Date(s): 09/18/2025
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Fall Lecture Series at Historic Ephrata Cloister

Historic Ephrata Cloister invites you to join us this fall for a special three-part lecture series exploring the stories, discoveries, and debates surrounding the Cloister and its history. Each lecture will take place in the Visitor Center auditorium and will last approximately 60 minutes. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure a good seat.

• Thursday, September 18 – 7:00 PM
  
  Timothy Grieve-Carlson —“The Poltergeist of Conestoga: An Early American Ghost Story from Ephrata”
  
  In the winter of 1761, Christopher Beeler and his wife Eliseba arrived at the Cloisters with a strange request: they were being haunted by the spirits of Beeler’s previous wives, who demanded that Conrad Beissel himself intervene. What followed was one of early America’s best-attested poltergeist stories, culminating in what may be the earliest seance in American history. Eliseba Beeler’s chilling narrative reveals not only early American beliefs about the supernatural, but also the family dynamics of the 18th century and the ways women could wield social power in a world that sought to silence them.

• Thursday, October 16 – 7:00 PM
  
  Bradley Smith — “History Mysteries of Ephrata Cloister”
  
  Through detective work and historical evidence, Bradley Smith explores some of the site’s most intriguing questions: What was the unusual object discovered in the Saron attic? Why did a groundhog unearth so many artifacts beneath a wall? When did the Brother’s Chapel vanish? And where did Conrad Beissel really live? This program invites the audience to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves.

• Thursday, November 20 – 7:00 PM
  
  Terry Barkley — “The Snow Hill Cloister: Ephrata’s Daughter Community”
  
  Researcher Terry Barkley highlights the little-known Snow Hill Cloister, founded in the 19th century by spiritual descendants of Ephrata’s Seventh Day Baptists. His talk explores the connections between the two communities and what Snow Hill reveals about the lasting influence of Ephrata’s ideals.

Admission: $40 for the full series (all three lectures). $30 for members of the Ephrata Cloister Associates.

Format: Attend in person in the Visitor Center auditorium or join virtually via Zoom.

Registration: Use the following link to register: Historic Ephrata Cloister | Ephrata, PA

Alternatively, call you may call 717-733-6600 or email ephrata1732@gmail.com to register.