Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania; History of Montgomery County

1843. Religious Freedom Was Planted, Watered and Grew in...MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. The history of Montgomery County, PA, is recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this NEW 60 Page Booklet, reprinted primarily from four hard-to-find vintage books. The spiral-bound booklet is printed on 60# paper, with the print size adjusted to fit 8 1/2 x 11 paper. A vinyl sheet protects the front cover. Source books include: Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania (1843) by Sherman Day; An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1876) by William Egle, M.D.; Pennsylvania, a Guide to the Keystone State compiled by WPA writers; and My Pennsylvania, a 1946 project of the Bureau of Publications, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (Some Information may be repeated in various excerpts, but often with a different slant or with additional details.) The communities mentioned include: Montgomeryville, Lansdale, Center Square, Norristown, Bridgeport, Lafayette Hill, Plymouth Meeting, Jeffersonville, Collegeville, Pottstown (formerly Pottsgrove), Lower Merion, Upper Merion, Jenkintown, Abington, Hatborough (Hatboro), North Wales, Evansburg, Conshohocken, Sumanytown, Willow Grove, Horsham Square, Montgomery Square, Line Lexington, Reesville, Flourtown (Flour Town), Klingletown, Hatboro, West Conshohocken, La Trappe (Trappe), Eagleville, Evansburg, Barren Hill, Fort Washington, Collegeville, Hiskorytown, Jeffersonville, Port Kennedy, King of Prussia, Limerick Square, Norritonville, Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, Shannonville, Spring Mill and Swedesburg. The Day and Egle histories cover the early development of this area, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glimpse from a 1940 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities. There may occasionally be some duplication of material, but usually with a different slant or emphasis. Among the many and diverse subjects in the booklet are: Physical Features and Mineral Deposits; Early Settlers, why they came and where they came from; Quaker (Friends) Meeting Houses, Episcopal, Lutheran, Swedish, German Reformed and Presbyterian Churches; Tales of William Penn; a Town Named for a Tavern; Henry M. Muhlenberg, father of the Lutheran Church in America, and the oldest Lutheran Church in the US; Gaspar de Schwenckfeldt and the church he founded; Free Love Valley and the Battle Axes, a nudist group founded by Theophilus Gates; Revolutionary War tales, like Lafayette betrayed, Washingtons Army saved by an eaves- dropping Quaker woman; Col. Allan McLanes wild flight from the British; the Defeat at Germantown, including a personal account by Col. Timothy Pickering, and Life at Valley Forge; Letters found inside a slab of marble: a Freak of Nature or a Religious Symbol First Canal Attempted in US; the Potts family; Bio of Gen. Andrew Porter; Bio of John James Audubon, ornithologist and artist; Early Movies; Educational Institutions; and other interesting bits of history and trivia. The excerpts from the recently added fourth book include a 1940s map of the county, several photos and a concise update of the county's progress as it looked shortly after World War II. ILLUSTRATIONS include Ancient Friends Meeting House at Lower Merion; Pottstown; Norristown, from the Northwest (full page); Ancient Lutheran Church at Trappe, Mr. Chews house; George Washingtons Headquarters at Valley Forge; Valley Forge, as seen from the west; Montgomery County Court House; Valley Forge; and the Old Norristown Fire Company. . Limited Edition Reprint. Spiral/Comb . New/No Jacket. 8.5" x 11". Private Press.