
Lancaster Longhouse
Pennsylvania’s First Nations
For thousands of years, south-central Pennsylvania was home to a variety of Indigenous tribes, including the Shenks Ferry, Conoy, Lenape, Mohawk, Nanticoke, Seneca, Shawnee, and Susquehannock peoples. Many people today are unaware of the rich history of the state’s Native peoples. Experience a full-scale replica of a Native longhouse, and learn about local Indigenous histories and cultures.

Collaboration with Indigenous Community
As part of our mission to tell a broader story of the area European settlers came to in the early 1700s, Mennonite Life works in collaboration with the Circle Legacy Center and members of the local Indigenous community to honor Pennsylvania’s Native communities and educate the public.
Longhouses—large multi-family homes made of logs, saplings, and tree bark—once dotted Pennsylvania’s landscape. In some places, like present-day Washington Boro in Lancaster County, thousands of people lived together in communities filled with longhouses. The Lancaster Longhouse is based on historical and archeological research of Eastern Woodland construction in the late seventeenth century, with careful adjustments to improve its safety, durability, and utility as an educational exhibit.
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Discover Something New
April 1 @ 6:30 pm
Documentary Screening: Seven Points on Earth with Royden Loewen
Join us in the Mennonite Life Visitors Center Theater…
Learn MoreApril 10 @ 7:00 pm
Author Talk: The Mindful Grandparent with Shirley Showalter
Join Mennonite Life at Garden Spot Village Chapel (433…
Learn MoreMay 10 @ 9:30 am
50th Anniversary Community Celebration of the Biblical Tabernacle Experience
Celebrate 50 years of the Biblical Tabernacle Experience in…
Learn MoreMay 31 @ 7:00 pm
Community Hymn Sing: 500 Years of Anabaptism
Join us for a community hymn sing celebrating the…
Learn MoreFeatured Stories
March 18, 2025
Fifty Years of the Biblical Tabernacle Experience
DirectionsBiblical Tabernacle Experience (at the Mennonite Life Visitors Center)…
Learn MoreOctober 27, 2021
Introducing Mennonite Life
It’s an exciting time to be a Mennonite history…
Learn MoreOctober 11, 2021
Welcome, Refugees
For Mennonites in Lancaster, loving your neighbor means welcoming…
Learn MoreOctober 4, 2021
Mennonite Artists
Beyond folk arts, Mennonites contribute significantly to visual, language,…
Learn MoreContact, Hours, & Admission
1719 Museum
Featuring the 1719 Herr House
& the Lancaster Longhouse
Address
1849 Hans Herr Drive
Willow Street, PA 17584
Phone
Hours & Tour Times
Seasonal Hours
April – October
Friday & Saturday
10am – 4pm
Tours:
10:00am 11:30am 1:00pm 2:30pm
Tour lasts slightly more than an hour
Field Trips
To schedule a field trip, call 717.464.4438
or contact assistant@mennonitelife.org.
Admissions
Adults – $15
Children (7-16) – $7
Children 6 and under – Complimentary