Plans are underway for the 39th Annual Christmas House Tour. The Governor Wolf Historical Society will open six private historic homes and four early buildings on Saturday, Dec. 7. The homes will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. This year’s theme is “Artistic Dates and Documents,” featuring dated frakturs, early birth certificates, old family bibles, dated quilts and more. The Home News will feature one of the homes each week until tour day.
Andrew and Theresa Krohn are blessed to be the new owners of this one of a kind home in 
Upper Nazareth Township. Previously owned by Jack and Roberta Schmauch the 1-1/2 story log cabin, circa 1780, was found in Lehighton. In 1997 the cabin was disassembled and moved piece by piece to this property on Blossom Hill Road, where it was meticulously reassembled by Jack and his company Country Craftsmen Construction. The unique “L shape” floor plan was designed by Roberta to integrate the cabin with the existing ranch home. The result was the 1998 award winner for Professional Excellence. The entryway is faced with natural stone and inside the foyer moldings were created to mimic woodwork of early Northampton County homes. The six-panel front door comes from the former Herd home in Bath, PA. Leading to the main entrance you will find brick and fieldstone walkways, iron box locks, and a black walnut butcher’s table saved from a local barn.
Inside you will be drawn to the cabin and its exposed white oak logs. Be sure to say hello to “Star Gazer,” the Native American Scout hand carved by Jack, who watches over the home. The “great room” in the cabin houses a 9-foot wide, stone, wood burning fireplace. The varied length flooring and chestnut center beam are all original to 1780. The kitchen and dining areas were refinished to match period era colors and design. Theresa has lovingly decorated the home with antiques, tapestries, and furniture collected from Roseto, Bath, Tamaqua, and regions of Germany and Italy. Open for the tour are both floors of the log cabin, the entryway and dining area.
On the same day, the Annual Historic Christmas Family Day will fill the GWHS campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Historic craftsmen will demonstrate, the 153 Civil War Coddington Reenactors will be encamped. Taste and watch hearth cooking, spinning and weaving, iron crafts, early powder horns and flintlocks, and more. There will be arts and crafts for children. Make this a yearly family destination. There is no parking or admission fee. A free-will donation may be dropped into our preservation jars if you wish. There will also be quality crafters selling their wares and fresh greens for sale. The Daily Grind in the Schoolhouse Café will offer food to take with you on the tour, or to enjoy there.
Ticket books are available- $25 advance and $30 day of tour. Booklets will be sold at S. Seem Antiques in Bath, Miller Ace Hardware on Rt. 329, Curt’s Cyclery in Nazareth, Country Capers in Bethlehem and Bath Drugs on Rt. 512.
