Sunday, June 5, 2016

Historic Walking Tour Teams Up with Mercury Mile



Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown Historical Society.


The 2016 Historical Pottstown Walking Tour will be held by the Pottstown Historical Society on Thursday, June 16,  from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Tour begins at Smith Plaza at 150 E. High Street, in front of Borough Hall. Guides will take groups along High Street from Hanover Street to Manatawny and back. The tour will describe the succession of buildings and businesses from the 1700s until the present. Learn where George Washington slept!

But if you want a tour preview, it will also be incorporated into The Mercury Mile walk this Wednesday, June 8 starting at noon and meeting at the Smith Family Plaza to start as well.

The first blocks of E. High Street in Pottstown are as deep in history as any other half-mile stretch in Pennsylvania.

The array of buildings and businesses have evolved from the 1700s through the 1800s and 1900s to the present, from feed stores, harness manufacturers and coal bins to medical supplies, higher education, and high tech printing. Some of the constants have been residential units above the store fronts, as well as restaurants and saloons. History, including the history of Pottstown, is not for the faint-of-heart.

A bonus this year will be that the traditional after-tour light refreshments will be served in the lobby of the Security Trust Building, accessible from the building’s parking lot.

The new owner of the building, Win Somboonsong, has kindly offered Tour participants a view of Pottstown from the upper floors of the building.

The date and time of the Tour has been coordinated with the new Pottstown Farm and Artisan Regional Market, FARM, sponsored by PDIDA. The overlap of the Tour and FARM on Thursday, June 16th will allow attendees to participate in both activities.

Volunteers to assist with the Tour are welcome; please contact us. No previous experience or knowledge of Pottstown is required - we will train you in a jiffy!

About the Tour

Meet at Smith Plaza, the last group will leave Smith Plaza at 7:30 pm. Parking is available on S. Hanover Street, in the “Reading Lot”, next to the railroad tracks. The event is rain or shine.

There is no-charge for the tour although, for those able, a donation of $5 is suggested, which will include an expanded program.

The Walking Tour was first held from 2000-2003, under the leadership of Peggy Whittaker and Sue Krause, who then reintroduced the tour in 2015 with a stroll along N. Hanover Street. Stay tuned for information on the future 2017 Tour!

About the Pottstown Historical Society


The Pottstown Historical Society is dedicated to collecting and preserving the documents, photographs and artifacts of the history, people, community life and character of Pottstown

The public is invited to our open house from 1-4 p.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of each month – you may want to visit for research, or for an entertaining review of the past of your house, family and local attractions.

They also hold a program at 7 p.m. on the third Monday evening of every odd-numbered month. They welcome your interest, as well as your membership.

No comments:

Post a Comment