Kissling Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kissling Farm
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Brownsville Road east of Robesonia, Heidelberg Township, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 220 acres (89 ha) |
| Built | 1793, 1798, c. 1805, 1890 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Pennsylvania bank barn |
| MPS | Farms in Berks County MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000934 |
| Added to NRHP | July 29, 1992 |
The Kissling Farm is a very old and important farm in Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. It's near the town of Robesonia. This farm is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it's recognized as a place that tells an important part of history.
History of Kissling Farm Ownership
In the late 1700s, Peter Kule and his wife, Margretha, owned this farm. They sold it to Jacob Klobb in 1786. When Jacob Klobb passed away in 1787 without a will, the local court sold the farm and its distillery. His sons, John, Jacob, and Peter, bought it.
Later, in 1815, the farm was sold again to John Bechtle. He faced money problems and had to sell the farm at a special sale in 1824. Jacob and Daniel Bechtle bought it then. They later sold their parts of the farm to John Kalbach in 1831 and 1839.
John Kalbach then sold the farm to his son, also named John, in 1843. After the younger John died two years later, the farm went to Joseph Kalbach. Joseph sold it to Benjamin Lamm in 1846. Benjamin worked on the farm for over twenty years until he died in 1869.
That's when Amandon Kissling bought the farm for $13,000. The Kissling family owned the farm for many years after that. They still owned it when it was considered for the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Why Kissling Farm is a Historic Place
The Kissling Farm was nominated to be on the National Register of Historic Places in June 1991. This important form was filled out by Mary Ellen Lash. She was a consultant working with the Berks County Conservancy. The farm and its buildings were officially added to the list in 1992. Being on this list helps protect important historical places.
Buildings and Design at Kissling Farm
The Kissling Farm complex has many interesting old buildings. There are seven main buildings that show its history. There is also one special area and three other structures.
Here are some of the main parts of the farm:
- A large stone farmhouse built in 1798. It has two and a half stories and a kitchen added around 1805. It's built in a style called Federal architecture.
- A big wooden Pennsylvania bank barn from 1890. It sits on a strong limestone foundation. A bank barn is built into a hillside, so you can enter different levels from the ground.
- A small stone cabin built in 1793. It has one and a half stories.
- Four other stone and wooden buildings that were used for different farm tasks.
- Three other structures that are also part of the historic farm.
These buildings show how farms were built and used a long time ago in Pennsylvania.
