We spent over a week in southeastern Pennsylvania mostly visiting family, but also seeing some nearby sites. Here are a few notes from our time there.
The Ephrata Cloister
I have passed this place any number of times when we lived in Pennsylvania, but I never visited it or knew anything about it. So it took a trip from Texas to get me to the Cloister. Founded in 1732, by Conrad Beissel, The Ephrata Cloister was one of the country’s first communal societies. It consisted of three orders, a brotherhood and a sisterhood, both of which practiced celibacy, and a married order of householders who apparently just served the Cloister’s celibate members. The community was located about 65 miles from Philadelphia.
After Beissel died in 1768 the Society declined. By 1800 the celibate orders were almost extinct (is that a surprise?), and in 1814 the remaining householders became part of the German Baptist Church and Beissel’s sect was no more.
The grounds and several buildings of the the order still exist today. They are maintained by the state historical commission and are open for tour.
The Ephrata Cloister
I have passed this place any number of times when we lived in Pennsylvania, but I never visited it or knew anything about it. So it took a trip from Texas to get me to the Cloister. Founded in 1732, by Conrad Beissel, The Ephrata Cloister was one of the country’s first communal societies. It consisted of three orders, a brotherhood and a sisterhood, both of which practiced celibacy, and a married order of householders who apparently just served the Cloister’s celibate members. The community was located about 65 miles from Philadelphia.
After Beissel died in 1768 the Society declined. By 1800 the celibate orders were almost extinct (is that a surprise?), and in 1814 the remaining householders became part of the German Baptist Church and Beissel’s sect was no more.
The grounds and several buildings of the the order still exist today. They are maintained by the state historical commission and are open for tour.
Living Quarters At Ephrata Cloister
Daniel Boone — Who Knew?
When I think of Daniel Boone, I think of a great frontiersman who opened up much of present-day Kentucky and Tennessee. The name Daniel Boone certainly does not cause me to think about Pennsylvania. But it seems Daniel grew up in Pennsylvania just about 50 miles west of Philadelphia, living there until he was 16.
Never having visited this place is even more embarrassing than not seeing the Cloister. Boone’s homestead is less than 25 miles from where Linda and I went to college. It could have been a cheap date!
When I think of Daniel Boone, I think of a great frontiersman who opened up much of present-day Kentucky and Tennessee. The name Daniel Boone certainly does not cause me to think about Pennsylvania. But it seems Daniel grew up in Pennsylvania just about 50 miles west of Philadelphia, living there until he was 16.
Never having visited this place is even more embarrassing than not seeing the Cloister. Boone’s homestead is less than 25 miles from where Linda and I went to college. It could have been a cheap date!
Daniel Boone’s Homestead
