Heidelberg Township near Womelsdorf in Berks County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Is this Weiser's House?
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 12, 2010
1. Is this Weiser's House? Marker
We can't be sure. We know that Conrad Weiser owned this land and lived on the property from 1729 to about 1750. And there is a strong oral tradition indicating that Weiser's house stood on this spot. But archaeology conducted in 2000 found few artifacts dating to the early 1700s.
Even if Weiser lived in this house, it has changed quite a bit since his time. The Scheetz family, who farmed the area after the Weisers, used the homestead as a summer kitchen. Later owners made repairs after a fire and a tornado damaged the building in the early 1900s. More renovations occurred when Conrad Weiser Memorial Park was founded in the 1920s. As a result, very little of the original construction material remains.
Erected by Conrad Weiser Homestead.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1729.
Location. 40° 21.498′ N, 76° 10.312′ W. Marker is near Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, in Berks County. It is in Heidelberg Township. Marker can be reached from Weiser Drive. Marker is near the Conrad Weiser house, on the grounds of the Conrad Weiser Homestead. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 34 Weiser Dr, Womelsdorf PA 19567, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance
this page online
Also see . . . Conrad Weiser. (Submitted on December 25, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 12, 2010
2. Is this Weiser's House? and Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 12, 2010
3. Tornado Photo on Weiser's House? Marker
[Caption reads] In 1904, a tornado tore through the Tulpehocken taking the roof off the homestead
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 12, 2010
4. Drawing on Weiser's House? Marker
[Caption reads] In 2000, scientists and architects studied the homestead. They found that the main room dates to before 1834, but we can't be sure that it belongs to Weiser's time.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 12, 2010
5. Drawing on Weiser's House? Marker
[Caption reads] About 1834, the Scheetz family added another room and a bake oven to the homestead. They also added stucco to the exterior, probably to make the old and new sections match.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 12, 2010
6. Drawing on Weiser's House? Marker
[Caption reads] By 1880, the stucco had been removed to reveal the fieldstone masonry seen today. Between 1926 and 1928, other renovations were also made to the homestead. A stone stoop replaced the simple wooden staircase. Renovators rebuilt the windows to make them symmetrical, and added shutters. And clay roof tles replaced the wooden shake roof.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 25, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 719 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 25, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
