ZOOM - Ephrata: A Town Like No Other
Course | Registration opens 12/9/2024 8:00 AM EST
Visitors traveling in northern Lancaster County in the mid 1700s often sought out a curious settlement called Ephrata that was inhabited by celibate members who wore white robes and followed daily schedules. The visitors thought they had found some sort of cloister. Instead, they discovered a colonial village filled with artists, scholars, musicians, and a unique way of life dedicated to preparing for the Second Coming. Discover this unique German religious community and how it became a symbol of William Penn's "Holy Experiment".
Elizabeth Bertheaud
Elizabeth Bertheaud, a native of Chester County, Pennsylvania, has been the site director of the Ephrata Cloister for the past sixteen years. Prior to that, she was the Site Director at Brandywine Battlefield Park and the Chadds Ford Historical Society. Her interests include women's history with a focus on 18th-century textiles and clothing, open-hearth cooking, gardening, as well as architecture and tombstone art. At home she is most often to be found with a needle in her hand, making 18th-century clothing, cross-stitching, or knitting.