Stepping Back in Time: A Visit to Myerstown's Isaac Meier Homestead
Being a history enthusiast and time-traveling half-time architect of buildings, I couldn't resist the call to visit a small Pennsylvania town with a big story to tell: Myerstown. My destination was the Isaac Meier Homestead, a building more akin to an alive-and-kicking doorway to America's colonial past than a building.
Standing under the shadow of some very ancient trees, the house was a sharp but somehow familiar shape. The gabled and multi-paned, steep roofed, shuttered windows, some displaying gracious scarring from years past, produce an impression of early American living. The white-trimmed brick front and partially fenced-in white-picket-fenced yard contribute to its warm and lovable look. The air itself told a tale, the fresh, clean scent mingled with the dusty scent of old brick and wood.
A closer inspection and the age of the homestead is real. Running one's hand over the rough, lumpy brick and smooth, weathered wood shutters, the centuries of history are felt. The icy, hard foundation stone and the porch's slightly weathered boards tell of time and thousands of footsteps. The peace, broken only by the birdsong and leaves rustling, makes it easy to imagine life in the mid-1700s.
A Window into the Past
My visit did nothing but reinforce my initial impression. The Isaac Meier Homestead, or "The Old Fort," is more than a dwelling; it's part of Myerstown's essence. Built around 1750, this 2½-story stone house, its 1½-story kitchen wing, had been owned by the town's founder, Isaac Meier. Meier was a businessman of his time—a banker, money lender, and justice of the peace. His position and power, in that he possessed several plantations, demonstrate the importance of the homestead as a representation of colonial wealth.
The home's historical relevance is formally recognized by its addition to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. I was able to sit down with one of the tour guides for the area, and as they explained, while some restoration could not be avoided—such as the replacement of rotten wood—the homestead has been maintained with great attention to preserve its primitive nature. This dedication to the real thing makes it possible for guests to truly connect with the town's roots and look back into colonial times. As the tour guide stated, the house is a way of "reflect our history and keep our colonial roots."
The Interview
Me: What's the biggest challenge in having a 270-year-old home?
June Ebling: Saving it vs. realistic maintenance. We must rebuild with the same materials and methods as the time period. In order to replace rotten shutters, for example, we must replace them with wood of the original kind. Every repair is a lesson in history about construction.
Me: Are there famous stories about the house?
June Ebling: The most widely-held belief is that the kitchen wing is older than the rest of the house. Area tradition is that it was an original settler's cabin that Meier added onto later. It's a concrete connection to Myerstown's earliest years.
Me: How has the community utilized the house throughout the years?
June Ebling: The house is a concrete reminder, a connection to our heritage. It's used as a living history museum for school field trips and also has several community events. One of the biggest is our Annual Country Fair in the fall, where volunteers in period clothing teach people colonial-era crafts like weaving and cooking. We also host Kerzenlicht Nacht (Candlelight Night) in November, where the house is lit by candle. Some of them, as well as public tours and educational programs, are what make the history tangible and give it shape to new generations. The public's interest is truly what keeps us moving. Me: What single object best describes the home?
June Ebling: The stone foundation. Not flashy, maybe, but it's kept the house standing for centuries. To me, it's the staying power of history and the strength of the community that has preserved this home all these years.
The Isaac Meier Homestead is not just a landmark, though, but an act of preservation, a cornerstones community, and a powerful reminder that history lives and breathes and is kept so by one vigilant act at a time.
Why This House Matters
Isaac Meier Homestead is not just a structure; it's a cornerstone of Myerstown itself. It matters not for its physical attractiveness or its age, but because it contains the local history and tradition. It's a material link to Isaac Meier, who contributed to the character of the community by donating land for the first schoolhouse, and to all the generations of individuals since who've called Myerstown home.
This house is a museum of history in living form, a space in which members of the public can visit and recall. It is a history that is many, glued to its walls like the scent of wood and brick. It is a local landmark, one of pride and conservation.
My tour was just the beginning. I'll return before long, notebook and tape recorder in tow, to sit down with some of the people who know this house best—the community residents whose lives are connected to its history. There are richer stories to share, more history to unearth, and I'm eager to share them with you.
Did you ever visit a place of historical significance that felt like an alive story? What did you learn?
No comments:
Post a Comment