The Historic Ephrata Cloister was established in 1732 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. As a German religious community, the members excelled at various crafts and industries. Among these was the making of clocks. This presentation will examine the seven clockmakers who were members of the Cloister community and the movements they made, as well as some of the clock cases made in their workshop.
Douglas Gehr is a retired Church of the Brethren pastor with a keen interest in local history and antique clocks. He and his wife live in Ephrata, PA, where he was born. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Ephrata Cloister Associates, the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley, where he chairs the Museum and Library Committee, and the NAWCC. Doug also chairs the Historical Committee of the Atlantic Northeast District, Church of the Brethren. He has been a tour guide at the Cloister for about four years. His family ancestry includes two persons who were members of the Cloister community. His latest book is entitled Sacred Simplicity: Worship Spaces Among the Brethren in Eastern Pennsylvania and will be available on Kindle.