Swiss Pioneers Preservation Association
Our Mission
Our mission is to explore the past way of life, and preserve the religious values and character of the Swiss Pioneers.We want to inspire our communities with the stories of the faithful Swiss Pioneers, who in the fear of God, followed Jesus through fire, water, and pestilence to come to the new world, and specifically to the Weaver valley for religious freedom.Our goals are to preserve, teach, and demonstrate, and to establish a museum for the present and future generations.When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, what mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know....Joshua 4:22
Upcoming Events
Annual Swiss Pioneers Book Auction
Thursday, June 12, 2025 @ 2:30pm
Big Spring Farm 735 Spruce Rd. • New Holland, PA 17557
Big Spring Farm Days
August 1 & 2, 2025
735 Spruce Rd, New Holland, PA 17557, USA
Hay Day
Step into the world of haymaking history at Big Springs Farm Hay Day! This Friday event offers a unique opportunity to explore practices and tools from the early 1900s to the 1950s.Witness live demonstrations of early harvesting techniques, including hand-cutting and loading hay onto wagons, and discover the evolution of machinery, including the revolutionary New Holland Model 73 baler.Enjoy pulled pork and fresh baked bread from the bee hive oven in the 1786 Peter Martin Cabin, and stick around for the horse training demo and saw milling in the evening.
Big Spring Farm Days
Join us as Big Springs Farm for a Saturday filled with fascinating demonstrations and displays of early pioneer farm life!Witness hand threshing of wheat, a demonstration of the McCormick Deering binder, and the operation of small and large threshing machines powered by horse and steam engines. Watch demonstrations of the steam powered sawmill, weaving looms, pottery making, chair caning and other pioneer crafts.Enjoy German singing, an antique tractor parade, and various early American activities. Indulge in delicious country food, including bread baked in a beehive oven, iron kettle soup, and soft ice cream made with the Hit & Miss engine.
Photos & Videos
Harvesting Wheat
Hewing Logs
Hand Winnowing
About Us
Our Mission
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Collections
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History
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Peter Martin Log Cabin
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The Christian Martin Cemetery
About a hundred yards from the farmhouse lies a small graveyard surrounded by an iron fence and gate. David Davis was buried here in 1773, and his wife Hanna in 1779. They were the first white settlers of the Big Spring Farm, having obtained the land from the Penns. Today the bodies of Christian and Magdalena and sixty-one of their "descendants, relatives, or kindred" rest in the family cemetery.
Contribute
Make a Donation
Swiss Pioneers Preservation Association is 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, and depends on the contributions of our generous donors to continue.Donations are fully tax deductible.
Check Donations
Check donations should be made to:
Swiss Pioneers Preservation Association
735 Spruce Rd
New Holland, PA 17557
Donating Antiques
If you have items to donate to the museum, please contact Lewis Leid, or Elvin Martin.Lewis Leid: (717) 475-0318
Raymond Zimmerman: (717) 413-3996
Connect
Memberships
To support SPPA and receive our newsletter, please consider becoming a member. Yearly memberships run from January 1st to December 31st.
Membership dues are $15/year or $250 for a lifetime membership.
To Purchase by Check
To purchase a membership using a check, please download the application form and mail it and the check to Swiss Pioneers.
Email Signup
Sign up for occasional email notifications about upcoming events. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Tours
Tour are available by appointment. To arrange a visit you can contact us by phone or email, or by using the contact form.
Leland Martin: (717) 445-6220
Raymond Zimmerman: (717) 354-7139
Email: swisspioneerpreservation@gmail.com
Contact