Schaefferstown is on its way to becoming the latest Lebanon County addition to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Schaefferstown Historic District, if approved by a state review board and then by the National Parks Service, would join a handful of existing county locales already on the National Register as historic districts, including Annville and Mount Gretna.
The Schaefferstown Historic District is approximately bounded by Route 501, Oak and Locust streets, Prospect Hill Drive, Sheep Hill Road, Fountain Park, and the Schaeffer Farm.
Getting listed on the National Register of Historic Places does not entail any restrictions to property owners or local governments.
Schaefferstown is one of the oldest settlements in Lebanon County.
Read More:
- Schaefferstown boasts oldest gravitational conveyance pipe system in the United States
- At the historic Schaeffer farm, cows still roam the pastures
Local historian and Historic Schaefferstown Inc. volunteer Diane Wenger said the nomination process began in the late 1970s when the PA Historical & Museum Commission approached local Schaefferstown residents about a survey of historic properties in the area. The commission suggested then that the town itself might be eligible for the National Register.
Wenger said that the idea took root, but the project ended up being delayed for various reasons until recently.
Wenger said that PHMC will host a virtual meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28, to share details about the process. For the meeting link, email Wenger at dianewenger@verizon.net.
The Schaefferstown Historic District will be considered by the Pennsylvania State Review Board at a meeting on Oct. 11.
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