Goundie House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 1810 Goundie House
Location	Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Built	1810
Built for	Private Residence
Original use	Town Brewer’s Residence
Restored	1980s
Restored by	Historic Bethlehem Inc.
Current use	Historic Tours, Exhibitions, Programming, Pop-Up Vintage Market
Architectural style(s)	American Federal
Governing body	Local
Website	HistoricBethlehem.org
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The Goundie House (pronounced GUN-dee) is a special old building in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1810 for John Sebastian Goundie, who was a brewer for the Moravian Church community. People believe it was the very first brick house in Bethlehem. It was also the first private home to show off the American Federal style of architecture.

Today, the Goundie House is a museum. You can visit it for tours, see exhibitions, and even find pop-up vintage shops there. It's part of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem District, which is a really important historical area.

John Goundie's Journey to Bethlehem

John Sebastian Goundie first came to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on July 23, 1802. He was a trained brewer from a town in Germany called Neuwied. He had been invited to be a brewer in Salem, North Carolina.

He passed through Bethlehem on his way to Salem. After a few months, he returned to Bethlehem in May 1803. The exact reasons he left Salem are not fully known. Some say he didn't like the spot chosen for the brewery there.

Becoming Bethlehem's Brewer

After returning to Bethlehem, John Goundie talked with Bishop George Henry Loskiel. Bishop Loskiel was a leader in the Moravian community. They agreed that Goundie would take over as the town's brew master. He replaced the previous brewer, Brother George Ising.

Building a Unique Home

John Goundie was a smart and ambitious young businessman. His new ideas sometimes caused disagreements with the local leaders, called the Aufseher Collegium. This group managed the town's affairs.

In 1804, Goundie married Cornelia Andreas. By 1808, he had saved enough money to want to buy a house. He was interested in buying property owned by the Collegium.

A House of His Own

The Collegium used a special "lot system" to decide who got property. This meant drawing a result from a box, like a lottery. Many people in the early 1800s didn't trust this method anymore. On October 31, Goundie was denied the houses he wanted. He was very upset and even threatened to leave Bethlehem.

However, by 1810, Goundie had managed to build the house he wanted. Records show that he leased the land from the church. The house was very different from other buildings in Bethlehem at the time.

The Federal Style House

The Goundie House was the first brick home in Bethlehem built in the American Federal style. This was a big change from the German Colonial style stone buildings common there. It is a two-and-a-half-story building with five sections across the front. It measures 40 feet by 33 feet.

Inside, the house has a main hall with two rooms on each side on both the first and second floors. A special feature is a beehive oven that connects fireplaces on both floors. John Goundie lived here with his wife and their six children.

Brewing and Community Life

In 1811, Goundie became worried about his brewery. The water he used from the Monocacy Creek was getting dirty. This was because of operations at a nearby Tannery. He decided a new brewery was needed.

He suggested a spot near his house, by the mill race dam. After some discussion, the Collegium agreed. In 1812, Goundie built the new brewery. He also added a cistern on his property and a malt house for making brandy. The community was very happy with his beer. They even said it was better than the more expensive beer from Philadelphia.

Goundie's Public Role

Over the years, Goundie kept improving his brewing skills. He also became involved in the town's public life. In 1820, he was named a fire-inspector. In 1822, he was suggested for the role of Mayor, but he turned it down.

By the late 1820s, he was elected to the Overseers Board. He also joined the Building Lot Committee. The construction of the Lehigh Canal in 1827 brought many changes to Bethlehem. Even with these big changes, Goundie continued to do well. By the 1830s, he stopped being a brew master. He then worked with the important local Rice family on other businesses.

Changes and Preservation

In 1832, Goundie built a dry-goods store right next to his house. His daughter and son-in-law, John Schropp, managed this store. In 1852, Goundie sold his home to Louis Beckel for $5,070. Beckel made the house bigger, adding a third floor and new decorations in the 1880s. Goundie passed away shortly after.

After Goundie's death, the house had many different owners and uses. It was a doctor's office, a boarding house, and even a shoe repair shop. It also served as a sewing machine shop, a dressmaker's shop, and various professional offices.

Saving the Goundie House

In 1968, the Goundie House was almost torn down. But two women, Christine Sims and Frances Martin, stopped the demolition. They were wives of important people at Bethlehem Steel. Later that year, a group called Historic Bethlehem bought the building for $22,000.

Throughout the 1980s, the house was carefully restored. It was brought back to look like it did when John Goundie lived there. Mrs. Sims, Mrs. Martin, and many supporters of Historic Bethlehem helped with this effort.

During the restoration, they found the original doorway that connected Goundie's house to the Schropp Shop. This shop is now the Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center. They also found an old pressed tin ceiling from the 1870s.

Today, the 1810 Goundie House is a museum. It offers tours, exhibitions, and special events. It is owned by Historic Bethlehem Inc., a non-profit organization that helps preserve history.