Schaeffer House, Colonial German house in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania.
Schaeffer House is a limestone building from the colonial period in Schaefferstown with multiple entrances and irregularly placed windows. The ground floor contains a vaulted storage and production space where spirits and beverages were made.
Alexander Schaeffer purchased the property in 1758 and expanded it in 1771 by adding a two-story section with a distillery kitchen. This growth reflected rising demand for beverage production in the region during the 1700s.
The building reflects how families combined craft production with daily living, housing residents upstairs while operating trade work below. This layout reveals the practical reality of colonial life, where home and livelihood were inseparable.
Access is arranged through guided tours organized by Historic Schaefferstown, as it operates as a museum property. Plan ahead since the house requires advance appointment scheduling and does not have regular walk-in hours.
The building retains original 18th-century hardware, wide wooden flooring, and doors in its three upper-level living rooms. These details demonstrate the craftsmanship that went into fitting out homes during that era.
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