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The Clifton House News 1
The Clifton House News The Historical Society of Fort Washington Newsletter
473 Bethlehem Pike Fort Washington, PA 19034 215.646.6065 “Fort Washington Historical Society” on Facebook - www.amblerhistory.com
Volume 44, Issue 2 October 2013
RittenhouseTown
Life along the Paper Mill Run
From Linnin Rags Good Paper Doth Derive
Tuesday October 15; 8 pm
Presented by Chris Owens, is the Executive Director of
Historic RittenhouseTown since 2006. She lives in the ca.
1845 Enoch Rittenhouse Home at RittenhouseTown. Her own
family history has been her passion for the past 40 years.
Driving along the Wissahickon Creek into Philadelphia you pass an area on your right known as RittenhouseTown. Chris Owens will present a talk about the area. She will focus on the early years at RittenhouseTown and the links to nearby Germantown.
At the heart of the thriving early industrial community known as RittenhouseTown, the first paper mill in British North America was built by William Rittenhouse and his son, Nicholas. The mill occupied the north bank of the Paper Mill Run. A second mill, the 1707 Homestead and ca. 1725 Bake House quickly followed.
For the next 200 years, while eight generations of Rittenhouse family members continued to live and work all along the Paper Mill Run and Wissahickon Creeks, the focus of the community remained this intimate cluster of buildings enclosing both public and private
space.
Light refreshments are served in the library after the presentation.
East Oreland School Update
Robin Costa
Vice President of the Society Member of The Friends of the East Oreland Schoolhouse
(Saved Cupola & Original School Photo before demise)
Unfortunately the Upper Dublin Commissioners have gone ahead and awarded a contract for the complete demolition of the East Oreland School; also known as the EPI Center. They plan to retain some of the stone and the cupola from the building to incorporate into an expanded park/playground on the site.
Editor’s Note: The Society is very appreciative of the passion exhibited for the school’s preservation, by Robin, with all her hard work and time. Sadly, a battle
lost. ≠
Other Historic Preservation
James Magaziner
Society Board Member
Unfortunately progress sometimes erodes historic preservation. Possible large development of the following properties is something for us all to keep a watchful eye. 1. Piszek property (Emlen House)
2. Large Tract Welsh Road and Dreshertown Road - a dilapidated roses greenhouse
3. St. Mary's Villa - 701 Bethlehem Pike; the former Dr. Mattison's castle estate. Fortunately the Society had this gem on our House Tour in September and our Tour participants saw first-hand how wonderful the building, with many of its original décor and
furnishings, and the beautiful grounds. ≠
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The Clifton House News 2
Joan Amey and Barbara Schaubel Society Hospitality Chairs
S O C I E T Y C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S
SOLDIERS’ SOUVENIRS AND THEIR STORIES FROM
WORLD WAR I THROUGH WORLD WAR II
SOCIETY MONTHLY MEETING
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 19; 8 PM
Presented by Paul Johnson
WASSAIL OPEN HOUSE
MEMBERS & THEIR GUESTS
SUNDAY DECEMBER 8; 4 – 7 PM
AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING THE CIVIL WAR
SOCIETY MONTHLY MEETING
TUESDAY JANUARY 15; 8 PM
Presented by Paula Gidjunis ≠
Radio H2O!
1180 AM WFYL
Karin & Bruce Stocking; Hancock Society
We will be hosting a radio program every Saturday from 9 to 10 am called H2O which, in essence, will teach American history on the radio. The channel transmits from Jeffersonville, PA.
This is an incredible opportunity for us to not only talk about national history but also the Pennsylvania and Montgomery County stories. We hope you will send us your historical happenings so we can announce them at the end of the show as we have set aside a timeslot
just for this. Please tune in! ≠
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The Clifton House is perfect to engage for a meeting or small luncheon. The charm and character of the house will add to any event!
≠ A Tribute Donation to The Historical Society of Fort Washington offers you a thoughtful way to celebrate a special person or occasion while contributing to our vital mission to “Preserving the Past for the Future”. Your generous donations help with Informative Monthly Programs; the extensive Research Library and Museum, with its changing displays, at Clifton House; and preservation projects benefiting the local area. Tax deductible gifts can be made to The Historical Society of Fort Washington to honor birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, etc.
≠
A Memorial Donation to The Historical Society of Fort
Washington offers you a thoughtful, caring way to
remember a loved one while contributing to our vital
mission to “Preserve the Past for the Future”.
≠
New way to keep in touch!
The Society is changing the way we communicate
with our friends and members by eliminating our
paper newsletter to save money (except for our
truly historic friends who do not have computers).
If we do not have your email, please contact
Renee Webb [email protected]
Sue McCann
SocietyTrustee
You may have noticed the large Maple tree that bordered the Clifton House parking lot is missing. Unfortunately the old tree was badly infested with insects and rapidly decaying. We were lucky to get the tree removed quickly, as it was a safety concern to Clifton House and our members.
Sean O'Brien Tree Service expertly felled the tree and removed all vestiges of the diseased wood. A huge "Thank you" to Sean for doing such a wonderful job and fitting us into his busy Fall schedule!
Sean O’Brien Tree Service, Oreland 215.576.1154 Corporate Sponsor of the Society
Joan Amey
Barbara Schaubel
Society Hospitality Chairs
Our many thanks go out to our wonderful members who graciously contributed food for the day of the House Tour. We were very grateful for
all the delicious offerings. ≠
The Clifton House News 3
Successful House Tour!!!
September 29th
Robin Costa 215.887.1945
Society House Tour Chair
I’d like to thank everyone who volunteered to make our 2013 House Tour a success.
We raised close to $1900 and raised awareness of the richness of the architecture and history of the area.
