed the first American publication openly calling for
independence from England, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, and
Paine's Crisis No. 4. Paine finalized Crisis No. 4 while staying
with William Henry. Henry's home and gunsmith shop was on
Market St. behind the site of Central Market (#5). Henry was a
noted gunsmith, patriot and inventor. He supplied arms to armies
during the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution.
As an inventor he experimented with steam-powered boats with
his 12-year-old neighbor, Robert Fulton. While meeting in York,
the Continental Congress authorized Bailey to print the first
copies of the Articles of Confederation.
66. Harold’s, 4-6 W. King St.: Built in 1921 as a furniture store
and designed by Urban, the structure was restored to its original
appearance in 1979.
67. Old Masonic Hall/Heritage Center, 15 W. King St.: The
Masonic Hall was built around 1798 on “air rights”, the first such
building in the U.S. The street level arches that surround
storefront windows originally revealed an open-air market. The
Masons met here until they moved to their new building on W.
Chestnut St. in 1973. Many notable figures were hosted here,
including the Marquis de Lafayette and President William
Howard Taft. Today the building is part of the Heritage Center
Museum, which includes Old City Hall. Take time to visit the
museum where you can see the ceiling mural, “Masonry
Triumphant” in the former lodge hall

You have returned to your starting point, Penn Square.

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 SIDE TRIP A
(approx. 0.5 miles, 15 minutes)

Continue east on Vine St. from the corner of Duke and Vine.

A1. Old Town: The next block of Vine St. has more old homes.
A2. Gundaker Barn/House, 130 E. Vine St.: This stone building
was built around 1798 as a barn or stable. It was converted into a
double house in 1838. Note the steeply pitched roof, a typical
Germanic building feature.
A3. Zion Lutheran Church/Lord’s House of Prayer, 133 E. Vine
St.: Zion was organized in 1827 when a dispute over language
occurred at Trinity. German-speaking members formed a new
congregation and conducted services in German until 1942. They
erected this building in 1871. The congregation dissolved in
1982.

17
To see more of Old Town follow Mussertown and Churchtown
walking tour.
OtherswiseTurn left on S. Lime St.

The next blocks of Lime St. are lined with row houses and
mansions, mosty built in the early 19 th century
A4. Jacob Eichholtz House, 46 S. Lime St.: This row house was
built around 1805. It was the home of Jacob Eichhholtz, 1831-42.
The two-story addition on the right-rear corner was his studio and
gallery. Eichholtz was a noted portrait artist.
A5. Site of Caleb Cope home,
25 N. Lime St., just above King
St.: Today the Church of God
worships in the building that
was originally Temple Beth El.
During the American
Revolution Caleb Cope lived on
the site. The captured British Caleb Cope House
officer, Major John Andre, resided in the Cope home during his
captivity. After his release Andre was later executed as a spy
when he was caught with details of how the British could capture
the fort at West Point, papers he’d received from Benedict Arnold.
While in Lancaster Andre had been a close friend of Peggy
Shippen. Peggy later married Benedict Arnold.

Return to E. King St. and turn west.

Turn back to page 8. Visit Excelsior Hall (27), Bausman House

(28), Messencope House (26), colonial-era residences (23), and
the Demuth buildings (24, 25) in the 100 block of E. King St.
See details on main tour route beginning on page 8. Use the
walkway between the buildings on the east end of 120 E. King St.
to visit the Demuth gardens and Demuth Museum (25). Continue
through the gardens and parking lot to E. Mifflin St. Turn right
and proceed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy
Trinity (20). Information appears on page 7. Then walk north on
S. Duke St. to King St. Resume the main tour route at the County
Courthouse (21) on page 9.
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 SIDE TRIP B
(approx. 0.8 miles, 20 minutes)

Proceed east on E. Orange St.

Wander around on Orange, Lime. Shippen, and Marion Sts. in
thearea around Musser Park (See B12, below) to view many
beautifully restored structures from the 18 th and 19th centuries.

On Orange St.:
37. First Presbyterian: (see page 10)
B1. Reuben Baer Mansion/Kearney Snyder Funeral Home, 141
E. Orange St.: Built in 1874 by Reuben Baer, the publisher of
Baer's Almanac

