Palatine Germans settled in seven dorfs (farm villages) in the Schoharie Valley during the early 1700’s. This house was located in or near the site of Hartmann’s Dorf on the Godekeit property between present-day Schoharie and Middleburgh. Although of the early German two-room design, tree-ring dating of a floor beam indicates a date of 1786. This is consistent with a building burned during the 1780 Johnson Raid, and rebuilt to the original plan after the war. Interior door hinges bear the same design as those on the Fort’s front door, undoubtedly made by the same blacksmith. At some point the dwelling was converted to a hop-drying house. The building was moved to this site in 1977 and is partially restored.
