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History

Originally occupied by Algonquin Indian Tribes, the Lebanon Valley was part of a 1681 land-grant by King Charles II of England to William Penn. Pennsylvania was described as a place to go for religious sovereignty and inexpensive land. First settled in 1723, Lebanon County’s initial colonists, prior to 1720, were Scotch-Irish. By 1729, the predominant settlers were German. Some worked as missionaries and others seeking religious freedom came for the land.

The Lebanon Valley went through a terrible period during the French-Indian War. Forts were constructed in an attempt to stop attacks, but Indian attacks continued until 1763. The Revolutionary War was significant in Lebanon history as well. British and Hessian prisoners were held captive in the region and worked for the Cornwall Furnace, making cannons and munitions.

By 1790, most of the German settlers, who had immigrated to Lebanon County for religious freedom, were of the middle class. These Germans became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, and they included such groups as the Mennonites, the Dunkers, the German Reformed, the Lutherans and Moravians. The Pennsylvania Dutch built farming communities and churches, bringing ministers and educators to the community. These people and their way of life had a great influence on the industry, farming, religion and other qualities of life that Lebanon knows today.

Lebanon County was formed in 1813. Lebanon, the county seat, received its charter as a borough in 1821 and as a city in 1885.

Historic Places of Interest & The Lebanon Historical Society Of great significance in the Lebanon Valley’s history was the construction of the Union Canal, which began in 1821 and connected the Schuylkill River with the Susquehanna River. Consequently, in 1827, the first tunnel built in the United States for canal passage through a mountain was built in Lebanon County.

The Union Canal Tunnel is the oldest existing tunnel in the United States and today is a county landmark.

Located at 25th and Union Drive in Lebanon, admission is free and picnic tables are provided for comfort and enjoyment.

The Lebanon Valley Railroad, later taken over by the Reading Railroad, was completed in 1857 and was also very important in the development of Lebanon County. Additional lines were constructed throughout the years, making the exporting and importing of goods to and from other areas more feasible.

The Lebanon County Historical Society owns and maintains the Union Canal Tunnel and is also home to the Stoy Museum, research archives and a gift shop. Visitors to the Museum can tour displays of 18th-century shops, offices and a schoolhouse—all stocked with authentic antique items. The Museum helps to promote insight, appreciation and understanding of Pennsylvania history. Unique souvenirs and gifts can be found at the gift shop, which features many handcrafted items characteristic of Pennsylvania folk art.

Additionally, the Historical Society sustains the Hauk Research Archives, which are available for anyone looking for records of deaths, births, marriages and more. Volunteers are on hand to provide assistance with family tree research.

Several buildings in Lebanon County are on the National Register of Historic Places—Lebanon County ranks third out of 67 counties in the number of historical sites it contains. Self-guided driving tours are an ideal way to admire the architecture and craftsmanship that has survived for so many years. When touring the many historical sites in the Lebanon Valley, one can follow the Lebanon County Heritage Trail, which can be easily traversed throughout the County.

Historic sites are located throughout the entire Lebanon Valley area and can be found from Palmyra to Schaefferstown, from the City of Lebanon to Fort Indiantown Gap, from Myerstown to Annville, and from Jonestown to Cornwall and Mt. Gretna.

To assist travelers, a “Driving Tour of Lebanon County” booklet is available through the Lebanon County Historical Society. Just some of the many historic sites covered in the book are:

• Cornwall Furnace Complex, Cornwall
• Brendle Farms (also known as Alexander Schaeffer Farm and Sheetz Farm), Jct. of PA 501 and 897, Schaefferstown
• Chestnut Street Log Cabin, 1110 Chestnut Street, Lebanon
• Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad Station (also known as C & L Depot), 161 N. 8th Street, Lebanon
• J. Landis Shoe Company Building, N. Chestnut and E. Broad Streets, Palmyra
• Reading Railroad Station, N. 8th Street, Lebanon
• St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 6th and Chestnut Streets, Lebanon
• Isaac Meier House, Myerstown

Further information on these and other sites can be obtained from the Lebanon County Historical Society

924 Cumberland Street
Lebanon, PA 17402-5186
Phone: 717-272-1473;
website: www.lebanon-history.org

The 19th-century Cornwall Iron Furnace complex is “the only one of America’s hundreds of 19th century charcoal-fueled blastfurnaces to survive fully intact.” Visitors can tour buildings in which cannons, stoves and pig iron were cast and see where men toiled day and night to fuel the furnace. Part of a National Historic LandmarkDistrict, the Cornwall Iron Furnace has also been named a National Historic Landmark by the American Society of Metals and as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The Cornwall Iron Furnace is located on Rexmont Road at Boyd Street in Cornwall.

The oldest building in Lebanon County is a stone structure known as Light’s Fort. Built in 1742 by a Mennonite named John Light, the fort was used as a place of worship and refuge. Twenty-four-inch-thick walls served as a defense against Indians, and at one point a large stockade encircled the building, which was large enough to house 60 families at one time. A spring and a well provided fresh water, and a large garden grew vegetables. An underground tunnel was built, which led from the Fort up to what is now Eighth and Cumberland Streets.

Photos are from the collection of the
Lebanon County Historical Society.