The Herald Fall 2013 Hark the happenings of the Historic Langhorne Association 160 West Maple Avenue, Langhorne, PA 19047 215.757.1888 http://www.historiclanghorne.org Become a fan of Historic Langhorne on Facebook September program: Bucks County Farmhouses Please join us on Monday, September 23rd, 2013, at 7:30 pm, when HLA hosts a program on Bucks County Farmhouses presented by Jeff Marshall, President of the Heritage Conservancy in Doylestown, PA. and author of a recent book on this subject. The program will he held at our headquarters in the Anna Mary Williamson Library located at 160 W. Maple Ave. in Langhorne. Mr. Marshall leads the Conservancy s principal mission-related initiatives including Lasting Landscapes, historic preservation, land protection negotiation, and high-level strategic master planning. Jeff has over 25 years of combined experience in land protection and historic preservation. He is actively involved in administering the conservation easement and facade easement programs with expertise in the employment of protection strategies for significant resources. He gives public education programs and acts as a preservation advocate throughout the community. In addition to Bucks County Farmhouses, he is also co-author of the recently published Barns of Bucks County as well other books on various aspects of Bucks County history and architecture. All programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the program. Copies of Mr. Marshall s book will be available for purchase and everyone is welcome to browse our museum and gift shop before and after the program. A lift is available at the rear of the building for anyone needing assistance in entering. October program: Arnold Brothers Postcards of Bucks County Jim Maier of Historic Langhorne Association will present a then and now program on postcards from the Arnold Brothers of Bucks County. Just after the turn of the last century, the Arnold Brothers published a numbered series of postcards featuring images of schools, churches, post offices, covered bridges and mills in Bucks County. Jim has been collecting postcards for about 15 years. As he acquires the needed postcards in the Arnold Brothers series to complete his collection, Jim travels to the site of the image and re-photographs the subject at the same view as the original image when possible. Many of these historic buildings and bridges are still standing more than 100 years since the Arnold Brothers first photographed them. The date, time and location of this talk is yet to be determined. More details will be available on our website and answering machine and email alerts will be sent to our email list. Our headquarters is located in The Anna Mary Williamson Library & Museum
HLA ARCHIVES SURVEYED BY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA As noted in our last newsletter, a team from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania conducted a survey in December, 2012, of the archival holdings of the Historic Langhorne Association as part of the Historical Society s Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the project s goal is to raise awareness of the often hidden archival collections in the many small, primarily volunteer-run historical repositories in the greater Philadelphia area, such as local historical societies, historic sites, and small museums with archival collections and then to make them more accessible. HLA recently received the final report of the project team. In addition to gathering descriptive information on the nature and content of the Association s archival collections, the team assessed the condition, quality of housing, degree of intellectual and physical access and overall research value of the collections. Overall the report concluded that HLA is doing an excellent job of caring for its archival materials and stressed the importance of insuring that all material is maintained in appropriate archival folders and enclosures and under appropriate environmental conditions such as stable, moderate temperature and humidity levels. The report categorized the Association s archives into fourteen separate collections: Historic Langhorne Association House Histories Ruth Ehrlen Irwin Collection Edward and Marguerite Vogenberger travel audiovisual materials and pamphlets Langhorne Library Company records Historic Langhorne Association photograph and photo postcard collection Park Land Association financial records and leases Historic Langhorne Association genealogy files Historic Langhorne Association clippings and obituaries collection Historic Langhorne Association collection of fraternal organizations records Mutual Beneficial Fire, Wind, and Storm Insurance Company records Middletown Township real estate tax assessments Langhorne Building and Loan Association records Historic Langhorne Association local history collection Wells Family papers The Historic Langhorne Association s archival collections descriptions have now been added to the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL) finding aid site at http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/pacscl/index.html. Membership Renewal information in the mail It is that time of year again. You should have already received HLA s annual membership renewal request letter and membership form in the mail. This truly is our most important source of the funds necessary to maintain the Historic Library building and grounds and to operate museum, library and archival collection. The more operating funds we can raise in this manner means the less pressure there is to rely on other fundraising projects that frankly take much more time and effort for our small group of active volunteers. We thank all of you for your past support and ask that you continue to support us for the 2013/14 membership year by making your membership contribution as soon as possible. If you have any questions about the organization or if you would like to discuss in more detail how we use the funds you so generously contribute, please feel free to contact Jack Fulton at the Association s phone number or email address.
