The ephrata cloister maintains a rich collection of original artifacts including furniture, printed books, manuscripts, baskets and ceramics. This unique book is currently on exhibit in the visitors center. Ephrata s sister city is eberbach, germany, the city where its founders originated. Tours include a selfguided exhibit in the visitor center and a guided tour of the seven historic buildings. The reader of the numerous histories of ephrata will surely educe that much of the success of the cloister was heavily dependent on the personality and charisma of one man conrad beissel. The alchemy of the voice at ephrata cloister jan stryz. The book, martyrs mirror, is a history of the deaths of christian martyrs from 4 b. The pennsylvania center for the book ephrata cloister. T o most people, one meal and six hours of sleep each day sound like torture. Please note the museum store at the ephrata cloister will be closed the months of january and february. Account of 1744 comet on loan through january kerry a. This restricted fund is used to return original artifacts back to where they originated, the ephrata cloister. Recordings of the ephrata cloister chorus are available at the museum store.
The book, martyrs mirror, is a history of the deaths of christian martyrs from 4. When his presence left the community at his death in 1768, ephrata cloister simply began to irreversibly diminish. Perhaps madam guyons best known book is a short and very easy method of prayer. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book. His book is a serious piece of research, but it was written in a more romantic literary style than modern academic history today, and it must be read with a critical eye. This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. The ephrata cloister had the second german printing press in the american colonies and also published the largest book in colonial america. Beissel met with one of kelpius associates, conrad matthaei, who became his principal spiritual confidant. Cloister restaurant inc ephrata, pennsylvania american. Beissel was born in eberbach in germany, and emigrated to pennsylvania in 1720. The author and photographer of this new guide to the ephrata cloister show their love and understanding of this unusual historic site. Pushing william penns holy experiment to its limits. Julius, the music of the ephrata cloister lancaster. Student historians crack the mysteries of ephrata cloister.
Title ephrata visit the ancient cloisters of the early german pietists in lancaster co. The ephrata cloister, now a national historic landmark in lancaster county, was once home to a thriving german religious commune. Past purchases have included an abolition tract published at the cloister, a cupboard, a shelf, and most recently a book on the comet of 1744. For more information or to request a free 24page visitor guide, visit. Olivia schlinkman, 14, of ephrata, left, jacey varner, 14, of reamstown, center, and 23yearold amanda shirk, of new holland look try to decipher the writing on gravestones at ephrata cloister. Recent purchase of this book was made possible by the back to the cloister fund administered by the ephrata cloister associates. Ephrata cloister was a protestant monastic community of celibate brothers and sisters supported by a married congregation who lived near the settlement. Since its start in 1732, the historic ephrata cloister has attracted visitors fascinated by the communitys unique lifestyle that allowed the creation of incredible architecture, original music, significant publications, and remarkable art. The ephrata cloister associates is a nonprofit organization that works in partnership with the pennsylvania historical and museum commission, supporting the mission of preservation and education at this national historic landmark.
Warfel, senior curator of archaeology for the state museum of pennsylvania, reveals the value of historical archaeology as it literally uncovers the myths and biases concerning the unusual communal society. Included is the organization of ephrata borough connected with the cloister by zerfass, samuel grant, 1866. The ephrata cloister was the heart and soul of the community. Historical archaeology at ephrata cloister, a series of yearly reports on excavations and investigations at the lancaster county historic site, written by stephen g. In the early 1700s, a series of german second adventists pilgrims who believed in the imminent second coming of the christ moved to pennsylvania and founded two important utopian communes, ephrata cloister and the woman in the wilderness. So we finally got to go to the place ephrata is known for.
All members of the ephrata cloister associates receive free yearround admission to the ephrata cloister except for selected special programs, a 10% discount in the museum store, 20% off in december, the chronicon newsletter issued 4 times a year, and special invitations and opportunities for members. The gift and book shop had items specific to the ideals of this time and region. Purpose of project the ephrata cloister or ephrata community was a religious community, established in 1732 by johann conrad beissel at ephrata, in what is now lancaster county, pennsylvania. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Please note the museum store at the ephrata cloister will. I went to the cloister restaurant for the first time. Both believed that america would be the land of the second coming.
Tour the cloister guests are welcome to tour the ephrata cloister daily. The ephrata cloister chorus performs onsite and offsite in sacred spaces, concert halls, museums and historic sites. Included is the organization of ephrata borough connected with the cloister samuel grant zerfass on. Ephrata cloister is one of 26 historic sites and museums on the pennsylvania trail of history. The community soon became known as ephrata, the biblical name of the region around the town of bethlehem. Those who chose a celibate life within the community resided in a cloister while married householders lived on farms in the surrounding area. Historic ephrata cloister, founded in 1732, was a protestant monastic community. Most artifacts, excluding paper items, are on exhibit in the historic buildings. A revolutionary romance at pennsylvanias ephrata cloister. Yet for the members of the ephrata cloister, these hardships represented an earthly sacrifice in exchange for an eternal paradise. Proceeds from the sales have returned numerous items to ephrata cloister, including rare manuscripts, 18thcentury ephrata furniture, and one of only two known copies of a book, printed at ephrata, about a comet that appeared in 1743. Complete history from its settlement in 1728 to the present time.
Beissel had arrived in america with the intention of joining the commune of hermits founded by johannes kelpius, but kelpius had died in 1708. Beissel entrenched himself in opposition to the traditional family structure by publishing a book denouncing marriage of the flesh, and espousing a life of spiritual virginity. Known as madam guyon, she was imprisoned two times for heresy. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. The cloister was established in 1732 by conrad beissel, a german immigrant who came to pennsylvania to be able to worship freely under william penns policy of religious tolerance. Living in ephrata and never going to the cloister, it just felt like we were missing out on our valuable history. In 1941 the pennsylvania historical and museum commission assumed administration and began a program of research, restoration, and interpretation of this important historic site with the support of the ephrata cloister associates. Ephrata visit the ancient cloisters of the early german. Wikimedia commons has media related to ephrata cloister. The cloister itself was well preserved, and had welltrained guides. It is named after ephrath, a biblical town in what is now israel. Preserving a legacy of william penns holy experiment. Scholars wishing to study the artifacts should contact the curator by calling the historic site 717 7336600. The snow hill cloister nunnery was established in 1829 in franklin county, pennsylvania, on the farm of andreas schneeberger andrew snowberger and housed a celibate brotherhood and sisterhood in a large community house nunnery.
Book now at 58 restaurants near ephrata cloister on opentable. Visit ephrata cloister on your trip to ephrata or united. The ephrata cloister had its own publishing center, which included a paper mill, printing office, and book bindery. Materials in this collection include correspondence, articles, books, hymns, wills, photographs and other materials either collected by or written by sachse concerning the history and religious development of the ephrata cloister of the seventh day german baptist brethern formed at ephrata in 1732 and its sister community, the snow hill. Apple dumpling fundraiser museums of lancaster county. Full text of the german sectarians of pennsylvania. Cloister in ephrata, pennsylvania pages in category ephrata cloister the following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total.
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