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B2. YWCA/site of Shippen House,
NW corner, Orange & Lime Sts.:
Edward Shippen, lawyer and
judge, live here 1751-1781. He
was the grandfather of Peggy
Shippen Arnold, wife of Benedict
Arnold. (Read details at #A5.)
B4. home of Dr. Thomas Bond,
207 E. Orange St.: Bond built this Edward Shippen Home
home around 1780. He and
Benjamin Franklin were co-founders of Pennsylvania Hospital
B4. Christopher Marshall Home, 215 E. Orange St.:
Noted for his diary, Remembrancer, that he kept during the
American Revolution, Marshall lived here, 1777-1797. He
moved here to avoid the British armies occupying Philadelphia.
B5. Timothy Matlack, 222 E. Orange St., SW corner, Orange and
Jefferson Sts.: As clerk to the Continental Congress in 1776
Matlack penned the original copy of the Declaration of
Independence that was signed by the members of Congress. This
copy is now in the National Archives. He also penned other
documents, including George Washington's 1775 commission as
Commander-in-Chief. Matlack lived here, 1799-1812
B6. Baker-Stauffer House: 235 East Orange St.: This home was
built for coach maker John Baker about 1830. It was
substantially enlarged after its acquisition by David McNeely
Stauffer in 1882, noted civil engineer, author, editor, collector of
antiquities and amateur artist.
B7. Passmore House, NW corner of Shippen St., 247 E. Orange
St.: This Colonial mansion was built before 1760. When
Lancaster was incorporated as a city, its first mayor, John
Passmore resided here. Note the wide door. Passmore weighed
over 400 pounds!
B8. Andrew Jackson Steinman Mansion, SE corner of Shippen
St., 301 East Orange St.: This residence was built in 1882 for
Lancaster newspaper publisher Andrew Jackson Steinman and his
wife Caroline Morgan Hale.

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South of Orange on Lime:

B9. John Black Mansion, 47 North Lime St.: Built in 1852

A5. Site of Caleb Cope home, 26 N. Lime St., just above King
St.: See details in Side Tour A, p. 19.
B10. Frank Furness House, 24 North Lime St.: Designed by
Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, 1886-1888. Furness is
noted for his train stations, banks, churches, and office buildings
in Philadelphia.

North of Orange on Lime:

B11. former Franklin College, 109-115 N. Lime St.: Franklin

College was established in 1787 with a gift from Benjamin
Franklin. This structure was built in 1827 as the Lancaster
Academy. Franklin College moved to the site around 1837. In
1853 Franklin College merged with Marshall College to form
Franklin & Marshall and moved to a new campus on the western
edge of the city.
B12. Lancaster Museum of Art/Grubb Mansion, 135 N. Lime
St.: Built in 1845 as the home of Clement Bates Grubb. The
grounds are now Musser Park.

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 SIDE TRIP C
(approx. 1 mile, 30 minutes)

Continue north on Duke St.

C1. Rathfon Houses, 238-240 N. Duke St.: Designed by C.

Emlen Urban, this structure was built about 1893 on the site of
the First Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1848 the PA Medical
Society was founded at meetings in the church building. In 1895
Dr. & Mrs. Henry Appenzeller went from this church to become
the first Protestant missionaries to Korea.. Today Koreans revere
the site as the home of their founder.
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*C2. Hamilton Apartments, 247-49 N. Duke St.: Lancaster's
first structure built exclusively as an apartment building, 1909
C3. Military Stables and Barracks, 307 N. Duke St.: About
1760, during the French &
Indian Wars, a military Military Barracks
barracks was erected across the
street on the site of the church.
These buildings along Duke St.
were the stables for the
barracks. The barracks, a 3-
story, U-shaped brick structure,
was surrounded by a wooden
stockade and occupied most of the block. During the Revolution
nearly 2000 Hessian soldiers, captured by Washington at the
Battle of Trenton following Christmas crossing of the Delaware
in 1776, were held in these barracks.
C4. First United Methodist Church, NE corner, Duke and
Walnut Sts.: Founded in 1807, this congregation first worshipped
in a small church across Walnut St., then in the church on N.
Duke St. at the site of the Rathfon Houses (see C3). Today’s
building was dedicated in 1892. To view the interior, and an
exhibit about the Appenzellers (see C3), enter the building
through the office door at the rear of the church.
North Duke St. – Lancaster’s “Fifth Avenue”: The next several
blocks of North Duke St. is lined with large mansions mostly
built in the last half of the 19 th century. Among these in the next
block are:
C5. John Rohrer Diffenbach home, 319 N. Duke St.: built for
Marietta/Lancaster merchant in 1882-1883.
C6. James Black home/Iris Club, 323 N.Duke St.: built about
1860 for an unsuccessful candidate for the U. S. Presidency on
the Temperance ticket
C7. H. B. Cochran House, 324 N. Duke St.: Built in 1891-1892
for Henry Baumgardner Cochran, publisher of The Examiner, a
Lancaster newspaper.
C8. Roland H. Brubaker House, 325 - 333 N. Duke St.: Built in
1870-1874.
C9. John B. Oblinger Mansion, 342 N. Duke St.: Built 1893-
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 1894, designed by C. Emlan Urban; note Carriage House to the
rear at 339 N.Christian St.
C10. Lancaster Cemetery: At Lemon St. turn right. Cross over
N. Lime St. and enter the Lancaster Cemetery. View many
Victorian markers, and the burial site of General John Reynolds
(see #60) later on the tour route)
C11 John Ives Hartman Mansion, 439 N. Duke St.: Late 1870s,

There are more such homes in the next several blocks.

To return to the main tour route turn east on any street and
proceed to N. Queen St. Turn left on N. Queen St. and proceed
south. Turn to page 12.

These additional tours are available at the visitors center:

Historic East King St.
Mussertown and Churchtown
Victorian West Chestnut Street

2011, H. Deemer

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