Springhouse on the Snyder Homestead

Springhouse on the Snyder Homestead The Springhouse on the Snyder Homestead gives an inside look into some of the old methods and techniques that can be used for historic preservation.

The Springhouse on the Snyder Homestead is really one small part of a much larger story that is surrounded by the history of the farm. That story includes elements of history, geography, and genealogy that stretch back to 1740 when a Thomas Evans was warranted the land by the proprietor of Pennsylvania. The written history of the farm is still inconclusive, but a lot of the clues have been found o

ver the last 6 years of research in addition to experimenting with methods once used in building. Lime mortar is a good example of this concept. Not many written primary source documents have survived over the years at the farm. What we do have are the buildings. These are our primary sources. When it comes to mortar, observations can be made by looking at the color and texture of the existing material. This can help identify the kinds of creek sands used. In our case, each of the stone buildings have two types of mortar. The inner mortar which makes up the majority of the wall. This is darker in color and contains earth of some kind. One possible mixture is a combination of fine soil and clay. The outer mortar or pointing mortar finishes the work and uses clean brown sands and can have a higher lime content. Many of these techniques come from old world traditions that have been past down with each generation. Most of the structures that exist today were built by the Hawbaker family who came from Warwick Township, Lancaster, Pennsylvania between 1812 and 1814. Before that, the family can trace its origin to Trub Switzerland. I hope to share further details and some sample articles in the coming months. There is much more to be done. Brandon Snyder
June 1, 2015

Spring is always a busy time to keep up with everything. Had some frost overnight. Hopefully it is one of the last ones....
04/09/2026

Spring is always a busy time to keep up with everything. Had some frost overnight. Hopefully it is one of the last ones. Here is the sunrise at the springhouse this morning.

Good morning everyone! Today is going to be a little different than the usual post. If you have been following for a whi...
04/03/2026

Good morning everyone! Today is going to be a little different than the usual post. If you have been following for a while you know there are always on going projects at the farm. I have been working behind the scenes to find a balance that respects the farms history while making the buildings flexible and functional for the future. It’s going to be a long road to get barn where it needs to be. The more I observe the details I am reminded how special this place is. The pictures will share some of the evidence and my current thoughts.

Not much has happened recently at the springhouse. As always there are plenty of ideas and future plans when the time is...
10/08/2025

Not much has happened recently at the springhouse. As always there are plenty of ideas and future plans when the time is right. Earlier this summer while I was finishing my Master’s degree I made some progress in the farmhouse basement. I started making the sidebead tongue and groove paneling for the passage under the steps and built my first board and batten door based on existing examples around farm. Hope to get back to this soon. It has been busy since the new school year started. 

This album features the entry bookcase build.
12/31/2023

This album features the entry bookcase build.

Merry Christmas from the Snyder Homestead! Thank you for following this page over the last few years. Many of the projec...
12/25/2023

Merry Christmas from the Snyder Homestead!

Thank you for following this page over the last few years. Many of the projects from around the farm take a lot of time and are usually on going. Here is a glimpse from inside the main house during this season. The stair hall and front east room are shown. Two important projects I hand built for this space was the entry bookcase from boards that were part of an old potato bin and the mirror from above is the most recent addition. It is important to recognize the potential these old houses have and learn from them.

This morning’s sunrise at the Springhouse.
06/26/2022

This morning’s sunrise at the Springhouse.

It’s been 10 years since this page began. Thank you all for your interest over the years. I hope to get back to some of ...
05/04/2022

It’s been 10 years since this page began. Thank you all for your interest over the years. I hope to get back to some of my projects soon! Here is a unique view just before sunrise.

A unique view of the springhouse’s eastern elevation taken back in August 2021. One day, when the timing is right, many ...
04/05/2022

A unique view of the springhouse’s eastern elevation taken back in August 2021. One day, when the timing is right, many of these issues will be addressed. It is a very special place.

Ever wonder how the porch gables are attached to the springhouse’s structure? Some interesting mortise and tenon joinery...
07/14/2021

Ever wonder how the porch gables are attached to the springhouse’s structure? Some interesting mortise and tenon joinery and a peg to secure it. Also some of the logs were left long further above.

It has been awhile since my last post. Nearly a year since I have had access to this account. Tonight I figured it out t...
07/11/2021

It has been awhile since my last post. Nearly a year since I have had access to this account. Tonight I figured it out thanks to YouTube! Anyway, here are a few evening shots of the springhouse in the recent weeks. Since these pictures it has dried out quite a bit around here. Thankful for any rain that comes this way!

The barn turned 190 today!
07/25/2020

The barn turned 190 today!

Today the barn turns 189!

Below is my digital overlay of what is written in the plaster. This only scratches the surface. There is a lot more to discover!

Still not sure what the symbol in the circle means. To me it looks like a W.

Here is my take on Throwback Thursday. The old Roubo style workbench is in the same location. Even though it is a little...
07/03/2020

Here is my take on Throwback Thursday. The old Roubo style workbench is in the same location. Even though it is a little out of square I am putting it to good use!

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11774 Welsh Run Road
Mercersburg, PA
17236

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