In a building off Erisman Road in Manheim, a team of volunteers is bringing the past back to life. Members of the Erisman Mennonite Church have been working to restore the Lincoln School, located across the street from the church at 8 S. Erisman Road. They will host an open house on Saturday, Aug. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 8, from 2 to 4 p.m.
The Lincoln School was built in 1884 as a one-room school and was used until 1952, when it was sold by Rapho Township to the church. It served as a home for pastor John Eby and his wife, who remodeled it for residential use and lived in it until selling it back to the church in 1985. Although the property has housed Sunday school classes, youth group activities and the Erisman sewing circle, congregants were inspired when fellow church member Tina Snyder suggested that the congregation restore the schoolhouse as a project to bring the church together.
Church member Dennis Nissley, whose background includes historic restoration construction work, knew he wanted to help.
"It had been a vision of mine for many years to try to do something with the building," he remarked, noting that his father attended school at the site.
Nissley led a team of volunteers that started work in early 2020. Although the pandemic stalled the project a bit, the group has spent most of the past year tearing down drywall, ripping up carpets and rebuilding windows to their original size. Volunteers ripped out a lowered ceiling and restored it to its original height. The team also installed a handicapped-accessible ramp and restroom, removed the kitchen and installed a kitchenette, added air conditioning and renovated the existing bathroom. A piece of the original slate blackboard will be hung on the wall, several original posts have been used to rebuild the porch and an original cabinet has been restored. The team is also working on rebuilding the bell tower and will install a bell purchased from another schoolhouse.
Nissley, who is the public works director for Mount Joy Borough, said the project has been a labor of love, noting that the volunteers partnered with contractors for some of the work but did the majority themselves. "This really did pull us together as a church and gave everybody a chance to work together," he stated. "I see this place being used for a variety of reasons. I see it being made available to other groups and used as a ministry for our church."
As the renovations were happening, the volunteers noticed that the road the church faces is used heavily by bicyclists, so they are also installing a bike rest stop next to the schoolhouse. It will feature a bike repair station, a water fountain, seating and a prayer garden.
Nissley invites everyone to come out to the open house and see the transformation firsthand. "We did an open house back before we started the work, and a lot of neighbors stopped in," he recalled. "I hope people will come out to this open house and see everything that's been done to the place."
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