Ephrata Cloister, Ephrata PA
Nestled close to the intersection of Routes 272 and 322 lies an ancient compound that predates the modern roads by centuries...
The Ephrata Cloister was a Seventh Day Baptist community established by devout German settlers in 1732.
The Ephrata Cloister is now a museum run by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
The community was run by "brothers" and "sisters". Today, "brothers" and "sisters" can be seen in period costumes as guides, and in activities that would have been typical of life 250 years ago.
Conrad Beissel, the founder of Ephrata, was born in 1691. Having experienced a religious awakening, he had established a following in Germany. His sect came into conflict with the state sponsored Protestant religion of Germany, and in 1720 he took advantage of William Penn's offer of land to those seeking religious freedom.
The Cloister Academy
Ephrata Cloister Cemetery
Walking the peaceful grounds of the Cloister, one can easily imagine one's self in a previous century - in the period of the 1740s and 1750s when the activity at the Cloister was at its peak...
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