Restoration of the Nain-Schober House
429 Heckewelder Place
This is the last remaining home from the American Indian mission village of Nain which existed from 1758-1765 in the vicinity of 12th and 13th Avenues in West Bethlehem. The house was originally built around 1758 by Moravian missionaries with help from American Indians. It was a log structure with a wood-shingled roof. In 1765 the home was sold to Andreas Schober, a Bethlehem Moravian, who moved the house up the street to the southwest corner of W. Market Street and Heckewelder Place. In 1906 it was moved to this location.
The current metal panel siding is temporarily protecting the building as various aspects of restoration are being conducted. The structure will be restored to its c.1780 appearance, as illustrated in the drawing above. Andreas Schober, a Moravian mason, dramatically altered the building from its original log appearance shortly after moving it to Bethlehem. Schober added a clay tile roof and parged the exterior walls. A lime-based parging (a masonry application reminiscent of today's stucco) covered the logs to protect them. The parging was then scored to imitate coursed masonry.
Why not keep this as a log structure?
The only time the building stood with its logs exposed was in the Nain mission village. Once the structure was moved to Bethlehem, it was restyled and the logs were parged on the exterior. Therefore, it would not be accurate to the history of the house or of the community to restore it to its original log appearance. Some logs were damaged or missing; parging the exterior will protect the structure from inclement weather and invading pests.
Marker is on Heckewelder Place, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
