Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area

Bidding is now open for our online Christmas auction! 200 lots available! https://maxsold.maxsold.com/auction/26427/bidgallery/ Spread the word! This platform gives the Historical Society 100% of the selling price.... After the auction ends you will receive an invoice which must be paid on line using a credit card. At the conclusion of the sale you simply pay online, schedule a pick-up time, then come to the front gate of the HSPA, located on Main Street, at your selected time. Our volunteers will bring your purchase to your car. If you have any questions, give us a call at (610) 246-5388. Auction closes on Tuesday, December 1st at 7PM.

Thank you for supporting our on-line Charity Yard Sales in June & July. We have decided to hold an on-line estate auction of 150 lots. It includes a number of higher end art pieces, as well as items for entertaining, kitchen, home décor, furniture, a variety of yard sale items, and even some jewelry. The auction is now open and will close on November 10 at 8PM. We are using a new on-line platform called Maxsold! This platform gives us 100% of the selling price. They charg...e the buyer a 15% buyer’s premium. That covers all advertising, credit card fees, and even an on-line pick-up registration. They also stagger the ending, so everything does not end at once. If a bid is received in the last 2 minutes, it will extend bidding on that item for 2 minutes more. This will continue until no new bids are made. Please note: After the auction ends you will receive an invoice which must be paid on line using a credit card. This Company does not allow us to accept cash or checks. At the conclusion of the sale if you win one or more auctions, you simply pay on line, schedule a pick-up time, then come to the front gate of the HSPA, located on Main Street, at your selected time. Our volunteers will bring your purchase to your car unless the item has a C at the end. Those are large furniture items for which you need to bring help to get the item down the steps and loaded into your vehicle. If you have any questions, give us a call at (610) 246-5388. https://maxsold.maxsold.com//phoenixville-penn/bidgallery/

We are very sad to learn of the passing of Dave. He was a founding member of the Historical Society and was instrumental in the society acquiring our current museum and property, amongst many many other things. He remained one of the most significant members of the society throughout his whole life and he will missed tremendously.

On September 11, 2001, this squeegee handle helped save the lives of six people. When a hijacked airplane struck the north tower of the World Trade Center, six ...men, including Polish immigrant window washer Jan Demczur, found themselves trapped in an express elevator near the 50th floor. Though they were able to stop the elevator from falling, the group was trapped between floors and could smell smoke. Together, they pried open the elevator doors and began to cut through the drywall of the elevator shaft, first with a pocketnife, then with handle of Demczur's squeegee. Eventually, they were able to punch a hole through the wall. The group fled downstairs and out into the street, escaping just minutes before tower fell. After learning about the group's harrowing escape, museum curator David Shayt contacted Demczur. Here's how he described what happened next: "I called Jan in December. . .met with him and asked him the big question: Did you hang onto the handle, do you still have that squeegee handle? He left the room and came back with something wrapped in a red handkerchief. Turned out to be the handle. He had kept the handle without realizing it. In his blind escape, he had somehow stuffed it in his pocket rather than put it in the bucket that he dropped later. His wife found it, rolled up in his dirty uniform, weeks later." Demczur agreed to donate the handle to the museum, along with the uniform and shoes he wore to work that morning. Reflecting on the donation in 2002, Shayt told the Washington Post: "It's collected not as a squeegee handle itself. . .but as evidence of life's affirmation."

Indoor Yard Sale - *By Appointment Only* Everyone must have a reservation to shop - absolutely no walk-ups will be admitted! In order to shop you must agree to wear a mask the entire time you are on HSPA property. We will take your temperature at the door before you enter. No one will be permitted to enter with a temperature of over 100 F or 37 C. You must also agree to disinfect your hands with hand sanitizer upon entering. Finally, please adhere to social distance guideli...nes while shopping. Make your reservation today to guarantee your spot by calling 610-246-5388 or 610-246-1546. Enter on Main Street (Cross street Church St) come up the stairs by the iron gate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma7FjZ8cN5o&feature=youtu.be