Work to preserve and restore the colonial-era stone homestead of an early Amish immigrant family marked a milestone Saturday with the dedication of a new outdoor gathering spot.
More than 100 people were on hand to celebrate the new 20-by-40-foot Beiler-Renno Pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, the latest accomplishment in what has been a two-decade effort at the historic site.
Attendees included members of a caravan of horses and horse-drawn wagons that had trekked about 30 miles from a farm in Leacock Township over the prior two days to the homestead along the Tulpehocken Creek in Berks County.
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The newly built pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County, was dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
The newly built pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County, was dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Elam Stoltzfus addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Elam Stoltzfus addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Elam Stoltzfus, right, addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Esther Stoltzfus addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Ben Riehl, chairman of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead Preservation Committee, addresses attendees during the dedication for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Michael Leader, son of former Pennsylvania Governor George Leader, speaks during the dedication for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Isaac Beiler talks about stones for the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead that were donated by the Beiler family from a cabin built and owned by Jacob Beiler during a ceremony at the homestead, in Wyomissing, Berks County, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Simon Renno shows a piece from his family’s cabin that will be used by in the pavilion during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Attendees gather for breakfast before the dedication of the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Neal Stoltzfus talks about the importance of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead during the dedication for the new pavilion at the homestead, in Wyomissing, Berks County, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
The dedication was offered by Bob Petersheim during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Hamburgers are cooked on a grill for the dedication of the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Stones donated by the Beiler family were used in new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County, that was dedicated on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
The newly built pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County, was dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
The newly built pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County, was dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Elam Stoltzfus addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Elam Stoltzfus addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Elam Stoltzfus, right, addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Esther Stoltzfus addresses attendees during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Ben Riehl, chairman of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead Preservation Committee, addresses attendees during the dedication for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Michael Leader, son of former Pennsylvania Governor George Leader, speaks during the dedication for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Isaac Beiler talks about stones for the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead that were donated by the Beiler family from a cabin built and owned by Jacob Beiler during a ceremony at the homestead, in Wyomissing, Berks County, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Simon Renno shows a piece from his family’s cabin that will be used by in the pavilion during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Attendees gather for breakfast before the dedication of the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Neal Stoltzfus talks about the importance of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead during the dedication for the new pavilion at the homestead, in Wyomissing, Berks County, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
The dedication was offered by Bob Petersheim during the dedication ceremony for the pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Hamburgers are cooked on a grill for the dedication of the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
Stones donated by the Beiler family were used in new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County, that was dedicated on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
“Most of the people really enjoyed it, good experience,” said caravan participant David Esh, of Leacock Township, who has a wood millworking business. “We were hoping we wouldn’t get too many problems. This day and age, you can hardly get away with it.”
Beanie Riehl, of East Earl Township, semiretired from working at a farmers market, was on hand to see the wagons and pay tribute to his Amish ancestors.
“I think it’s great, as an amateur historian myself,” Riehl said. “I would really have loved to have been involved in this.”
Nicholas and Anna Elisabeth Stoltzfus and their children immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1766 and are considered the forebears of the Stoltzfus name in America. They were among about 80 Amish families that arrived in Philadelphia between 1733 and 1775.
He described the caravan as “a commemorative journey, kind of in remembrance of the original journeys.”
The family lived in Leacock Township before settling in Wyomissing in 1770-71. Most of the people who currently make up the Lancaster Amish settlement are believed to be related in some way to Nicholas and Anna Elisabeth.
Ben Riehl, chairman of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead Preservation Committee, called the trip — which began Thursday morning at his farm — “a challenge, but we really enjoyed it.”
He spoke about the two-decade effort to preserve and restore the homestead, saving it from destruction, raising funds for a new barn and doing the extensive work needed at the 18th-century home.
A hymn titled “LobLied” was sung near the conclusion of the dedication ceremony for the new pavilion at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing, Berks County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
The pavilion is being fashioned in part with rocks salvaged from a barn built in the early 1700s by Amish man Jacob Beiler along with logs from Joseph Renno’s 1760 cabin.
The event concluded with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in German and the singing of the Amish religious hymn, “Lob Lied.”
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