The Gov. Wolf Historical Society presented its annual showcase of local history Dec 6.

Its 34th annual Christmas house tour included 11 homes and buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, all of which were in East Allen and surrounding villages.

The tour began at the Wolf Academy on the historical society campus on Jacksonville Road, Allen Township. The Wolf Academy was filled with crafts, fresh wreaths and swags for sale.

The Ralston-McKeen House and Monocacy School, also on the society campus, offered antiques and vintage Christmas items, primitive handmade and antique smalls and repurposed items and colorful handmade redware pottery, festive holiday chocolates, truffles and candy.

Even without venturing to see all 11 homes, participants were able to see some important local history.

Dave Wirth and Sonja Kustafik own the property along Wood Street, Schnecksville. The house stands on a 93-acre farm purchased by Wirth's father and mother, Frank W. Wirth and Rose A. Wirth, from Mable A. Schlicher and Harry Schlicher of Coplay Borough April 17, 1943.

They later purchased an additional contiguous 12 acres of land from Wirth's grandfather, August Wirth, of the North Whitehall Township Nov. 25, 1952. The 104-acre lot served as a full working farm until 1995. It included raising and butchering their own animals until 1975.

"I purchased the farm from my brothers and sisters [Rose A. Wirth estate] on the 20th day of October 1992," said Wirth.

The original section of the home was built as a two-story settlers log house in the 1730s or 1740s along the Coplay Creek, which is a tributary to the Lehigh River. A stone addition was constructed on the original home in the early 1800s. Wirth and Kustafik added a solarium 15 years ago, incorporating the 1915 cool cellar within, and using 1800s spare beams from the barn.

Complete restoration took approximately 15 years. This included repointing all interior and exterior stone and walk-in-fireplace. All interior chestnut beams were exposed and refinished along with the original window frame between the two-story home and the 1800s stone addition.

Other interesting features include a large 40-foot by 80-foot 1800s drilled and pegged beam barn, smoke house, old drilled and pegged beam sheds and stable.

"The experience of living and farming as the youngest member of the Wirth family over the past 58 years has been exhausting at times, but so rewarding," Wirth said.

Another home included in the tour belongs to Andy and Raenette Schneck, along Park Valley Road in Neffs.

The house sits on half an acre, dates to the late 1870s or 1880s, as it does not appear on the 1876 Lehigh County map. It was originally a farmhouse. The property consisted of many acres on all sides, including two large barns, a large fruit orchard behind the house and the park land across the street.

Paul and Jean Schneck bought the home in 1953 and lived there for 45 years before selling it to their son and daughter-in-law, Andrew and Raenette Schneck, in 1998. Andrew is a direct descendant [eighth generation] of Adam Schneck, the founder of Schnecksville.

The home is a 2-1/2 story brick farmhouse nearly 10-foot ceilings throughout. It features pine flooring throughout, as well as an open stairwell and stained glass windows and transom.

The exterior of the structure is a red brick with white trim and green shutters. Over the past 16 years, 18 windows have been replaced and three chimneys removed. In 2006 an addition was built, at which time the deteriorating slaughter house and smoke house were razed.

In 2008 a two-car garage was built. In 2010 the rear porch was refurbished and a laundry room was added.

Two pine trees fell on the house during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. This set into motion the removal of the remaining trees and landscaping planted around the early 20th century. Stone from the smoke house was used in landscaping around the home.

During the past decade, the bedroom and living room floors were exposed and refinished. In 2014 the two remaining first level floors were refinished. Most recently, the hand pump from the original hand dug well was repaired and placed back into service. Future plans consist of a complete remodel of the kitchen, as well as the first-floor bathroom, which will be expanded into a full bath.

Robert and Shari Swan's home is along School Road, Bath. Christmas entry decorations were done by Hayes Flowers of Bath.

This stone center-hall farmhouse is historically known as the Hugh Horner Homestead.

According to the tour program, Hugh was a son of Jane Horner, the first casualty of the massacre of 1763.

She was killed by Indians as she set out to a neighbor's house for live coals to start her own fire.

Hugh bought the original 107 acres in 1782 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which had confiscated the land from Andrew Allen, identified as a traitor for assisting the army of the King of Great Britain.

The original house was built in 1787. The house has been in the Swan family for 43 years.

The kitchen, which was updated in the 1990s, has cherry cabinets, punched tin panels, and tile backsplash. The kitchen and family room has a stone walk-in fireplace. The dining and living rooms have open beams, built-in cupboards and fireplaces with brick hearths.

The living room fireplace was modernized in the late 1800s with a slate mantel. The added powder room in the center hall has whimsical paintings of the family's former pets, Harriet and Chessie. Upstairs, the remodeled bath features white tile and dark green Vermont marble.

The master bedroom has a fourth fireplace, without a mantel. Just beyond the master bedroom is a bedroom over the kitchen. The room has dormer windows, a slanted wood ceiling and wood walls.