Lansdale Historical Society

09/08/2026

BACK THEN by DICK SHEARER

Preserving some of Lansdale’s beautiful residential houses was less of a priority than progress back in the 1950s when the town was enjoying a business and industry jobs boom.
That meant more people moving to Lansdale and a corresponding increase in church membership. In the case of the Lansdale Methodist Church, acquiring the adjacent home of the late Dr. John Jacobs at Fourth and Broad Sts. was essential.
Jacobs, one of the town’s founders and a driving force in the community until his passing in 1922, built one of the community’s showplaces, a structure designed by now-famed architect Milton Bean.
We’ve written about the Jacobs’ house many times before this but we do so again to explain why the town lost so many unique buildings over the years.
Imposing as it was, Jacobs’ house was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Methodist congregation purchased the property in 1953 to meet its increasing needs for an educational center. The contents of the house were disposed of and contractor John Glenn was hired to liquidate the architectural features in 1958. The wrecker’s ball followed soon thereafter.
Stories like this are not unique to Lansdale. Decisions like the one the Methodists had to make were essential if their congregation was to grow with the times.

09/07/2026

BACK THEN by DICK SHEARER

Here’s one of those items from the past that most of us don’t remember. Jack Ramsay, the legendary basketball coach on both the college and pro levels was hired as manager of the new Nor-Gwyn Pool in 1958.
Ramsay, the head coach at St. Joseph’s College, was making the princely sum of $3,500 when he was hired to lead the Hawks in 1955. Jack, like most small-school coaches at that time, needed an off-season job to support his family.
Finances weren’t a problem for him later in life. Dr. Jack Ramsay rose to become a Basketball Hall of Fame coach in a career that included an NBA championship season with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977. He also coached the 76ers, Buffalo Braves and Indiana Pacers along the way.
Ramsay transitioned into a premier basketball analyst for the Sixers and ESPN after stepping away from the bench. He died in 2014 at age 89.
We don’t have any additional information on Jack’s job at Nor-Gwyn. We assume it couldn’t have been a long stay.

09/07/2026

One more day, Monday September 7th, to get your vote in. Which movie to show? 🤔

Old Time Movie Night in the Yard 🎬
Friday Evening, September 18, 2026, approx. 7:30pm
at the Jenkins Homestead
Presented by the Lansdale Historical Society

We have narrowed it down to 5 movies.
We need your help, vote which movie to present.
(In the comments choose 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5)

1 - THE WIZARD OF OZ 🌈— 1939
Starring: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr
Why vote for it: A timeless, colorful adventure filled with unforgettable songs and characters—a true classic that’s fun for all ages.

2 - THE MUSIC MAN🎺 — 1962
Starring: Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Ron Howard
Why vote for it: Music, comedy, romance and small-town America make this feel almost tailor-made for an old-fashioned outdoor movie night.

3 - SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN ☔— 1952
Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor
Why vote for it: One of Hollywood’s most beloved musicals, packed with great songs, dancing, comedy and plenty of old-Hollywood charm.

4 - THE GREAT RACE🏁 — 1965
Starring: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Natalie Wood, Peter Falk
Why vote for it: A big, colorful, laugh-filled adventure with outrageous characters, spectacular locations and plenty of slapstick fun.

5 - REAR WINDOW 🔭— 1954
Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr
Why vote for it: A classic Alfred Hitchcock mystery that turns a little neighborhood snooping into a wonderfully suspenseful night at the movies.

Monday, September 7th is the last chance to vote; then we tally the results to decide which movie to watch. 🍿

09/06/2026

BACK THEN by Pat Rieker

This schoolhouse photo ( #1) came to us with no identification except the name of the photographer, Daniel F. Zeigler of Souderton. After some research and comparison with other photos, we’ve concluded that this is probably the Skippack Creek Schoolhouse located on Allentown Road just south of Moyer Packing Co. (JBS Beef).

The Skippack Creek Schoolhouse was built in 1851. It was the first free (tax-funded) schoolhouse in Franconia Twp. For the first 20 years, lessons were conducted in the German language. The schoolhouse remained open into the mid-20th century. The building was later renovated and used as a conference facility by Moyer Packing Co.

The photos show the schoolhouse through its 175-year history.

Photo #1 likely dates to c. 1900.
Photo #2 was taken during the 1918-1919 school year.
Photo # 3 was taken by Henry D. Hagey in 1930.
Photo # 4 is a Google image of the schoolhouse as it now appears.

09/05/2026

BACK THEN by DICK SHEARER

Construction of the massive Green Lane Dam and Reservoir in 1958 did more than provide a huge recreation area for residents from miles around, it controlled the waterflow downstream along the Perkiomen Creek.
This meant an end to the almost annual flooding that plagued the creek when the rushing waters overpowered smaller dams that were built for mills, summer camps and seasonal vacation villages.
This 1935 aerial photo is an example of what happened when the Clemmer’s Mill Dam was submerged by a serious flood, the second in three years.

09/04/2026

BACK THEN by DICK SHEARER

General stores were the lifeblood of rural villages during the early years of our country, but as those hamlets grew into towns the shopping habits of the people they served changed with the times.
Specialty stores, often grouped side-by-side, opened to form a downtown shopping district where customers could walk door-to-door to find their needs, whether it be food, hardware, clothing or who knows what else.
It bred usually friendly competition among merchants selling the same goods, but it also made it easier for townspeople to walk from store-to-store to comparison shop.
During the early to mid-20th century, locally-owned grocery stores flourished, many affiliated with national or regional companies which brought name recognition, availability of specialty brands and discounted bulk buying for multiple affiliates. In Souderton, for example, an A&P affiliate opened at 114 Main St., (now Chrysalis Hair Design, seen here) just a stone’s throw from an American Store.
During the late 1920s, more than a dozen of these affiliate stores and neighborhood mom-and-pops operated around some towns, a far cry from the days when one general store was the only option for everything.

09/03/2026

BACK THEN by Pat Rieker

Generations of children have uttered the same question as they arrived home after a long day at school— “I’m hungry! What’s to eat?” These ads from The Reporter illustrate the challenge faced by generations of parents— How to provide a nutritious after-school snack for the kids without spoiling their supper. Whether it was homemade cookies, or bread & jelly with Mity-Nice bread and a glass of milk, or just a few Tritzels snacks, kids in Lansdale managed to stave off hunger until dinnertime.

What were some of the favorite after-school snacks of your generation?

09/02/2026

BACK THEN by DICK SHEARER

You can’t help noticing those four smiling faces as North Penn and Souderton prepared to launch their football schedule with a pair of non-league contests in September 1972.
There were fewer smiles at the end of November when the Bux-Mont League season ended with the Knights posting a 2-7 record and the Big Red only a little better at 4-5. As you might expect, Central Bucks West (9-0) won the championship.