We are grateful to John and Jo-Ann Hunt, Steve & Lori Fischer, Scott and Sara Rothman, Rev. David & Anne Canan, and the congregation of Trinity Memorial Church for opening their homes for our benefit.
Special thanks to Joan Amey for handling the phone calls and ticket sales, as well as co-chairing the refreshments with Barbara Schaubel for Clifton House visitors.
Thanks also to H. Roy Thompson for the framed photographs presented to the homeowners and to Renee Webb, Jane Douglass, Mary Seelaus, Gwen and Dick Meyer, Sue McCann, Wini Metz, George and Dottie Mariotz, Ingrid & Tom Rivel, Buck Amey, Robin Horahan, Chris Raines, Pam Callanan, Ben Linton, Sally Burk, Leopoldo Montoya, Dominic Costa, Marie Duke Murphy, and all the HSFW bakers for their contributions.
≠
Freedom Memorial Dedication
Saturday October 26; 10 am
The Upper Dublin Friends Meeting will dedicate a new Freedom Memorial to recognize and honor those long forgotten individuals buried in their cemetery, having died fleeing slavery on the Underground Railroad.
The dedication ceremony at the Upper Dublin Friends Meeting which is located at the intersection of Fort Washington Avenue and Meetinghouse Roads. Brief remarks and musical presentations will be offered, drawing on both Friends’ and African Americans’ traditions.
The gravestone, donated by StoneMor Partners, LP, Levittown, PA reads:
“In honor of those known only to God The brave African American men, women and children
Traveling on the Underground Railroad who died Seeking freedom”
1852-1864
≠
S O C I E T Y I M P O R T A N T I N F O
RENEE WEBB, PRESIDENT
215.643.4169
ROBIN COSTA, VICE PRESIDENT
215.887.1945
CAROL LOHKEMPER, RECORDING SECRETARY
215.582.3152
GWEN & DICK MEYER, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
215.885.3324
INGRID RIVEL, TREASURER
215.643.5095
JOHN KAFES, TRUSTEE CHAIR
215.836.5014
BUCK AMEY, LIBRARIAN
215.646.0858
JIM MAGAZINER, PRESERVATION
610.505.2347
MUSEUM TOURS
JOAN AMEY BARBARA SCHAUBEL
215.646.0858 215.572.7841
[email protected] [email protected]
≠
THE SOCIETY MEETS 3RD
TUESDAY OF MONTH; 8
PM
SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER & JANUARY–MAY
TWO ANNUAL EVENTS FOR MEMBERS & THEIR GUESTS
JUNE PICNIC & DECEMBER WASSAIL OPEN HOUSE
THE RESEARCH LIBRARY & MUSEUM ARE OPEN
WEDNESDAYS, SEPTEMBER – JUNE; 2 – 4 PM
& BY APPOINTMENT (WEATHER PERMITTING)
The Historical Society of Fort Washington is a non-profit educational institution. Its Clifton House Headquarters is leased from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Premises are situated within Montgomery County’s Fort Washington State Park, which is under the auspices of the Bureau of State Parks.
The Historical Society is a 501(c) (3) and your membership and/or
any donations to the Society are tax deductible. ≠
The Clifton House News 4
Saturday, October 12; 10 am State Library of Pennsylvania
In honor of National Family History Month, the Library is sponsoring a program “How I Met Johannes Quickel, the Man Who Carved My Ancestors’ Gravestones,” will be presented by Barry R. Rauhauser, a member of the staff of LancasterHistory.org as Stauffer Curator of Collections and Director of History on the Web.
Rauhauser will tell the story of Johannes Quickel, who moonlighted as a gravestone carver in York County from 1789 until his death in 1831. Quickel created a unique blend of artistry that can be found carved into over 200 tombstones. An examination of John Quickel’s life and art, the relationship between life history, artistic creation, and culture will be discussed during the presentation.
Family activity handout sheets and brochures that describe State Library resources will be available to the public in the Library lobby. The State Library genealogy resources include Pennsylvania genealogies, Pennsylvania county and local histories, and county atlases, unpublished compilations of church, cemetery, court and newspaper records, city directories and online databases.
The State Library of Pennsylvania will be open from 9:30 - 4:30 pm on the day of the program, so the public is welcome to view the genealogy collection and other State Library resources after the presentation. On Saturdays, parking is available along South Drive in front of the State Library as well as along Commonwealth Avenue.
The State Library of Pennsylvania The Forum Auditorium
607 South Drive Harrisburg PA 17120-0600
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And In The Neighborhood ….. Grace Kelly at the Michener Art Museum! Thursday, November 7; 3 - 4 pm Location: Upper Dublin Twp. Main Mtg. Rm.
Learn fascinating facts about Philadelphia’s own Grace Kelly and the upcoming exhibit, “From Philadelphia to Monaco: Grace Kelly Beyond the Icon” (October 28 - January 26, 2014) at the James A. Michener Art Museum, located in Doylestown, PA. Presented by a museum docent guide, the program will include images from the special Grace Kelly exhibit as well as an overview of the museum’s unusual history founded to celebrate regional artists and the beautiful permanent collection.
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The History of Lionel Trains Thursday, November 14; 7 - 8 pm Location: Upper Dublin Twp. Main Mtg. Rm.
Join us for an evening of history led by Tom Rivel and Buck Amey of the Historical Society of Fort Washington and learn about Lionel Trains.
≠
50 Years Later: The Assassination of JFK Monday, November 18; 7 - 8 pm Location: Upper Dublin Twp. Main Mtg. Rm.
Join us for a presentation by Dr. Catherine Parzynski, a history professor from Montgomery County Community College. This event will mark almost 50 years (11/22/2013) since the historical moment that stunned the country, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
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Editor’s Note: If you have anything to contribute or know of an event that would interest our members, please email
Renee Webb [email protected]
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