Bullets, beer, and Bavarians at Schuetzen Park

  UPDATE (July 12, 2017): Thanks to reader George Lane, we have a picture of the "flying horses" (aka a merry go round) built in 1873 at Schuetzen Park. According to George, the pic is of the newly built merry go round (also called 'flying horses') in Sept. 1873. While the men were shooting, the women and children enjoyed the other features of the park. To see the original, check out George's Flickr. Thank you very much George for the...

DIY on IQL

  Major changes since we last checked in on Hohenadel. Felicite and Sean have taken over the renovating duties since the departure of Mike Labetti from the project earlier this year.  Seems the bank's schedule for completing the project and Mike's didn't quite jibe.   With the days getting shorter and cooler, Sean's first focus has been the windows, all 56 of them (!). Luckily the sturdy old world design of these beauties makes them...

Spring has sprung at Hohenadel

Slow-henadel no more! With spring kicking into high gear, things are buzzing inside and outside Hohenadel's walls. By the way, you'll notice a fancy new coat of stucco on those exterior walls, compliments of Mike Labetti's crew, who are taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather to make the old lady really shine. (After the stucco gets a hand-rubbed finish, it'll be painted white with black trim. Very period-appropriate for an Italianate...

Slow-henadel: Winter’s Lull on Indian Queen Lane

When we last left the Hawleys, they were hanging artwork on Hohenadel's walls, decorating their Christmas tree, and getting ready for the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas (Vegas, Baby! Sorry can’t say “Vegas” without a Vince Vaughn reference.) So what’s been happening in the new year so far? There hasn’t been much work on the house itself, according to Mike Labetti. A few weeks ago, his crew had done some painting of the outside...

A Brief History of East Falls – Bottle Edition

It’s amazing what kind of history you can find under your feet. Aaron Bechtel, bottle collector and local historian, made his first find by accident in 2006 on a hike in the Wissahickon. He happened to look below him while crossing a bridge, and noticed a vast old dump of glass demijohns (3 - 5 gallon bottles) sticking out of the ground.  Though most were smashed, five were intact. He studied the bottles for clues online, and discovered they...

Craft Brewing Pioneers to Attend East Falls House Party

For fans of craft brewing, the guest list at the East Falls House Party just keeps getting better. We’re psyched to welcome two celebs of Philly's craft beer scene:  Lou Farrell, veteran brewer and Great American Beer Festival medalist, and Rich Wagner, brewery historian and expert on antique brewing methods. Lou Farrell Long before craft beer went mainstream, there were highly talented brewers like Farrell who were dedicated to local...

Update: Party Goes Hard Core

This just in -- Hohenadel’s lager and Harry Prime won’t be the only historical effervescence at the East Falls House Party on October 18th. There will be a few special gallons of America’s oldest beverage on tap — hard cider. Joe Getz, co-founder of Pennsylvania’s own Kurant Cider, has kindly donated a batch of his company’s unique brand of handmade, local cider to the cause.   Made from Pennsylvania apples, the cider has a...

Extreme Makeover: Tornado Edition

“Old houses are a slow process. There’s no hurry up and get it done.”  -- Stan Moorman "Screw that, let's do this now, man!"  -- Tornado, 2006 Stan Moorman understands better than most what his daughter Felicite has been through in restoring Hohenadel House. He also shares Felicite’s passion for old houses. But the two are very different in their approach to restoring their historic houses. Unlike Felicite’s warp-speed plan for...

In search of: A Dobson Connection to Hohenadel House

From the start of our research into the house at 3617 Indian Queen Lane, we've heard that one or more members of the famous Dobson family either built the house or lived in it. So far, we've been unable to track down a Dobson connection to the property on any census reports, city directories, land records, deeds, bank notes, etc. Granted, we haven't searched under every rock -- and with a house this old, tracing owners and occupants is hardly a...

“I Learned It By Watching You!” — Felicite Follows in Father’s Footsteps

Seems Felicite may be genetically predisposed towards historic homes... Her dad's "Hall and Parlor" house in Edmond, Oklahoma was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2006, as a rare surviving example of 19th century folk architecture once prevalent in the South- and Mid-West. His spare, one-and-a-half story home is a far cry from the ample, romantic design of Hohenadel House, but it's just as significant culturally and...