Membership Update Historic Langhorne Association wishes to acknowledge the following membership contributions through August 31st, made since our last newsletter: For the 2012/13 membership year: REOcomplete Real Estate (Business donor) Jeff and Leigh Ann Knight (Family) For the 2013/14 membership year Begley, Carlin & Mandio, LLP (Business benefactor) Jean M. White and Don Minnick (Family) Chris and Mary Blaydon (Patron) Heritage Society of Penndel (Patron) Thank you all for your continued support of this organization Acknowledgements To Jeff Defrehn, Defrehn Roofing - Our sincere thanks to you and your company for the contribution of labor and materials to repair broken slates and install snow guards on the roof of the Old Library. To Pat Mervine and the Langhorne Council for the Arts - Congratulations on another very successful series of Summer Lectures held at HLA s building. The wide variety of topics and excellent presenters combined for five very enjoyable Tuesday nights and we look forward to hosting these again next summer. Recent Building Projects Repaired sidewalk, Hill Ave. side - A portion of the sidewalk had lifted due to tree roots from a tree that had been removed earlier creating a dangerous situation. Two sections of sidewalk were removed and replaced. Work performed by Taddei Masonry. Repaired front sidewalk - a portion of the sidewalk had slid downhill over time toward the front gate creating gaps in the sidewalk. Gaps were enlarged and filled with red brick to correct the situation. Work performed by Scotts All Season. New Handrails - Installed two new handrails on either side of the steps down from the front gate to the Maple Ave. sidewalk. Work performed by Maurer Welding. THANK YOU FOR REDNERS TAPES For almost seven years HLA has been collecting and redeeming your grocery register receipts from Redner s Market on Route 1 in Langhorne for which we have now earned more than $2,000.00. This money goes to help maintain our building and collections. We want to thank all those who have donated their tapes, including those individuals who mail or drop them off anonymously. If you would like to take part in this program, ask for a Save-A-Tape card the next time you are in Redners. You do not need to give your name or any other personal information. PLEASE NOTE: HLA receives 1% from the portion now designated as Today s Contribution on the Redner s tape. We encourage you to continue to send in your Redner s tapes and ask only that you be sure that the Today s Contribution amount appears on each tape that you submit. Also, tapes cannot be more than 3 years old to qualify for redemption.
2013 Spring Tea Welcomes Annie Oakley On Sunday, April 28, 2013, Historic Langhorne Association hosted our annual Tea Fundraiser at Wild Violets Tea Garden in Hulmeville. This year s theme was An Afternoon Tea with special guest, Annie Oakley. Thanks to Kim Hanley (RememberingTheLadies.com) for her first-person interpretation of Annie Oakley. Kim s presentation was delightful, and captured everyone s attention, as she took us through the life of Annie Oakley. Special thanks to Debbie Klimewicz, and her staff, for the lovely and delicious tea service, and her continued kindness to Historic Langhorne Association. We are grateful to Debbie for this wonderful day, while knowing this was her last party at Wild Violets Tea Garden. Judy Sloan and Lynda Johnson presented Debbie with an Historic Langhorne Association plaque and a Calla Lily plant from our entire organization, as a thank you for all she has done for us. Debbie, we will miss you. Historic Langhorne Association is blessed to have New Donations to HLA s Archives Pictured, from left to right - Judy Sloan, Kim Hanley as Annie Oakley, Lynda Johnson, Jean Noble wonderful volunteers, so special thanks to the Tea Committee Evelyn Aicher, Sandi Kaiser, Jean Noble, Judy Sloan, and Lynda Johnson, Chairperson It was a lovely day and a good time was enjoyed by all. Over the past several months, we have received several important donations to our Archives Collection. HLA President Jim Maier donated two photographs from the 1940s of a group of members standing in front of the Oaklihurst Chapel, now Calvary Community Chapel, on Durham Road, just outside Penndel. The photographs came with a post card announcing the Pre-Easter Evangelistic Campaign let by Rev. Raymond C. Hess. Dave Dunkerberger, who as a young man attended almost every race at the Langhorne Speedway, donated a DVD of races, most of which featured crashes, he had made by converting old home movies. Using his technological skills, Dave also converted an old VHS tape of the Speedway HLA had to a DVD to help preserve it. In August we received from Donald Dalassandro a copy of a photograph of the 1946 South Langhorne (Penndel) graduates of the Langhorne-Middletown standing in front of the old South Langhorne School on Hulmeville Avenue who was looking for information on his father, Daniel Dalassandro. His father was fifth from the left in the picture. We are always interested in obtaining photographs of Langhorne. Even those you may have from the 50s, 60s, and 70s will some day be historic! I.L. Kinney And The Superhighway Historic Newtown Association recently returned 23 by 33 sign for the I. L. Kinney Real Estate Agency. Ira Kinney lived on North Pine Street in Langhorne and passed away in 1952. In 1934 he was one of six realtors chosen to determine the price of land taken by the state to construct what became the Superhighway through Bucks County. At the time, he had been in the real estate business for more than 10 years buying and selling property. The other realtors included: Jesse Everitt from Hulmeville, Bertie Sylvester from South Langhorne (Penndel), Clinton Smith from Somerton, W. Forrest Magee from Newtown, and Lester L. Bond from Yardley.
