How Well Do You Really Know John Potts?

If you live in Pottstown, or any of the three Pottsgroves, you see or say his name 10 times a day.

But what do you know about the man, and the family, that gave this part of Pennsylvania its name? Chances are, not very much. 

Did you know he was one of America's first tycoons? Did you know he had 13 children, one of whom was a British loyalist?

This Saturday is your chance to change all that and get to know more about the man and is family.

On Saturday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m., Pottsgrove Manor will host a lecture by historian Dan Graham entitled, “The Potts Legacy.”

An expert on the early Pennsylvania iron industry and a genaeoligist of the Potts and Rutter families, Graham has done extensive research into the development of the region. 

In this program, Graham will talk about Pottstown’s founder, John Potts, his descendants, and the impact they had on the shaping of early Pottstown and the surrounding areas.

The talk serves as the closing event for the site’s current exhibit, “Pride of Place: The Local Legacy of the Potts Family,” which runs through Nov. 8. 

The exhibit can be viewed on a guided tour of the manor house during regular museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.. 

oTurs are given on the hour. The last tour of the day begins at 3 p.m. 

The site is closed Mondays and major holidays. Groups of ten or more should preregister by calling 610-326-4014.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown. 

Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department. 

For more information, call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor. 

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