The Shelter House is an exceptionally well-preserved example of the European continental log house style, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It shows very nicely the evolution of a building’s expansion from one section into multiple (three) generation construction. The house predates the 1741 arrival of the Moravian faith to the Emmaus area, and is believed to be the oldest continually inhabited structure in Lehigh County. Although Shelter House’s name originates from the German Zufluchtshaus, which means “a house or structure to which to flee,” there is no record of it ever having been used as a refuge from an attack.
       Tours are available by appointment with the caretaker-in-residence. Contact the Shelter House Society, PO Box 254, Emmaus, PA 18049. Telephone (610) 965-9258. In addition, open houses and tours are held each year on Emmaus Heritage Days and the first weekend of December. You may walk around the property and take photographs of the exterior of the building, but please respect the privacy of the caretaker and his family who live in the structure.

       Access: 601 South Fourth Street, Emmaus, PA. From the previous building return to Pennsylvania Ave. (which eventually becomes Broad St.) and continue ahead 1.0 mile to 4th St. Turn right and continue to a T at Fairview St. Turn left at the T, continue to the end, then turn right beside a recreation field to the Shelter House sign ahead of you. Turn left at the sign into the narrow driveway and continue to the small parking area.

Selected References
Bergstresser, Jennifer
      2006      Experience Emmaus Community Guide 2007. Benchmark Group Media, Inc., Bethlehem, PA
Bortz, Dean
      1983      Shelter House. The Hearthstone, pages 20-23.
      2002      The Shelter House as a Continental Log House. The Hearthstone, pages 15-17.
      2003      The Shelter House History. The Hearthstone, pages 6-26.
Kaufman, David B.
      1974      Some Facts about the Shelter House and Emmaus. The Hearthstone, pages 18-23.
Noble, Timothy
      1983      An Artifactual Analysis of the Shelter House. The Hearthstone, pages 23-30.