Pennsylvania German Collections at the Schwenkfelder Heritage Center
The collections held here are used by academic researchers, genealogists, and historians from across the country. What makes them significant is not just their scale — it is their specificity. These are the records, objects, and art of a particular community, in a particular valley, over nearly three centuries. You will not find this concentration of Pennsylvania German material anywhere else.
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At the heart of the Heritage Center are its collections. The push to preserve old German-language books and manuscripts held by Schwenkfelder families began in the late 19th century, and the three-dimensional objects, fraktur, and art that comprise the museum collection followed soon afterward. Preserving these precious pieces of the past, interpreting them through exhibits, programs, and publications as well as research and documentation of the collection is the priority of library/archives and museum collections staff.
From the 16th century works of Caspar Schwenckfeld and meticulously copied manuscripts of the Schwenkfelders to exquisitely stitched 18th century needlework and rough-hewn tools of rural trades, the Heritage Center collections provide insight into lives of the Schwenkfelders and local Pennsylvania Germans. We are privileged to safeguard the physical representations of the stories passed down through the generations for all our visitors to experience.
We are always looking to enhance the stories we tell through our collections, which continue to grow and evolve. If you have an heirloom you think might fit our collections, we encourage you to contact our Archivist, Hunt Schenkel (hunt@schwenkfelder.org) or Curator of Collections, Candace Perry (candace@schwenkfelder.org).
Explore the collection through our PastPerfect database, and the links below!
Fraktur Collection
One of the world's largest holdings of Pennsylvania German fraktur — original hand-illustrated manuscripts combining blackletter calligraphy with watercolor motifs. Birth records, house blessings, writing samples, and religious documents spanning more than a century of community life.
Conestoga Wagons
The Conestoga wagon originated among Pennsylvania German craftsmen in the Conestoga Valley — a community closely tied to the Schwenkfelder tradition. Our collection and research library hold primary documents and artifacts related to this craft history and its place in American transportation.
Textiles & Needlework
Nearly two centuries of Pennsylvania German domestic craft — quilts, coverlets, samplers, and embroidered pieces representing the full range of needlework traditions from the Perkiomen Valley region.
Conestoga Wagons
The Conestoga wagon originated among Pennsylvania German craftsmen in the Conestoga Valley — a community closely tied to the Schwenkfelder tradition. Our collection and research library hold primary documents and artifacts related to this craft history and its place in American transportation.
Schwenkfelder History & Artifacts
Original religious manuscripts, immigration documents from the 1731–1737 Schwenkfelder exodus, and objects from the community's early Pennsylvania life. We are the primary repository for this community's written history — material preserved here since the 1880s and not duplicated elsewhere.
Internationally Recognized. Open to Researchers.
Our research library is used by scholars, genealogists, and historians from across the country and beyond. Selections from every major collection are on display in the museum galleries; the full holdings are accessible to researchers by appointment. If you are looking for Pennsylvania German artifact collections, primary documents, or genealogical records for families in the Perkiomen, Schuylkill, or Lehigh Valley regions, our library staff can help you find what you need.
For researchers whose family history intersects with these collections, our genealogy research library offers a parallel entry point — records that place families inside the same communities these objects came from.
Frequently Asked Questions
What collections does the Schwenkfelder Heritage Center have?
Our collections cover five major areas: Pennsylvania German fraktur, textiles and needlework, agricultural history, Conestoga wagon artifacts and documents, and Schwenkfelder history and religious manuscripts. Each collection has its own dedicated page with descriptions, provenance information, and research access details.
Is the Schwenkfelder Heritage Center a Pennsylvania Dutch folk art and history museum?
Yes, though the scope extends beyond folk art. We hold one of the world's largest fraktur collections alongside textiles, agricultural implements, and primary historical documents — all rooted in Pennsylvania German community life. We are the official regional history center for a four-county area of southeastern Pennsylvania.
Can the public access the Pennsylvania German artifact collections at Schwenkfelder?
Yes. Selections from every major collection are on display in our museum galleries during regular visiting hours. The full research collections, including materials not on gallery display, are available to any researcher by appointment through our library. No membership is required to schedule a research visit.
Are the Schwenkfelder collections used by academic researchers?
They are. Our holdings are internationally recognized and used by academic historians, genealogists, and institutions studying Pennsylvania German history, religious history, and early American settlement. The research library is open to both professional researchers and individuals tracing their own family history.