VOLUNTEERS We have many projects in search of a volunteer such as updating our deed search files for houses in the borough, helping to improve our website, researching local topics or locating speakers for future meeting programs, helping to expand our membership rolls, developing ideas for periodic exhibitions of our artifacts collection and coordinating genealogy searches. In addition we are always looking for people willing to serve on our Board of Directors. Please stop in during our open hours or contact us by phone or email to discuss your interests and how you might you might be able to help this organization. 2013 Strawberry Festival Historic Langhorne held its annual Strawberry Festival on Sunday, June 2nd, on the Library grounds. We thank all of our volunteers for their hard work in making this a successful fundraiser and an enjoyable day for the community. The Day 2 band provided great music for the entire event. It was the perfect complement to strawberry, cake and ice cream, face-painting, children s games, craft tables and just enjoying a beautiful day in Langhorne. HISTORIC LANGHORNE GHOST TOURS Join us this fall for our annual Ghost Tours through Langhorne Borough. The tours are approximately one hour walking tours and begin at the Historic Langhorne Association headquarters building. Tours will run on Friday and Saturday nights throughout October. Please follow our website (historiclanghorne.org) for this year s schedule and further details including possible special Saturday night tours with the South Jersey Paranormal Research Group and a special Tour/Dinner/Talk event. If you or someone you know would be interested in joining our team of tour guides or if you have any stories about ghosts in your home, please contact Jim Maier by calling the Association or sending an email. Coming Attractions at Historic Langhorne Association Newly-acquired postcard picturing the former Langhorne Spring Water Company Water Tower. Join us for our October program for more postcards of the Langhorne/Bucks County Area. Monday, Sep 23rd, 2013, 7:30 pm Bucks Co. Farmhouses with Jeff Marshall. Free and open to the public. Refreshments provided. October Program Arnold Brothers Post Cards - Then and Now. Date, location and time to be announced. See website for details. - Free and open to the public. Refreshments provided. October, 2013 - Historic Langhorne Ghost Tours. Friday and Saturday evenings - see website for exact dates and times and ticket information. OTHER LOCAL EVENTS: Saturday, Oct 5th, 2013 - Olde Langhorne Harvest Day - sponsored by Langhorne Borough Business Association. Tuesdays through Oct 26th, 2013 - Langhorne Farmers Market - 3-6:30 pm at Jesse W. Soby American Legion Post
Historic Langhorne Association 160 W. Maple Avenue Langhorne, PA 19047 215.757.1888 Preserving our PAST To enlighten the PRESENT And provide for the FUTURE NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 50 Langhorne, PA 19047 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Historic Langhorne Association s Current Officers & Committee Chairs President Jim Maier Vice President Larry Langhans Treasurer Jack Fulton Recording Secretary Evelyn Aicher Corresponding Secretary Lynda Johnson Technology Charlie Lauble & Jim Maier Artifacts Evelyn Aicher Publicity Jean Noble Hostess Open Archives Larry Langhans & Jim Maier HLA Gift Shop Evelyn Aicher & Judy Sloan Finance Jack Fulton Genealogy Sandi Kaiser Holiday House Jean Noble Library Jean Noble Membership Jack Fulton Newsletter Jack Fulton Oral History Open Programs-Open Property Charles Lauble Sunshine Lynda Johnson Ways and Means Jean Noble Grant Advisor Kathy Horwatt House Plaques-Judy Sloan Tea Lynda Johnson Picture your name here and volunteer! HLA has three email addresses for communicating with us at our headquarters. General email- HistoricLanghorne1@verizon.net Archive emailhlaarchives@verizon.net Research emailhlaresearch@verizon.net OPEN HOURS Wednesdays 10am - 12pm & 7-9pm Saturdays 10am - 12pm...Or by appointment Admission is Free & Gift Shop Available W A N T E D Old photographs, postcards, maps or documents of Langhorne and neighboring towns for our archives. You can either donate the items or we will scan and return them to you. Photos of houses, businesses, streets or events are sought along with event brochures, programs, yearbooks, etc. Call or email us if you would like to donate or loan an item for preservation.