04/30/2026
Lebanon250PA: History Happens Here
🪵 History Happens Here: The Chestnut Street Log House
Step inside one of Lebanon’s earliest surviving homes!
The Chestnut Street Log House will be open for free tours on May 2 from 1–4 PM, thanks to the Historic Preservation Trust of Lebanon County.
Long before Lebanon was a bustling county seat, it was Steitztown — a village laid out by George Steitz after receiving land warrants in 1737 and 1741. By 1750, he was selling narrow lots just two perches wide by six perches deep (about 33x99 feet), each requiring a house within 18 months and a stone or brick chimney. By 1772, more than 220 dwellings filled the growing community.
The Chestnut Street Log House is a rare survivor of these early homes — a window into how Lebanon’s first residents lived.
🏡 What you’ll see inside:
A rectangular log dwelling with a cellar, main floor, and loft
A half cellar with an earthen floor and exterior entrance
A three‑room first‑floor layout typical of Pennsylvania German architecture
A central fireplace warming the kitchen
The stübe, or living room, with 18th‑century trim and evidence of a five‑plate German jamb stove
The kammer, a simple bedroom lit by a single window
Every beam, window, and board tells the story of early Lebanon — the people who built it, the community that grew around it, and the heritage that still shapes the Valley today.
📅 May 2
⏰ 1–4 PM
📍1110 Chestnut St, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
💛 Free tours hosted by the Historic Preservation Trust of Lebanon County
🔗http://www.lebanonhpt.org/home.html
Follow along each week as we continue to share historic stories and places in the Lebanon Valley. Celebrate history in the Lebanon Valley—stay, savor, and explore!
Link: https://visitlebanonvalley.com/