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HOPE, NJ•1769Hope, New Jersey was founded by the Moravians in 1769. It was one of the first planned communities in the U.S. Many of the original structures still stand and are well maintained. Hope you enjoy this self-guided walking tour. | MORAVIAN MILL•1769-1770Industrial complex containing grist mill, oil mill & blacksmith shop. Millrace hand cut through solid slate measures 1000 feet in length. Working mill until mid 1950's. Converted into a B&B in 1986. First building built by the Moravians. | MORAVIAN DISTILLERY•1773The Brewmaster lived on the upper level. Half of the building was removed in the early 1900's to make room at the creamery. Made rye whiskey and brewed beer. |
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FARM MANAGER•1775FARM MANAGER'S HOUSE: First stone residence & has been in continuous use as a farm since the Moravians. The barn is one of only 2 existing Moravian barns in the village. The original hand-dug well is on the site. | MORAVIAN LOG TAVERN•1773Provided food and lodging to travelers including George Washington with his troops and Bishop Ettwein. It was destroyed by fire. In 1840, a Christian Church was built. (Notice the arched doorway.) Building was restored in the 1950's by concerned citizens and is now the Hope Community Center. House across Cedar Street was the parsonage. c1861 | TOM's BARN• early 1800'sWeathered wooden barn with original hardware on the door. Previously housed a horse named "Tom". The owner left the barn intact so the horse would have a home. |
NICOLAUS BARN•1776-1780Used for animals & storage, and is one of the two Moravian barns still in existence in the village. Initially 3 openings on left were doors and no wide opening in the front. | NICOLAUS HOUSE•1775-1776Second stone house built in the village. Stephen Nicolaus also built & operated the area lime and brick kilns. Double herringbone doors to basement and latches are original. Community bake oven in basement. Basement used as Hope's first public school in 1809. | St. JOHN's CHURCH•1832Original church built on land purchase from William Hibler for $190. In 1876 a new church was built on the existing foundation as the congregation expanded. The foyer contains a fleur-de-lis stencil representing the triune of God. St. John's is currently a Methodist congregation. |
MORAVIAN CEMETERY•1773God's Acre. (old section) Graves are marked by flat slabs corresponding to the date of death instead of family plots. Burial records are at the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem, PA. In 1966, a marker was erected in memory of the 62 Moravians buried between 1773 and 1808. | ST. LUKE'S CHURCH•1832St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Gothic revival building by Architect William Bulgin of Philadelphia, PA. Unique features include a spiral staircase, (copied from a design by Sir Christopher Wren) pulpit, white woodwork, & choir loft. The Erban organ was brought from Trinity Church, NYC in 1837. | J. WEINLAND HOUSE•1787The John Weinland House and Shop was built for a saddler and served as a telephone exchange and a post office from 1900-1950. It was a surveyors office until 2019. |
GEMEINHAUS•1781Church and community/cultural center of Village. Restored in1988-89. Bell tower used for trombone choir on special religious occasions. Interior features Saal (worship room on 2nd floor) Men and women entered separately; women up left staircase and men up the right. Contains 2 fireplaces with bake ovens. Building used as Warren County Courthouse in 1824; Union Inn, 1828-1896; Moravian Inn, to 1910. First Hope Bank since 1911. | CALEB SWAYZE HOUSE•1832Currently part of First Hope Bank this home is part of the 16 original Moravian structures in the Village. | MORAVIAN HOUSES•1780-1800Notice the stone and brick archways over the windows which was common to the Moravian architecture. |
J. SCHENK HOUSE•1783JOHN SCHENK HOUSE AND SHOP: Built for Schenk who was a nailsmith. Since 1900, it was the home of Dr. Walter Storm, Univ. of Penn Medical School graduate and Village doctor for 40 years. Currently, the building is office suites. | SINGLE SISTERS •1803SINGLE SISTER'S SCHOOL: Last building erected by the Moravians. Housed the single Moravian women and was a girl's only school. For a brief period, it was also a boy's school. It was the American House Hotel in 1826. The outside cistern holds 12,000 gallons of water. It is currently an office building. There is a hand dug stone lined well at the rear of the building. | LEINBACH STORE•1776General store with living quarters above. From the 1850's through the early 1900's it was known as Turner's store then A.S. Howell store. John I. Blair clerked here in his early years. Remained a store until 1970's. |
LONG HOUSE•1777Original Moravian stone building which saw 4 additions through 1850. Later it was a confectionery c1907, butcher shop c1922, post office. Far right end of the building was featured in the 1980 movie Friday the 13th. The building has been restored and maintained by H.O.P.E. (HELP OUR PRESERVATION EFFORT) a not-for-profit dedicated to history and is a commercial building with tenants. | TROUT ALLEYTrout Alley or also known as Locust Alley. This was the Moravian entrance to the Village. Legend has it that it was used to avoid paying the toll to the toll collector once the bridge and collector's house (Hope Museum and Historical Society today) were built. | MUSEUM BUILDING•1800'SEarly 1800's structure believed to be the bridge toll takers house. Home of the Hope Historical Society and Museum since 1955. |
STONE BRIDGE•1810STONE BRIDGE: 1810-1820 was built after the Moravians left the settlement of Hope in 1808. However was locally known as the Moravian Bridge. | VUSLER HOUSE•1911Built by the miller of the gristmill for his son. Currently a residence. Adjacent is the milk barn which is early 1900's. |
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