The Historical Society presents a variety of events and programs throughout the year. We invite you to join us - you'll always learn something new!
Upcoming Events
Saturday September 23, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PMHow the Streets Got Their Names
Many of Norristown’s streets are named after the prominent individuals and families who resided in the area in the nineteenth century. This event will feature a walking tour and presentation that takes a look at the stories of these people and families that have formed Norristown’s identity. The walking tour will begin at 11:00 followed by light refreshments inside the Cemetery’s gatehouse with a presentation from 11:45 pm to 12:30 pm. The presentation will be provided by Barry Rauhauser, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Montgomery County. With almost 6,000 known burials, Historic Montgomery Cemetery holds the remains of some of the most prominent citizens, veterans and reformers in the county and nation. From five Civil War generals to many captains of industry, it tells the story of the nation through the lives it represents. The entrance to Montgomery Cemetery is at the end of Hartranft Avenue, off of West Main Street, Norristown. Parking during the event will be made available inside the Cemetery gates. Tickets for the event are $15 and include the walking tour, refreshments, and presentation. Tickets are limited to reserve a seat call 610-272-0297 or go online at hsmcpa.org to reserve your spot. |
Tuesday September 26, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PMIntermediate Genealogy ClassesThe Historical Society of Montgomery County’s fall genealogy course will help you delve deeper into the past! Genealogist Rose Brown will present this four week workshop, Intermediate Genealogy, for those who want to go further into their genealogical research and learn more about the process of tracking down history. Cost for the series is $40 for non-members, $10 for members. Call (610)272-0297 to register. |
Saturday October 7 - All DayCLOSEDWe will be closed on Saturday, October 7, 2017 and Monday, October 9, 2017 in order to celebrate the Columbus Day weekend. |
Monday October 9 - All DayCLOSEDWe will be closed on Saturday, October 7, 2017 and Monday, October 9, 2017 in order to celebrate the Columbus Day weekend. |
Thursday October 19, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PMHistoric Barns of Southeastern Pennsylvania: Architecture & PreservationJoin us for our next presentation in our Making History Greater Series when Greg Huber presents Historic Barns of Southeastern Pennsylvania: Architecture & Preservation
Greg Huber is a barn and house historian, consultant, and owner of Past Perspectives and Eastern Barn Consultants – historic cultural resource companies. Huber has specialized in house and barn architecture of Holland Dutch and Pennsylvania Swiss-German culture areas that include more than 8,000 vernacular houses and barns. He has authored more than 230 articles on architecture and is co-author of two books – the second edition of The New World Dutch Barn (2001) and Stone Houses – Traditional Homes of Pennsylvania’s Bucks County and Brandywine Valley (2005). He has also led 60 tours and given more than 195 lectures on architecture in the past 25 plus years. He won the Alice Kenney award and the Allen Noble Book Award issued by the Pioneer America Society. As part of its mission to promote and interpret the history of Montgomery County, the Making History Greater series features scholars, authors, and historians who are currently working on telling new stories about the complexity of our region’s history. Presentations are held at the Historical Society located at 1654 DeKalb Street in Norristown, PA. Thursday presentations begin at 5:00 with a social gathering and light refreshments. Presentations begin around 5:30 and last for about an hour with time for questions at the end. This program is free and open to the public. |
Tuesday October 24, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMThe History of StyleOn October 24, 2017 the Historical Society of Montgomery County will present a class on understanding early American styles in furniture, architecture, and other decorative arts. Style can be baffling. But it can also be a very informative part of our knowledge about the past. Getting to know and recognize the various fashionable and regional styles that came and went in early America can help us better understand the history of Montgomery County, PA! This workshop will take a look at various styles in the decorative arts and architecture in early America. We’ll look at the ways in which the appearance of objects changed over time from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century. We’ll look not only at style, but also changes in materials, production, distribution, and consumption. We’ll look at why these styles changed and what it tells us about the past and what it might even tell us about our present and future. Where: The class will be held at 1654 DeKalb Street, Norristown, PA in the Meeting Room of the Historical Society of Montgomery County When: October 24, 2017, 6:00pm to 8:00pm Cost to attend the workshop is $15 for non-members and $10 for members. Call to reserve your spot: 610-272-0297 |
Saturday November 11 - All DayCLOSEDWe will be closed on Saturday, November 11, 2017 in honor of Veterans' Day. |
Thursday November 23 - All DayCLOSEDWe will be closed on Thursday, November 23, 2017 and Saturday, November 25, 2017 in order to celebrate the Thanksgiving Day weekend. |
Saturday November 25 - All DayCLOSEDWe will be closed on Thursday, November 23, 2017 and Saturday, November 25, 2017 in order to celebrate the Thanksgiving Day weekend. |
Thursday November 30, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMHistoric ArchitectureOn November 30, 2017 the Historical Society of Montgomery County will present a workshop on understanding Historic Architecture in our region. Historic Architecture will introduce attendees to the fundamental tools you’ll need to start seeing your house in a new light. We’ll cover introductory topics on historic architecture including: formal and vernacular architecture, regional differences in house types (pre-1850), basic styles and construction techniques from 1700 to 1920, how to measure and draw a house, and how to look around at the landscape of houses in Montgomery County. Where: When: Cost: |
The Historical Society of Montgomery County announces a special combination event on Saturday, September 23, 2017, that looks at some of the families and individuals for which some of our local streets take their name. The event will feature a walking tour of Historic Montgomery Cemetery that begins at 11:00 am followed by light refreshments inside the Cemetery’s gatehouse with a presentation from 11:45 am to 12:30 pm.
For anyone who has ever admired a barn on an old country lane, this is the story of that barn and many others in Southeastern Pennsylvania, or, specifically, “the hearth,” the area east of the Susquehanna River and South of the Blue Mountains. One of the earliest settled areas in North America, this region of the Keystone State, which includes eleven counties, is home to an astounding 20,000 standing barns, in various states of repair, built from the mid 1700s on. During the presentation, historian Greg Huber will discuss how barns are classified, architectural aspects and regionalisms of barns, barn decoration and barn preservation.