Ehrenhardt, Jacob Jr., House
Also known as: 1803 House
Why it's listed
Built in 1803 as a farmhouse on the southeast edge of Emmaus, this half-story pointed fieldstone house has a side-hall plan, a slate roof and a stone kitchen wing projecting from the south. Its north entrance has a pedimented doorway with a fanlight transom, and the interior retains a main stair with turned balusters, carved mantels, and molded chair rails and baseboards. The house is regarded as a well-preserved example of Federal style design in a village where most early houses were log, frame or traditional stone. Its formal details reflect the shift from Germanic building practice to classical styling in the early nineteenth century. After Jacob Ehrenhardt Jr.'s death in 1825, the property was sold, and it was later converted to two family units in the 1950s. Restoration work in 1982-83 reconstructed the lost entrance and roof, and the house is now used for community education.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a locally significant example of Federal style farmhouse design, unusual in a village otherwise built of log, frame and traditional stone. Its pedimented entrance, fanlight transom, Doric-order fireplace surrounds and interior woodwork are presented as representative of the transition from Germanic building traditions to mainstream American classical design.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF). NRHP reference 03001123, listed November 7, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 55 S. Keystone Ave., Emmanus |
|---|---|
| County | Lehigh County |
| Listed | November 7, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03001123 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1803 |
| Architectural style | EARLY REPUBLIC / Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1982-83 after being abandoned for over a decade; donated to the Borough of Emmaus and serves as a community resource. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.53994, -75.48613 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03001123.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6118818
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.