Tour Historic Hellam Preserve
by Joseph Keller Kindig III
1923-2021
Joe was an invaluable source of knowledge for all of our work at the Preserve. His expertise spanned the fields of architecture and social history, Pennsylvania German and American history, early German-immigrant farming and homesteading practices, to name a few. Joe’s oversight of the renovation work at the Preserve ensured that the choices made for the restoration of the five historic structures at HHP were based on the best scholarship available. He gave countless hours of guidance in this capacity, and, through his many connections in the fields of archeology, architectural restoration and Pennsylvania history, he brought many experts into the project as well. Joe's leadership was also critical in the various events held at the Preserve over the years. He served in the capacity of keynote speaker for all of the seminars and symposiums held since the Preserve's opening in 2013.
The Log House
circa 1750's
Of central European form and design, log dwellings were generally the first homestead for a settler. The forestland had to be timbered in order to plant crops and this provided abundant wood for building. It permitted raising a roof for the family fairly quickly without the intensive labor of a stone building. Once a family was established, the barn built and crops planted and flourishing, then a more permanent stone or brick house could follow. The present log house is an extremely fine example of the German prototype. The most visual Germanic feature on the exterior is the use of hand-split German side and end-lapped white oak shingles as opposed to the cedar shingles of the English. The house has a very steep pitched roof with a “kick” at the roof eaves (a short angle change to the roof line at the eaves). The vertical board siding on the gable ends is another example of classic Germanic design, as well as the smallish, glazed windows and minimal use of them, for glass had to be imported. The small “cat slide” shed dormer windows were another iconic feature.
The very large pit-sawn and adzed chestnut and oak logs with dovetailed corner joints are visible from both inside and outside the dwelling. A two-story attic is identifiable from the exterior by the small window in the peak of the gable and a larger window at attic floor level. The top attic story was for storage of household materials and grains; the lower attic story for a large dormitory for the children and any live-in farm hands. The large central stone chimney was a medieval carry-over.
Internally, the existence of wattle and daub partitions consisting of vertical timers connected by woven tree branches, filled and covered with a mix of mud and straw, is a carry-over from medieval half-timber or fachwerk construction. Other iconic beatures of the interior include:
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vertical molded board partitions of tongue-and-groove or lapped construction
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white oak flooring rather than pine or poplar
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a centrally placed fireplace with an internal opening for a German cast-iron five-plate stove or jamb stove for heating in the adjacent room
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an attic smoke room for preserving meats
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a large cooking fireplace in the basement or ground story for a kitchen
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whitewashed walls provided a light and a clean atmosphere
The first floor was the main living area of the house, generally divided into bed chamber (kammer) for the master and mistress; a so called stove room (stube) for receiving guests, and a bed chamber for grandparents, providing a small degree of privacy with the kitchen (küche) in the basement.
The Log House Today
The interior of the Log House has been intentionally treated as a document and source for the advanced scholarly study of Germanic design and construction techniques found in period log dwellings, rather than a fully furnished dwelling explicating the lifestyle of the early settler. However, we still felt the need to set the furniture tone with a few totally compatible pieces that would have more than likely existed in this Germanic household in the middle of the 18th century.
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Stretcher Table - circa 1740-80. The Black Walnut Stretcher Table with a turned and stretchered base and a pine removable top was the predominant table form throughout the German community in the mid 18th century. It was frequently the only table form in the house and
was generally found in the center of the kitchen and served as a work table and dining table. This is a particularly fully developed example with a skirt artistically relieved by a boldly molded and scalloped apron. The table is further enhanced with fine, early baluster turned legs. Provenance is likely Lancaster County.
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Ladderback Armchair - circa 1740-80. The maple, ash and rush ladderback armchair, with five graduated ladders, is based on a German prototype and would have likely been the only armchair in the house and was the "master's" chair. Wooden benches or forms would have served the other members of the household. The rear stiles were turned on two different axes producing the "break" at the seat level which is another Germanic feature not encountered in Welsh or Quaker examples. Provenance is likely Lancaster County.
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Stuhl - circa 1730-80. The oak Stuhl or chair was a "home grown" seating form that was originally common throughout the German community of Pennsylvania as it was through rural central Europe. It was a seating form that the average Pennsylvania German farmer could produce during the long cold winters with minimal skills and limited tools, mainly a saw, hammer and ax. Provenance likely Pennsylvania.
The Stone Bank Barn
circa 1790-1800
The stone barn of bank design is built on a slope thereby creating two floor levels. The lower ground floor level was for housing cattle and horses or general livestock. The second floor of heavy timber construction, with its central section accessed by the large barn doors, was for the threshing of wheat and other work tasks. The end sections on either side were haylofts for the storage of hay for fodder and straw for bedding. The bank barn design was borrowed from Central Europe and brought to Pennsylvania by the German settlers. The timber framing of the barn and roof reflect medieval practices in the mass of the timbers. The vertical slots in the stone gable ends were for ventilating the barn. The original enclosed barnyard permitted the cattle to be out in inclement weather and made for greater control. Built from local limestone, the Stone Bank Barn probably was built 1790-1800.
The Springhouse
circa 1800
The small two-story stone springhouse is typical of small outbuilding construction practices of about 1790-1810. The bottom story housed the spring or a stone channel for it to run through the building. Milk from the dairy herd was stored in here, as well as any food stuffs requiring cooling temperatures. It was usually located near the dwelling to afford easy access. The second floor was used for storage of goods essential to the running of the dwelling. The interior of both floors was frequently whitewashed for cleanliness and good husbandry. Of course, the springhouse also provided the water for the property.
The 19th Century Farmhouse
circa late 1800s
This frame building was a common architectural form in the last half of the 19th century, built as seen here with very little variation. Its form is typical of farmhouses of the period, both in size and design. This structure, like the barn, log house and springhouse, was built as a bank building providing an additional story. The centrally located pair of entry doors on the front facade was a typical architectural feature, one door being reserved for family and Sunday best, the other permitting the entry of field hands and farmers to the kitchen. Freestanding wood and coal stoves would have heated the house.
The Early Frame Barn
circa 18th and 19-20th centuries
The western end of the Early Frame Barn is of 18th century construction. The corn crib and eastern end were 19th-20th century additions.
The Small Stone Barn
circa 1790
Set on an adjacent 28-acre lot purchased in 2017, the Small Stone Barn dates to 1790.
