Walking Tours Spotlight History, Architecture
Tour guides for the Lititz Historical Foundation walking tours, which began on May 1, advise participants to check out the rooflines as they traverse Main Street in Lititz. From the patio at the Lititz Springs Inn and Spa to the Mary Dixon Chapel at the Linden Hall campus, there is much to see.
"(Looking up) is one of the things I stress," said Charlene Van Brookhoven, who sometimes shares guide duties with Gina Yoder. "That is the most important part of the historic district." Both guides pointed out gables, arches, and second-story original glass panes on a recent tour.
Yoder, dressed in the brightly colored traditional garb of a Moravian sister, kicked off the tour with a brief comment on the closed Moravian community that thrived in Lititz from the 1750s to the 1850s, when the town was opened to nonmembers.
The tour begins with the patio fountain at Lititz Springs. As the group moves east on Main Street, more than 25 notable historic buildings and the lives of their owners are discussed. While the tour never crosses the street, buildings on both sides, including the brick home Gen. John Sutter built in 1871 for $10,000 and the Lititz Express building, where John Zook sold postcards, valentines, and bicycles, are highlighted.
Both tour guides strive to point out interesting bits of Lititz history, such as the many uses of Rudy Hall - as a funeral parlor, YMCA, silent film theater, and bookstore. Van Brookhoven noted that the current home of Candyology was once a bakery where Julius Sturgis was employed to make pretzels. Van Brookhoven also recounted the story of the contest that arose between Linden Hall and the Sunnyside College for Girls, which was located in the Pilgerhaus, when the two schools competed to have the tallest building in town. She also shared that Revolutionary War soldiers who were housed in the buildings on Church Square left their initials and other graffiti on the walls.
Tours run approximately 45 minutes in length and are held rain or shine. Tours must be booked and paid a week in advance. Those who wish to book a tour may call 717-627-4636 or email lhf@dejazzd.com.
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