“Hans Herr House”

Imagine leaving the house and neighborhood you grew up in. Maybe the area has changed, maybe you feel unwelcome and you decide to plant your roots elsewhere.

Hans Herr faced religious persecution in Zürich, Switzerland, where he was born. He moved his congregation to German before finally settling in the Lancaster County area. His son, Christian Herr, built this house in 1719, which is known for it's rare style, built in the German medieval style. Hans Herr became the first Mennonite bishop to emigrate to the United States of America.

Being the oldest Mennonite meetinghouse in America, The Herr House served the Mennonites who later formed the Willow Street Mennonites Congregation. It continued to be a private residence until 1900, after which was then used for storage. In 1969, the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society purchased the house and in the early part of the 1970's, Ira Landis directed a restoration project, fully restoring the property to reflect the Herr residence. In 1974, it was opened to the public as a museum.

Due to the fact that it was not lived in during the early 20th century, The Herr House is a well preserved historic landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Today, visitors to the 1719 Museum can experience what life was like in the oldest dwelling in Lancaster County.