Snow Hill Cloister
Quincy Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
An offshoot of Ephrata Cloister in Lancaster County, deriving its name from the Snowberger family active in its foundation. Composed of widows, widowers, and single persons, with goods held in common, it prospered from 1814 until the Civil War.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Snow Hill Cloister grew as an offshoot of the famous Ephrata Cloister, carrying its communal religious life into Franklin County and taking its name from the Snowberger family who helped found it. Its members—widows, widowers, and unmarried people—lived together holding their property in common, a distinctly German Pietist experiment in shared devotion. The community flourished from 1814 until the upheavals of the Civil War era brought its prosperity to a close.
Why it matters
It preserves the memory of Pennsylvania's German communal and Pietist tradition, one of America's most striking experiments in living out religious faith through shared property and celibate community.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum6.2 mi away
- Frederick County Fire Museum14.4 mi away · 300 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD
- Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Visitor Center14.6 mi away
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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