Pottsgrove Manor, the Revolutionary War-era home that led to Pottstown, remains standing in Montgomery County, its history frozen in time, write Kim Hudson and Will Kenworthy for CBS News Philadelphia.
The home was built in 1752 by John Potts, who then added a grist mill, sawmill, and Pottsgrove forge.
“Then, by 1761, he says to himself, ‘You know what this house really needs? It needs its own town,’” said Pottsgrove Manor museum educator Anna Meitzler.
This development gave rise to Pottsgrove, centered around the manor where Potts and his wife Ruth lived. Today, the manor contains colonial-era pieces that exemplify resistance, including a floor-to-ceiling cabinet that belonged to their eldest daughter, Martha.
“It was basically a boycott of British goods,” said Meitzler. “So no longer are we buying imported luxury-good items. We are going to make them here at home with the materials here in Colonial America.”
One of John and Ruth Potts’ 13 children, Jonathan Potts, pursued a career in medicine and enlisted the help of Black slaves such as Pompey and Hester to care for the sick and injured during the American Revolution.
Pottsgrove Manor also produced weapons at its iron forge, with several displayed throughout the home today.
Read more about Pottsgrove Manor at CBS News Philadelphia.
