What we know

Hohenadel House's 2012 realtor listing at  OldHouseDreams.com, with more photos and some neighborhood commentary. 1912 Italian Renaissance - Philadelphia, PA Huge proportions and old-world glamour await your finishing touches 6 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, separate dining room with original wood ceilings, formal living room, large, light filled great room many windows overlooking the yard. This home also includes a separate carriage house with 2 CAR...

Bullets, beer, and Bavarians at Schuetzen Park

  UPDATE (July 12, 2017): Thanks to reader George Lane, we have a picture of the "flying horses" (aka a merry go round) built in 1873 at Schuetzen Park. According to George, the pic is of the newly built merry go round (also called 'flying horses') in Sept. 1873. While the men were shooting, the women and children enjoyed the other features of the park. To see the original, check out George's Flickr. Thank you very much George for the...

Prime of Life

Fallsers know him, but unless you were born here or happen to collect Big Band records, the name "Harry Prime" might've slipped under your musical radar. What a shame. UPDATE June 17, 2017:  Harry Prime passed away Thursday, June 15, 2017. Born on March 5, 1920, Harry spent his final years with his family in Pennsylvania. He was a graduate of St. Bridget's Elementary and Roman Catholic High School. Services and interment will be private at the...

DIY on IQL

  Major changes since we last checked in on Hohenadel. Felicite and Sean have taken over the renovating duties since the departure of Mike Labetti from the project earlier this year.  Seems the bank's schedule for completing the project and Mike's didn't quite jibe.   With the days getting shorter and cooler, Sean's first focus has been the windows, all 56 of them (!). Luckily the sturdy old world design of these beauties makes them...

Spring has sprung at Hohenadel

Slow-henadel no more! With spring kicking into high gear, things are buzzing inside and outside Hohenadel's walls. By the way, you'll notice a fancy new coat of stucco on those exterior walls, compliments of Mike Labetti's crew, who are taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather to make the old lady really shine. (After the stucco gets a hand-rubbed finish, it'll be painted white with black trim. Very period-appropriate for an Italianate...

Slow-henadel: Winter’s Lull on Indian Queen Lane

When we last left the Hawleys, they were hanging artwork on Hohenadel's walls, decorating their Christmas tree, and getting ready for the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas (Vegas, Baby! Sorry can’t say “Vegas” without a Vince Vaughn reference.) So what’s been happening in the new year so far? There hasn’t been much work on the house itself, according to Mike Labetti. A few weeks ago, his crew had done some painting of the outside...

Deck the Hawl(eys)!

Few things are more beautiful this time of year than a historic house decked out for the holidays. Hohenadel House's sweeping ceilings and dramatic architectural details are made for garlands, wreaths and twinkling lights. But celebrating the Holidays in a house under construction presents its own special challenges: How to hang stuff without damaging 200-year-0ld molding?  Where do stockings go, when fireplaces are kinda being used for storage...

The Social Lives of East Falls’ Elite

Local newspapers are a great source of juicy neighborhood details you won't find anywhere else.  During the Golden Age of Newspapers -- from the arrival of the "penny paper" in the 1830's to the dawn of radio in the 1930's -- hundreds of newspapers covered all aspects of Philadelphia culture and society.  Historical tidbits about Hohenadels in East Falls recently came our way, compliments of EastFallsHouse friend John C. Hohenadel  (!!) from...

A Brief History of East Falls – Bottle Edition

It’s amazing what kind of history you can find under your feet. Aaron Bechtel, bottle collector and local historian, made his first find by accident in 2006 on a hike in the Wissahickon. He happened to look below him while crossing a bridge, and noticed a vast old dump of glass demijohns (3 - 5 gallon bottles) sticking out of the ground.  Though most were smashed, five were intact. He studied the bottles for clues online, and discovered they...

When Hohenadel Lost (some of) His Family Jewels…

Thank you, John C. Hohenadel of Lancaster, PA -- a distant relative of our own "brewer branch" here in East Falls. He's been collecting Hohenadel breweriana for over 30 years, and also has uncovered lots of interesting clippings he's been so very kind to share with us. Here's one from a break & enter at the mansion on Indian Queen Lane  (from the Evening Public Ledger, January 26, 1918):   THIEVES OPERATE WHILE FAMILY IS ATTENDING...

We Hear from Another Hohenadel: Great Grandmother Adopted Jacob’s Orphans?

East Falls House joins forces with another Hohenadel -- this one keenly interested in her family background.  So far we've only made first contact, stay tuned as our story develops to present a clearer picture of these German immigrants who built a small local empire with their native brew. Our recent email exchange bodes well: October 22, 2014: Dear East Falls House, My name is Bridget Fichera. I am an amateur genealogist living in Connecticut...