The Preservation of a Family Heritage: Heidelbaugh Farm

A rainbow of flowers greets visitors to the Heidelbaugh Farm in Lancaster County. Impeccably manicured and lovingly tended, the flower beds are only one component of the beauty surrounding this picturesque, 113 acre working farm. Perched elegantly along Brookfield Road in Bart Township, the old stone farmhouse known as the Heidelbaugh Farm is a historic treasure in Lancaster County.

The Heidelbaugh Farm is rich in family and community history. In 1744, Georg Heidelbaugh left his home in the Palatinate district of southwest Germany and with a band of sturdy German peasants, emigrated to the United States and settled in Bart Township. Before the end of the eighteenth century, his first son and namesake settled in Hocking county near Lancaster, Ohio, where he prospered and where his descendants continue to live. Jacob, his second son, remained in Bart Township and established the family homestead, today known as Brookfield Farm. Jacob's only son, John, was born September 29, 1800, and had four children with his wife, the former Mary Pickle.

After the death of his wife, John married Margaret Bender and they had five children, including Earle Heidelbaugh, the current owner's grandfather. Milton, one of the five children, became a member of the Octorara Church in 1865, served in the Civil War, and was elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature in 1908. A brother, Albert, remained at the homestead and married Annie Scott. They had seven children, one of whom was Lenore Heidelbaugh. Lenore married Robert Edward Grover in 1926 and had a son, Earle Grover.

Mr. Earle Grover, heir to the family homestead, currently lives on the property. A retired gentleman who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Juniata College and a Masters of Arts degree in music and German literature from Columbia University, Mr. Grover served as Director of Music and a member of the Foreign Language Department as Senior Master of German at The Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Grover chose to preserve his land with Lancaster Farmland Trust because the Trust's easements allow for more flexibility in meeting the owner's individual needs than the county's preservation program. He generously donated the development rights on his 113 acre property. Mr. Grover decided to preserve his farm because the property means so much to him. He is the "last of his family" and spent many happy summers on the farm as a child. The area is "so bucolic," says Mr. Grover, and "preserving the property is a recognition of its value."

Photos courtesy Patty O'Brien, Lancaster Farmland Trust