“It is not easy to walk alone in the country without
musing upon something.”
~ Charles Dickens
~ 1812-1870
This picturesque 19th century barn is the
cornerstone of this peaceful, rural winterscape in Egypt, Pennsylvania.
I shot this on the first day of spring, though the
remaining snow from a late winter blizzard belied the season.
The barn is part of the historic 1756 Troxell-Steckel
Farm Museum.
The Coplay Creek runs through this 31 acre property,
which was once part of a 400 acre farm. The centerpiece of the property is a
stone farmhouse, built in 1756. A spring house and the barn are also on the
property. The farmhouse is an authentic Pennsylvania German farmhouse and
offers an example of Lehigh County agricultural history. The Troxell-Steckel
house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
It is the region’s only authentically complete
Pennsylvania German farm house, resembling its medieval ancestors and giving a
captivating glimpse of the area’s farm history.
The Pennsylvania German farmhouse was constructed in
1756 by John Peter Troxell, an immigrant from Germany in search of a better
life. When the structure was built, twenty years before the Declaration of
Independence was signed, this farm sat on the edge of wilderness. George
Washington was only 24 years old, and America was ruled by the King of England.
At the time, the house was reported to be the largest residence on the
Pennsylvania frontier. The fortress-like masonry walls of this structure are
more than two feet thick.
In 1768, John Peter Troxell sold this farm to Peter
Steckel, another immigrant from Germany. Pennsylvania Germans were one of the
largest immigrant groups in Eastern Pennsylvania. Their traditions enriched
American culture.
As someone of Irish-German heritage, I love getting a
glimpse into Pennsylvania German history in the area.
This historic site is owned and operated by the Lehigh
County Historical Society and is open for seasonal tours and events.
The Troxell-Steckel Farm Museum may also be accessed
from the Ironton Rail Trail, which loops more than nine miles through Whitehall
Township, the Borough of Coplay and North Whitehall Township.
