The History of Houses

Check out your local historical society or preservation society to see if they have ever put together something on the various local historical places. Lancaster County did just that. It covered older buildings - some historical and some just old. Often it may lead to interesting family discoveries. Sometimes it simply confirms them.

Strasburg Township, Lancaster County, PA is home to the Joseph Eckman House, the Daniel & Elizabeth Eckman House and the Jacob & Elizabeth Eckman House. Joseph's house was on White Oak Road near Beaver Valley Pike (now known as Route 222). The later two are located on Winter Hill Road. The houses all date back to the early 1800s.

From personal reserach and meeting family members who - until only the last 10 years or so - still lived on Winter Hill Road, I learned that the Eckman family did in fact at one time own much of that land around Winter Hill and Old Road. John Eckman - the stroy goes - donated the land for the Zion United Church of Christ there on Winter HIll Road. He was the first organist for the church as well. While at the one family member who lived across the church, I noticed a land pact framed and hung to the Eckmans from William Penn himself.

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