A Brief Journal of Activities to Date

This series of pages is an attempt to show the work done with the reconstruction of John's Little House. Feel free to contact me George Hostetler with any questions or suggestions. I am thankful to my wife Janet who has supported my efforts and has given advice any time I asked for it. She also helped me move all the lumber and stone. Back up to Garden Place and check out her store. We plan a major redesign of this site to include other items of interest and expect to have this online for you in early 2001.

Starting with some pictures of our trip in August 99, when we traveled to Grantsville to meet the Wendell Yoders and Alta Schrock. This picture is of the approved location of the Little House. This is the "uphill" view as compared to the picture in the June 2000 newsletter. Check out the picture and story of the gravestones of John and Catherine.

Our trip of 5/29 to 5/31/2000 was to move the lumber and stone. It took us 3 days to move 4 loads of lumber and 4 loads of stone. Yes, the stone and lumber was moved by hand, piece by piece. Another trip of 7/3 to 7/5/2000 was to finish moving the stone...3 trips that time and that should give us enough stone to face the new foundation. Therefore, a remnant remains at the original location of the little house. On that trip we met Margaret Hostetler and her family members from Salisbury, PA, and also Rhoda Brenneman, an Amish lady who is really in touch with all the history of this area.

Another trip in August this year took us to the Big Apple, where we took time to view David Hostetler's sculpture at the Trump Hotel at Columbus Circle. And while vacationing in Italy in November, we had the opportunity to meet Dan Hostetler from Milan, who has gifted us with a prominent website, a major portion of which is dedicated to the Hostetler family history and current events. If you didn't get here from there, its www.hostetler.net

Our many thanks to Betty Zarney, who wrote to me in October 2000: "Search no more for the door -- we have it safely stored in our garage.  No door frame, no transom, no mutton bars or glass in the window, but the old hardware is still attached."  Betty is the sister of the late Paul V Hostetler, who spent his own money restoring John's Little House in the early 90's. Betty has so graciously agreed to donate the front door for this project!

The next steps are as follows. Begin fundraising, with a goal of $30,000 by June 2001. Assess the lumber and timbers and ascertain their use. Finalize the building plans and site plan. Assemble volunteer team to begin construction in the summer of 2001.

Take a look at the brochure Front and Back designed for the Spruce Forest Artisan Village. The brochure is designed to be a trifold with the picture on the outside. This is an annual festival with 4000 visitors. I also made a metal 18" x 24" sign to be placed at the site with the lettering "FUTURE SITE OF.....   John Hochstetler's Little House".