LEARN ABOUT OUR AREA’S RICH HISTORY
Spend a historic day touring the Lebanon Valley. From gothic architecture to one of the oldest transportation tunnels in the U.S. to the renowned Cornwall iron furnace, there are many sites to see. Lebanon County has a rich history and beautiful architecture to show for it. When you visit the Lebanon Valley, you will find Victorian Gothic style buildings and original 18th century colonial buildings that tell a unique story.
Download our self-guided Downtown Lebanon architecture tour and the History & Heritage Itinerary for your visit.
TOP 5 TO TRY: HISTORY & ARCHITECTURE![](https://visitlebanonvalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Line.png)
Alexander Schaeffer House and Farm
Chestnut Street Log House
Cornwall Iron Furnace
Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center
Franklin House
Gretna Theatre
Harper’s Tavern
Historic Schaefferstown
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Schaefferstown, PA - Explore Historic Schaefferstown, a charming village rich in history with the Brendle Museum, the Alexander Schaeffer Farm, and the Rex-Gemberling House. Discover PA Dutch culture with their well-preserved 18th-century buildings, cultural landmarks, annual events, and scenic beauty.
Isaac Meier Homestead
Lebanon Farmers Market
Light’s Fort
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Lebanon, PA - Light's Fort, built in 1742 on the Quittapahilla Creek, is a historic landmark in Lebanon County. Originally part of a 274-acre tract, it has seen generations of the Light family, Revolutionary War service, and prosperous farming. Today, the site stands as a testament to Lebanon's rich heritage and community spirit.
Monroe Valley Chapel
Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society
PA National Guard Military Museum
Seltzer’s Outlet Store & Museum
The Lebanon County Historical Society
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Lebanon, PA - The Lebanon County Historical Society was organized in 1898 by a group of interested local citizens and amateur historians. Today, the LCHS is a place where residents and visitors alike can experience our history first-hand, as well as conduct their own historical research and have access to related gifts and souvenirs.
Union Canal Tunnel Park
LEBANON COUNTY AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL
The Lebanon County African American Heritage Trail offers you and your family a guide to exhibits and historic sites in our county that are related to Black History. With some of these sites traced back to the 1700’s there is lots to see, read, and learn about the people and places that helped to shape this area of Pennsylvania.
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The Blue Eyed Six
It was July of 1878.
It all began in a hotel room in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, where four men met to hatch a plan of murder.
The men took several life insurance policies out on an impoverished neighbor Joseph Raber, and declared they were planning to take care of Raber for the rest of his life and cover his burial expenses upon his death. The policies totaled $8,000. In reality, the men intended to kill Raber and collect the policy payout for themselves.
The paperwork was signed and soon after, the four men hired two assassins to drown Raber in the Indiantown Run. The coroner declared Raber’s death an accident, and his remains were laid to rest in the Moonshine United Zion Church cemetery.
The men almost got away with it, until the son-in-law of one of the original conspirators came forward to police and the men were arrested in connection with Raber’s death. In an unprecedented court decision, all six men – the four conspirators plus the two assassins – were tried together. This, along with the fact that each suspect had blue eyes, led the newspapers to refer to the men as the Blue Eyed Six. All six were found guilty of murder in April 1879, though one of the conspirators, George Zechman, was later granted a second trail and acquitted due to lack of evidence against him. The remaining five were sentenced to death by hanging. The executions of the attackers occurred at the county prison. Today, the county prison’s original location is the beautifully restored Farmers Market in the center of town.
“A Park in the Woods”
The Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society gives you an in-depth history of “A Park in the Woods”. Learn about this area’s rich culture, deep past, and fascinating facts as you experience a virtual tour of the historical society museum. For more information about Mt. Gretna, click here.