Historic
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Tiffany Glass Once Part of St. Gabriel’s Hall in Audubon Has New Home
Before closing its doors in 2020, St. Gabriel’s Hall had a long history in Audubon serving at-risk Philadelphia youth since 1898. In that same year, 14 Tiffany glass windows were also installed. Those windows depicting symbols of the Catholic faith would come to have special meaning to the children of St. Gabriel’s, writes Jay Sorgi…
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‘This Place Is Death on Pants.’ Brothers From Delaware County Describe 1850 Frontier Life in California
Two brothers writing home to their family in Delaware County back in 1850 provide a sense of daily life on the frontier in the California town of Humboldt Bay, writes Ann Roberts for the Lost Coast Outpost. The two brothers, ages 26 and 19, came to Humboldt Bay on the Laura Virginia, the first ship…
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Is it Too Late to Save Airy Street Prison in Norristown from the Wrecking Ball?
A new petition at Change.org has been started to save the Airy Street Prison in Norristown from being demolished, but will it be enough to breathe new life into the old building? This isn’t the first attempt concerned citizens have made to find a new purpose for the prison. Unfortunately, none of the proposals have…
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Former Harvard President Talks about Her Experiences as a Student at Bryn Mawr College
Historian, activist and former Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust saw early in life while in college in the Philadelphia area that higher education plays an important role in democracy, writes Hilary Burns for The Boston Globe. Faust, who was the president of Harvard University from 2007 to 2018, attended Bryn Mawr College for her undergraduate…
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Black Soldiers Who Fought for America’s Independence Honored
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Patriots of African Descent monument’s dedication, Valley Forge National Historical Park and the Valley Forge Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority have collaborated to create a special exhibit inside the visitor center, writes Melissa Jacobs for the Main Line Tonight. The most striking feature of this exhibit…
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Landmark Upper Merion Rooster Still Doesn’t Have an Official Perch
The original “Nor-View Rooster,” also affectionately dubbed “Old Abe” is still waiting to hear if the 4th Street Café in Bridgeport will be its official home, writes Russell Rubert for The Times Herald. Originally, it stood vigil at the entrance of the Nor-View Farm on North Henderson Road in Upper Merion Township. The farm was…
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Bryn Mawr College Grad Honors Filmmaker Father in Memoir About World War II Bombings
Leslie Sussan’s father documented the tragic aftermath of the bombings at Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War II. She hopes by sharing his story in her memoir that she will help bring healing to the world, writes Jon Kalish for Forward. The late Herbert Sussan was in charge of a military film crew who documented…
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At the Turn of the 20th Century, Bicycles Were all the Rage in Souderton and Telford
The bicycle that we know of today, came into iteration in 1890 and the craze swept across the U.S. and Europe. Souderton and Telford in Montgomery County also hopped on the bike bandwagon. David H. Yerger of Telford was considered one of the fastest bicyclists in the area, but he soon discovered that zipping…
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Lynnewood Hall to Be Used as Education Tool Even Before It Opens to Public
Lynnewood Hall, an Elkins Park mansion that made architect Horace Trumbauer famous, has found its savior in the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation, which now owns Peter A.B. Widener’s grand home, writes Sandy Smith for the Philadelphia Magazine. The 110-room, 100,000-square-foot 1899 mansion is the largest Gilded Age mansion still standing in the Philadelphia region. The…
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Interested in Historic Preservation? Check Out This Free Webinar
The Montgomery County Planning Commission is hosting a free lunchtime webinar for anyone interested in historic preservation opportunities in the county on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, from noon to 1 p.m. Scott Francis, the director of the Montgomery County Planning Commission, said that historic preservation offers many benefits to the community including adding character, supporting…
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It Is Not Too Late to Enter America250 PA Montgomery County Photo Contest
As a lead up to America’s 250th Anniversary and Semiquincentennial in July 2026, Montgomery County has been holding a photo contest of its historic sites, and it is not too late to still participate. The deadline is noon on August 7, 2023. Entries are limited to one per household, per category. The contest is open…
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New Montgomery County Exhibit: Brides During World War II Had to Get Creative with Wedding Wear
The Historical Society of Montgomery County is showcasing vintage wedding wear as part of its latest exhibition titled Historical Wedding Expo, writes M. English for The Times Herald. Among the items being exhibited is the wedding dress of the late Flora Giambrone Maggio, who, like many of the women who got married during World War…
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Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park Finally Sold After Almost Decade on Market
The 34-acre Gilded Age estate in Elkins Park, Lynnewood Hall, was finally sold on Friday after spending almost a decade on the market, writes Jenn Ladd for The Philadelphia Inquirer. It was purchased by the nonprofit Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation from longtime owner Richard S. Yoon, pastor of the First Korean Church of New York.…
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Hatboro’s Crooked Historical Significance
Crooked Billet. Wasn’t that a Revolutionary War battle? An elementary school in Hatboro? A historic inn and tavern? It’s actually all of the above and has a significant anniversary this year. Hatboro is recognizing the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Crooked Billet, when British and Loyalist forces surprised an American force camping near the…
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Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board Launches ‘Montco History Passport’
The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board has launched the “Montco History Passport”, a free, gamified program that aims to highlight Montco’s rich history and historical locations. The Montco History Pass leads visitors on a journey through historical homes, parks, and museums throughout the county, honoring the Revolutionary War and early Pennsylvania history. With 17…
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Pottstown Funeral Home Sheds Light on Why People Leave Coins on Headstones
There are several theories on why people leave coins on headstones and one of the local traditions leads all the way back to Benjamin Franklin, writes Lauren McKeithen for the Belief Net. According to the Schumacher and Benner Funeral Home & Crematory in Pottstown, people first started leaving coins on headstones to honor Benjamin Franklin,…
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Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park Is Pennsylvania’s Grandest Historic Mansion
The grandest historic mansion in Pennsylvania can be found in Montgomery County, write Grant Suneson and John Harrington for Newsbreak. 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of the most notable historic mansions in each state by using information from various historical societies, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places, and museums. In Pennsylvania,…
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Bryn Mawr-Born Aviator Trained Tuskegee Airmen, Was One of First Black Men to Fly Cross-Country
Bryn Mawr-born aviator Charles “Chief” Anderson knew at an early age he wanted to fly airplanes. In 1933, he and Alfred Forsythe, a Bahamas-born Atlantic City physician were the first Black men to complete a cross-country flight, writes Avi Wolfman-Arent for Billy Penn. The pair continued to team up on other flights, becoming the first…
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