National Register of Historic Places

Michael & Margaret Heller House (Heller Homestead)
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 28, 2010, for its architectural significance
1890 – 1892 Friedensville Road, Bethlehem PA 18015
Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania 

Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County – July 23,  2010) Lower Saucon Township Council and the Saucon Valley Conservancy  are excited to announce that on June 28, 2010, the National Park Service  listed the Michael & Margaret Heller House (Heller Homestead) in  the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural  significance. 

 After two and half  years of hard work by township officials, Conservancy volunteers, local  historians and other individuals, the Homestead, like the Lutz Franklin  Schoolhouse and Ehrhart’s Mill Historic District (Old Mill Bridge), has  reached a great milestone in its preservation.
 

 “As a rural  community, we're proud of our township's history. One of Council's  missions is to preserve our historic resources. This was big news to be  able to add a third resource to the township's list of properties of  national historic significance”, said Council President Glenn Kern. The  other two are the Lutz Franklin Schoolhouse and the Ehrhart's Mill  Historic District.
 

 Councilwoman and Saucon Valley Conservancy  president Priscilla deLeon said “I would like to thank everyone who  worked together to preserve another community treasure. The township has  set a great example to all by preserving its own historic resources and  preserving the character of the Saucon Valley for future generations.  We are very grateful for all the hard work of all volunteers and to Bob  Wise and Seth Hinshaw of Wise Preservation for their efforts in the  documentation of this historic site.”
 

 Township Manager Jack  Cahalan said township officials were pleased about the recommendation  and hope to link historic sites throughout the area to a regional  rails-to-trails project that stretches from Coopersburg to Lower Saucon.  “'This is adjacent to the rail trails site”, Cahalan said. “One of the  things we want to feature on the rail trail is the linkages between the  historic sites. This will provide something that is right there on the  trail.”
 

On April 6, 2010, the State Historic Preservation Board  determined that the Heller Homestead met the documentation standards for  registering properties in the National Register as well as the  procedural and professional requirements set forth by the National Park  Service. The Heller Homestead meets the National Register Criteria “C”  for local significance in architecture, and specifically for local  builder Stanley Yeager’s interpretation of the Colonial Revival style of  architecture. (The house was remodeled in the 1930s by Mr.  Yeager.)  The nomination was forwarded to the National Park Service  in Washington DC for final review. The Park service, the official  “Keeper” of the National Register listed the site on June 28, 2010.
 

 The  core of the farmhouse was constructed circa 1751 by Michael Heller; the  main section was added around 1820. The adjacent “Widows House” was  constructed circa 1850. The nomination’s “period of significance” begins  with the construction of the core and extends to the Colonial Revival  style renovations of 1934-1935.
 

 The 2.2 acre Heller Homestead  is owned by Lower Saucon Township and leased by the Saucon Valley  Conservancy. It is part of the 15-acre Heller Homestead Park located  one-half mile west of Route 412 and Water Street in Hellertown at 1890 –  92 Friedensville Road (Water Street), Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
 

 In  2007, the township retained the services of Wise Preservation Planning  LLC to prepare the Historic Resource Survey Form and the National  Register Form.
 

 Of the existing structures, the farmhouse  features four rooms that are decorated in different historic periods.  Meetings are held in the public meeting room. The restored 1850s Widow’s  House features a kitchen with a small beehive oven in the fireplace.
 

 The  stone root cellar is a relatively rare example of a once prevalent  out-building type of the region where cool temperatures kept root  vegetables and other foods cool and dates back to the mid 19-century.
 

 Until  February of 1998, all four sides of the original stone barn stood  erect. In the aftermath of a severe storm, a portion of the roof  collapsed. Deeming it a danger, township officials decided to bring down  all but about one-third of the barn, preserving its very unusual arch.  The Heller barn was actually a complex of two barns – an early English  Lake District stone bank barn and a frame bank barn that was constructed  considerably later.
 

 Between the barn ruins and the Widow’s  House is a replicated Pennsylvania German four-square herb garden  featuring seasonal vegetables, climbing roses, and medicinal and  culinary herbs.
 

A sawmill was located east of the Widow’s House,  on the west side of a historic railroad bed. A low wall runs south from  the southeast corner of the garage to indicate the east wall of the  mill.
 

 The Saucon Valley Conservancy, Inc., a not-for-profit 501  (c) (3) corporation, founded January 7, 1993, is dedicated to work in  partnership with government bodies, community organizations, business  groups and concerned citizens. The mission of the Saucon Valley  Conservancy is to preserve the historic and natural environment of  the Saucon Valley as an educational and recreational resource for area  citizens and visitors. The major stewardship of the Conservancy is the  Michael Heller Homestead and the Saucon Creek corridor.        

BACKGROUND

The  Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission’s  [PHMC] Bureau for  Historic Preservation (BHP) oversees the National Register process  in Pennsylvania. The National Register program was established by the  National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Properties listed in the  Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects  that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology,  engineering, and culture. National Register properties are  distinguished by having been documented and evaluated according to  uniform.
standards
National Register Criteria
 

To be  eligible for listing in the National Register, a property or district  must meet the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. These criteria  that a property be old enough to be considered historic (generally at  least 50 years old) and meet the test for architectural integrity. In  addition, the property must:
 

A.     be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or
 

B.     be associated with the lives of persons significant in our past: or
 

C.     embody  the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of  construction, or represent the work of a master, or possess high  artistic values, or represent a signification a distinguishable entity  whose components may lack individual distinction; or
 

D.     have yielded or may be likely to yield information important in history or prehistory.
 

Steps to Nominate the Heller Homestead to the National Register of Historic Places:

1. Complete  Historic Resource Survey Form for the property and submit to BHP for  review. The form contains a physical description, historical narrative  and other information about the property.  
2. BHP review of Survey  Form: BHP staff (using National Register criteria) determines if the  property meets eligibility requirements for the National Register.  
3. Complete  National Register Form: If eligible, the National Register form may be  completed and submitted back to BHP for review. The form includes  extensive sections on the property’s physical characteristics, history,  significance, and historic context.  
4. BHP review of Nomination  Form: BHP staff (using National Register criteria) reviews form and  makes comments in preparation for review by Historic Preservation Board.  There is a 60-day public comment period between BHP staff approval and  Board review. 
5. State Historic Preservation Board Review and  Nomination: Completed nominations are submitted to the Pennsylvania  Historic Preservation Board. The Board reviews the nomination,  designating whether or not it meets the criteria for evaluation and its  level of significance prior to its submittal to the National Park  Service. 

The Michael and Margaret Heller House (Heller Homestead) was reviewed and nominated on April 6, 2010. 

1. National  Park Service Review and Listing: After Board nomination, BHP submits  nomination for to the Park Service. Assuming approval, the Park Service  officially lists the nomination on the National Register of Historic  Places, usually within 45 days of receipt.