Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: October 1991 Volume 29 Number 4, Page 134

Foreword

Page 134

Before the railroads, the Schuylkill River was used by some of the farmers in the Great Valley and this area to transport their produce to the markets of Philadelphia. At our June meeting the Club visited Lock 60 at Mont Clare, a part of the canal system built by the Schuylkill Navigation Company in the early 19th century. Our first article in this issue is a transcript of the talk given at that time by Bob Elmer and Leslie Lighton-Humphreys, both very active members of the Schuylkill Canal Association

Our next article shows graphically how Devon grew and developed from farm land near a new railroad station in 1881 to a fair-sized town "of large and handsome country residences" and estates a quarter of a century later. Its growth is shown by maps from various "railroad atlases" of the period.

In every family there are anecdotes and sayings that have a special meaning or significance to the members of the family, and have become a part of the family's tradition. In our next article are examples of some of this "family folklore", shared by several club members (and others) at a meeting of the Club early this summer.

Joel D. Alderfer, the author of our fourth article in this issue, is the curator/librarian/archivist for the Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania located in Harleysville, Pa. He was the speaker at this year's annual meeting of the Diamond Rock School Old Pupils' Association, and his talk on the Mennonites in the Chester Valley was transcribed for the Quarterly through the courtesy of the Old Pupils' Association.