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Byers-Hess house being renovated in 2006-2007
Harney Road
| In 1862 an Austrian artist visited in the vicinity and he painted
the walls of a farmhouse. One of these walls appears above; similar ones
may be seen in the rooms of the farmhouse of Luther hess, first farm
on the Harney Road, built by John G. Byers. |
| Littlestown Bicentennial Book- pg. 259 |
History and Facts
The Byers-Hess House was built in 1861 by John
G. Byers, the original owner. It was used as a residence by the Byers
family. Carrie Hess, a direct descendent of John Byers was the last
of the family to own the house. During the period of its origin into
the early twentieth century, the house was used as a meeting house
for the Order of the Free Masons. Ancestors tell of secret meetings
where men in dark coats came and met in the house during the night.
During these meetings, the family stayed in the back of the house.
Through research it was discovered that the Byers-Hess House was considered
a black lodge. A black lodge was one that functioned out of the bounds
of accepted Masonic law and codes.
The significance of this house is three-fold. First, it is
a prime example of Federal style architecture for its location. Second,
it has significance to the Masons as a historical meeting place.
Meetings in that time were held in secret and usually in the private
residences of members. Third, the house exibts well-preserved examples
of itinerate primitive artwork in the murals on the walls an ceilings
of the central hallway. The Masonic overtones in the murals describe
John Byers' affilitaions with the Free Masons. They also describe
the patriotism of the family, considering they were painted during
the time of the Civil War and the proximity of the house to Maryland,
a slave state.
Other Facts:
Barn Corner Stone - 1859 J.G. Byers
House - 1861 J.G. Byers
Brick Kilned on Property
Union Troops Quartered there enroute to Gettysburg.
Indian activity on property - Burial Grounds and mounds to North side
of property.
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Physical Description
| The physical appearance and condition of this brick farmhouse,
built in 1861 by John G. Byers, is very close to the original. It is
built with brick and mortar with a post and beam log structural system.
The original mortar, which was disintegrating in some places, was removed
and new mortar was put in its place during the summer of 2006. It is
2.5 stories on a stone foundation over a full basement. The style is
Federal with a rectangular shaped plan. The main floor contains a central
open entrance hallway, four main rooms, an attached summer kitchen, an
open porch, and a closed porch which was converted into a small room.
The upstairs contains five main rooms, two small rooms, a central hallway,
and one balcony porch. There are two main stairways to the second floor,
one from the central hallway and one from the central room, and one stairway
to the full attic. The stairway to the attic and the stairway from the
central room were renovated and made wider and extended during the winter
of 2006-2007. The roof is fiberglass, faux-slate shingle over the original
wood roof structure with three original brick chimneys, one at each gable
end and one on the interior wall between the main structure and the attached
summer kitchen. All windows are glass paned sash windows in heavy surrounds
with heavy exterior cornice heads. The front entrance doors are double
solid oak with overhead transoms. Twenty-four inch thick walls have original
horsehair plaster on the interior. The walks in the central downstairs
entrance hallway are hand painted, floor to ceiling. The background is
painted to resemble a stone temple. Specific murals include a deer head
with antlers holding a hat, powder horn, sack, and long-barreled gun
and another that is a mural of a nature scene that has a painted frame
to give it the look of a framed painting. On the landing between the
first and second floors in the central hallway is a full size portrait
of George Washington in full military dress uniform, flanked by stone
pillars. the upstairs central hallway contains the stone temple background
with two murals on the ceiling. The first is a circle with a bald eagle.
Surrounding it two thirds of the way around the circle are the words, "Procure
Peace With God, in thy Family & With All Nations." The second
mural is also a circle and depicts a handshake with both wrists tied
together by a green ribbon. All of the murals seem to have some Masonic
significance. The murals were done by an unknown itinerate artist, though
ancestors claim he was Austrian, in the early 1860's. |
Below are some pictures of the paintings as they appear today.
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Picture contributed by Bill Stevens
Visitor Number
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