SMDPA MEMBERS AND GUESTS:  Please join us in historic Womelsdorf in rural Berks County.  We will enjoy a private group tour of the Conrad Weiser Homestead (ca 1729), followed by a delicious lunch buffet at Stouch Tavern (ca 1762).  This Fall Meeting of the Susquehanna Colony is open to all!

The Conrad Weiser Homestead, 28 Weiser Dr., Womelsdorf, PA 19567, (610) 589-2934, is part of the Womelsdorf Historic District.  This 26-acre parcel of what was once the 890-acre estate of Pennsylvania pioneer Conrad Weiser (1696-aft 1760) is located along Rt. 422, roughly midway between I-78 to the north (Exit 13) and I-76 to the south (Exit 286).  We will meet in the paved parking lot at 11:00 a.m. for a 90-minute guided tour of the visitor center and galleries, house with period furnishings, education center and exhibits, spring house, gravesite, outdoor grounds, and museum shop. 

Upon concluding our tour at 12:30 p.m., we will drive two minutes west to dine at historic Stouch Tavern, 138 W. High St, Womelsdorf, PA 19567, (610) 589-4577.  (Ample paved parking is found in the rear.)  This sturdy stone structure was the first residence built in Womelsdorf, by Jacob Seltzer in 1762.  Later converted into what became known as Stouch’s Tavern, in 1793 it hosted President George Washington as he inspected construction of the Union Canal. 

Warmed by their fireplace, we will enjoy a delicious buffet of:

Lunch will be served at 1:00 p.m., with a cash bar available for those guests who arrive earlier.  Pricing is $50 per adult, $25 for Juniors or children, which includes our tour and lunch. 

To register and pay online, click here:  Or complete and return the attached RSVP form per instructions, enclosing your check.  Registration deadline is Fri., Oct. 9.  For questions, please contact James Campbell, SMDPA Deputy Governor, [email protected].

Given the historic nature of both venues, guests with mobility issues are best advised to phone ahead for handicapped access and assistance.

ABOUT THE CONRAD WEISER HOMESTEAD:

The Conrad Weiser Homestead is a Pennsylvania state historic site in Womelsdorf, Berks County, that interprets the life of Conrad Weiser (1696-aft 1760).  Weiser was a German immigrant who served as an Indian interpreter and helped coordinate Pennsylvania's Indian policy.  He played a major role in the history of colonial Pennsylvania and is considered primarily responsible for the founding of Berks County in 1752.

For more on the extraordinary life and legacy of Weiser, click here:  http://www.conradweiserhomestead.org/about-1.html

The Conrad Weiser Homestead is located on 26 landscaped acres that were once part of Weiser’s 890-acre estate.  Seven total buildings exist on the property; three are open for touring.  Two large monuments, a gazebo, the Weiser Family Cemetery, and a pond are also on the site.  Two picnic areas are present in the western section of the park and can be utilized at any time without reservation.  Public restroom facilities are available. 

ABOUT WOMELSDORF AND STOUCH TAVERN:

From Wikipedia:

The Womelsdorf Historic District is a national historic district located in Womelsdorf, Berks County.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982…

Between 1723 and 1729, a group of immigrants from Germany, who had initially made their homes in New York's Schoharie region, relocated to Berks County.  Opting to settle in what was then known as the Tulpehocken Valley (a name which meant "Land of Turtles" in the language of the area's Native American residents), they became citizens of Middle Town when their community was renamed as such in 1762 by John Womelsdorf.  The town's name was chosen by Womelsdorf as he laid out the town, because the town was located roughly halfway between Reading and Lebanon.  

The first house was built that same year (1762) by Jacob Seltzer.  Later converted into the tavern known as Stouch's Tavern, it was the oldest tavern operating in the county at the time that historian Morton L. Montgomery wrote his 1909 book, Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania…

In 1774, the name of the town was changed to Womelsdorf in recognition of the leadership of John Womelsdorf.  As the town's population and popularity as a place of respite for weary travelers continued to grow, it also became a center of commerce, known for its grist mills, the manufacture of wool hats, hosiery and, most notably between 1875 and 1930, as a center for cigar manufacturing.

On November 13, 1793, George Washington, America's first president, traveled to Womelsdorf to inspect the progress being made on construction of the Union Canal.  During his visit, he stayed in town at Stouch's Tavern.  Since then, the building has nearly been destroyed by two fires but was rebuilt each time.  According to “Pennsylvania’s Haunted Houses”:  “Ghostly reports here include a girl and a phantom carriage, as well as footsteps, doors that unlatch and open by themselves, faucets that work on their own, and much more.  One of the ghosts that reside here was nicknamed George.”