Old York Road Historical Society

Did you miss the Bryn Athyn Train Wreck 100th Anniversary Talk & Walk in December? Maybe you attended and would like to know more? Next month on February 15, our friends at The Newtown Historic Association are hosting an event about the 100th Anniversary of the Bryn Athyn Train Wreck at the Newtown Theater. OYRHS President David Rowland will be speaking after the screening of local historical filmmaker Thomas Lynskey’s documentary film on the subject. More details can be found below.

OYRHS President David Rowland will be presenting Magnificent Residences for Philadelphians Near and Far tomorrow, Friday, January 14 at 12:00 PM on Zoom for the Philadelphia Athenaeum and The Philadelphia Club. The talk focuses on the work of architect Horace Trumbauer. You can find further details at https://philaathenaeum.org/event-detail/?event_id=2219

Reminder! Please join us next Wednesday 5/12 for our final Spring *virtual* lecture! Zoom info will be posted to Facebook 24 hours before the lecture.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt remarked 79 years ago that today is a date which will live in infamy." The attack by the Japanese on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor formalized the United States’ entry in World War II. Many local men and women answered the call to defend their country and aid in the war effort, both locally and abroad. OYRHS works to help preserve the area’s response and has several collections, as well as various pieces of ephemera, which highlight the contribution and remembrance of the individuals and organizations that played a role during that time. These letters by Leonard R. Clark written to his family in Jenkintown while serving with the US Navy in the South Pacific Theater. (Old York Road Historical Society Collection 2010.001.16)

Starting TONIGHT at 7:30pm! Take a tour around eastern Montgomery County with us!

Please virtually join us for the lecture tomorrow. All information to participate in the webinar is listed below and on the website. Also remember this is new to us too. While we have taken all necessary steps to provide a seamless experience for you, should things not go as planned, please have patience while we work out the issues. As always, we are so grateful for your support. We hope you enjoy the program and we look forward to the time when we can be together again.

Meet Emily Pope who is working toward her associate’s degree in history, and will go on to complete her bachelor’s in history, minoring in art history. She also volunteers with the Mercer Museum, Pearl S. Buck House, and Doylestown Historical Society. Emily is using her background and training to assist the Society in organizing the Shirley Dennis Papers, donated to OYRHS in 2016. Emily is also transcribing letters written by a Jenkintown couple while the German husband was held in France after WWII early in their relationship, as well as later while the wife was abroad completing research for her doctorate. Emily hopes to pursue a career in archiving and/or curating.

Meet Kathryn (Kat) Bleiweiss who is a senior at Arcadia University. Originally from Harrisburg, Kat contacted the Society over the summer regarding an internship she could use to complement her coursework. Majoring in art history, Kat is currently the President of the Society for Castle Restoration at Arcadia. Kat's previous experience in galleries, museums, and archives is providing a good foundation for her to assist in the processing of over 70 boxes of Cheltenham Art Center records. After graduation, Kat is hoping to pursue her master's degree in archival studies.