About Historic Trappe
MISSION
Historic Trappe’s mission is to preserve and share the historic places, landscapes, and heritage of southeastern Pennsylvania.
We have three historic properties open for tours. Our Center for Pennsylvania German Studies, located in the Dewees Tavern, has five exhibition galleries featuring a wide variety of furniture, fraktur, textiles, and other objects as well as a research library and archives. The Henry Muhlenberg House is a fully-furnished museum interpreting the families of Lutheran pastor Henry Muhlenberg and his son General Peter Muhlenberg. The Speaker’s House, home of Frederick Muhlenberg, is an ongoing restoration project and the site of our Pennsylvania German kitchen garden. Historic Trappe is also the owner of the Muhlenberg parsonage, built in 1745 and currently undergoing architectural investigations in preparation for restoration.
VISION
Historic Trappe will establish itself as one of southeastern Pennsylvania’s leading heritage tourism destinations through the preservation of local historic sites and the Muhlenberg family’s unique legacy. This will be accomplished by:
- • Serving as a national leader in the study of Pennsylvania German culture through exhibitions, publications, collections acquisitions, research projects, and educational programs at our Center for Pennsylvania German Studies.
- • Presenting an authentic interpretation of daily life as experienced by all who lived at our historic sites.
- • Ensuring financial stability and growth through increasing private, public, and corporate support.
- • Offering a hands-on experience in historic preservation that involves students and the local community throughout the restoration process.
- • Engaging people with diverse backgrounds to become stakeholders in promoting our mission.
- • Sharing information about the Muhlenberg family’s contributions to inspire civic engagement.
- • Promoting the revitalization of the Trappe area to create a distinctive sense of place that attracts visitors to our community and historic sites.
- • Partnering with like-minded organizations to further the Historic Trappe mission.
- • Stewarding our properties in an environmentally sustainable manner.