Stevens & Smith Center
Located at the corner of Vine and South Queen Streets in Lancaster City, The Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy is a historic site currently under development as an interactive history museum and community education facility by “LancasterHistory”. The Center has a tentative opening date of early 2025.
Formerly known as the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Historic Site, the current working title for the site is The Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History & Democracy.
The Center will include three principal components:
- The restoration, stabilization, rehabilitation, and interpretation of the home and law office of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, as well as the tavern Stevens owned adjacent to his dwelling and office;
- A thorough reconsideration of the roles played by Stevens, Lydia Hamilton Smith, and other Pennsylvanians in Underground Railroad activities in the first half of the nineteenth century; and
- The creation of new museum galleries interpreting the legacies of Stevens and Smith and the history of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution as the foundation for the Civil Rights Movement of the twentieth century.
The Witmer restoration team is honored to work on the Stevens House again, following their previous project in 2010. During the earlier project, the roof and street side façade underwent a complete rebuild, and several modifications were made to the building’s interior. The team’s dedicated craftsmen and project leaders ensured the historical landmark’s integrity and accuracy, thereby contributing to the project’s success. The architect, owner, suppliers, and masonry contractor worked together to achieve the desired outcome, and their efforts were recognized with the 2010 Excellence in Construction award. The Witmer restoration team is thrilled to contribute once again to the development of this important historical landmark.
For more information about the new Stevens & Smith Center, please visit: https://www.lancasterhistory.org/about-sschd/
For detailed information on The Witmer Group’s history with the Steven and Smith house, please visit: https://thewitmergroup.com/project/stevens-house/
Historical credit and information: LancasterHistory
