New Paint for the Erisman House

Fresh Paint for an Historic Home

Now that the summer heat has finally relinquished its firm hold on Lancaster County, it's time to get some much needed painting done before the cold weather moves in. One of our current projects is repainting the historic Erisman House on the grounds of the Landis Valley Musuem.

Site staff workers Mike and Kyle are busy with the project that requires them to strip away old coats of paint and prepare the wood in a fashion that would deter mold from adhering (a problem with wooden structures, especially aging wood). Next, a linseed oil based paint is applied to the wooden slats. The paint is a traditional base that was once the standard paint used during the 18th and 19th centuries. The advantage of linseed oil based paint is that it lasts longer than Latex paint. The blue paint that is being applied to the window frames and trim is called Prussian Blue -- a color that dates back to 1706.


The Erisman House

The Erisman House was moved to Landis Valley in the 1960s from downtown Lancaster (315 West Orange Street). It was owned since the 1920s by the Erisman family and the last owner, George Erisman, had a business there where he first sold theatrical supplies such as costumes and later repaired dolls (called Erisman's Doll Hospital).


The home is believed to have been built in the late 1700s and it is constructed of logs that are covered with clapboard siding. If you look on the left side of the building (facing the yellow barn) there is a small window where you can see the orginal logs.