ABOUT

Upon my first visit in 1993, I was smitten over the interior of the little house. Over the years I remained on the lookout for a piece of real estate just like the Lancaster Water Street property. I never found it. 

So as fate might have it, I retired to Lancaster in 2012. Seeing that little house again reminded me just how much I had thought about it over the years. And how disappointing to admit that my dream to own it or anything just like it, would most likely never happen. 

Then, in casual conversation I heard that the owner of little house on Water Street—known as the Water Street Bindery—was considering retirement and might also consider selling the property. I didn’t waste any time and the rest is history. I took ownership on July 5th, 2023.

There’s something special about the little house. Perhaps a recent guest said it best, “I don’t know what it is. It’s like the house wraps itself around you”. We hope you’ll feel the same way and that the environment will inspire you, warm your heart and bring you joy.

The Little Haus, circa 1820-21, was built as a double house sharing a party wall with 30 N Water Street. In the latter part of the 19th century this adjoining half expanded to an elevation of 2½ stories. Today the only visible aspect to its shared history with 28 N Water is the front door molding.

Previous changes to 28 N Water last occurred in 1977 when William and Doris Herr embarked on a restoration/renovation saving the little house from the wrecking ball. Aside from preserving the old they introduced efficient heating, plumbing and electric, replaced the cedar roof and rebuilt the chimneys. They also modified three rooms—the kammer was turned into a kitchen, the garret’s one and only bedroom became an indoor bathroom, and a second room in the garret was modified for sleeping with an alcove bed. All were admirably renovated sympathetic to the period’s history therefore, these architectural changes and additions remain as they were found.

The 2023-24 restoration resulted in restoring the roof with hand-split cedar shakes and removing the Portland cement and paint on the exterior brick and repointing with period appropriate lime putty mortar. The windows, shutters and doors scraped, the rot repaired and then repainted. Custom storm windows were installed to protect the sash going forward.

On the inside, Portland cement was removed from the basement walls and portions of the 1st floor’s walls. The walls then received parging with horse-haired lime plaster, lime wash and/or white finishing plaster. The HVAC system was replaced and the electric and plumbing upgraded.

All floors received extensive soap & water clean-up and then, with the exception of the stübe, left to wear their history. The walls in some cases required plaster repair, others were stripped of an estimated 14 coats or more of paint exposing the original plaster and coloring. Fireplace interiors were re-plastered. For the most part all interior moldings, doors and hardware are original. The paint colors used throughout, reminiscent of a Pennsylvania German color pallet, were refreshed.