Posted on May 8, 2012 by nphistory
Join Us!
Sunday, June 3rd at 2 pm at The Helen Kate Furness Free Library
Formed in the ice ages, the Delaware River was an early trade route for the Indians and exploration route for Europeans. It has served as a means of transportation and a facilitator for early settlements and later industries. It has been vital in wars, old and recent. It has hosted queens and pirates, pleasure boats and aircraft carriers.
Join us as Ms. Webster takes us on a historical tour of the River.
The program is free and open to the public.
Filed under: Programs & Events | Tagged: Blackbeard, Chester, Delaware River, Nancy Webster, Nether Providence, Wallingford | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 23, 2012 by nphistory
Click to enlarge.
An informal memorial has sprung up at the corner of Dogwood Lane and Plush Mill Road, near the former home of the late Dick Clark. Clark and his family lived in Nether Providence in the early 60s, while he hosted American Bandstand in West Philadelphia.
An article in the January 1961 Delaware County Daily Times reports on an impromptu visit he paid to a Junior Assembly Dance being held at Summit School across the street from his home. The ‘tweens’ in attendance must have been thrilled when he stuck around to watch them do “The Pony.” Don’t remember that dance craze, made popular by Chubby Checker’s song, Pony Time? Take a look.
Click to enlarge.
Filed under: Articles | Tagged: American Bandstand, Dick Clark, Nether Providence, The Pony, Wallingford | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 19, 2011 by nphistory
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This is the first in a new series of articles, In the News. To receive notification of new postings, subscribe (top of the left column) or ‘like’ us on Facebook (top of the right column) or both!
In its February 12th issue, the Chester Times reported on Dick Clark’s new home and the Nether Providence School Board meeting.
The Clark family lived at the corner of Dogwood Lane and Plush Mill Road until 1964, when American Bandstand moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. It wasn’t to be the property’s last ‘brush with greatness’. In 1966, Ingrid Jacobson married singer-songwriter Jim Croce in the backyard. Rabbi Louis Kaplan of Ohev Shalom officiated. Ingrid Croce confirmed the location of their nuptials in her response to a 2010 email: “My family and I did live in Dick Clark’s home in Nether Providence and Jim and I were married there, on a little bridge over the creek. It was on Dogwood Lane.” Jim and Ingrid Croce were a folk duo Continue reading →
Filed under: Articles, In the News | Tagged: American Bandstand, Dick Clark, Jim Croce, Nether Providence, ohev shalom, Pennsylvania, Strath Haven, Wallingford, Wallingford Swarthmore | 1 Comment »
Posted on November 1, 2011 by nphistory
Speaker Gene Pisasale will trace General Lafayette’s arrival in America from France at age 19 and his rise to fame as a trusted member of General Washington’s military staff and his participation in the Battle of Brandywine.
Local historian Gene Pisasale is a member of Chadds Ford Historical Society, American Friends of Lafayette and Friends of Brandywine Battlefield. A lifelong history buff, Pisasale is the author of Lafayette’s Gold – The Lost Brandywine Treasure, an historic novel.
The lecture will take place at the Helen Kate Furness Free Library on Sunday, November 20 at 2:00pm. On display will be two items from the Leiper House’s collection; Mrs. Thomas Leiper’s invitation to a ball held in Lafayette’s honor, and a copy of a letter written by a Leiper relative describing the lavish event.
For more information, visit the Society’s website or its Facebook page.
Filed under: Programs & Events | Tagged: Delaware County, Furness, Lafayette, Nether Providence, Pisasale | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 6, 2011 by nphistory
In December of 1929, the editor of The Phoenix, Swarthmore College’s campus newspaper (then and now), received a letter regarding an incident which took place during the wee hours of Halloween.
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December 4, 1929
Mr. Thomas S. Niceley, Editor In Chief
Swarthmore Phoenix (1)
Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.
Dear Sir:
On the night of October 30th (2) a very peaceful cow was missed from my barn. On the same night a cow, I am told, was discovered on the second floor of Parrish. Rumor has it that these two cows were one and the same. It does not seem possible that my cow could have wandered to Parrish unassisted. If she was assisted I am filled wonder and amazement. This particular animal, when out, has a decided antipathy to assistance of any sort and would require the whole football squad to manage her.
Under the circumstances I am filled with curiosity and envy; curious to know if this cow discovered in Parrish was really mine; envious because I should have liked to have been in on the fun.
Continue reading →
Filed under: Articles | Tagged: Alan Valentine, Crumwald, McDiarmid, Nether Providence, R. Brognard Okie, Swarthmore College, Wallingford, William A. Clarke | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 19, 2010 by nphistory
Announcing…A Brief History of Nether Providence
Compiled by Merv Harris and published by the Nether Providence Historical Society, the book traces the history of Nether Providence from its pre-colonial days, through its transition from farming community to suburb.
Join us for the book’s release on Monday, November 29th at 7:00 pm at the Helen Kate Furness Free Library.
Books will be available for purchase and Merv will be on hand to sign your copy.
If you can’t make it to the event, the books will be on sale at Furness Library and at Nether Providence Township Building.
Filed under: Programs & Events | Tagged: Delaware County, Helen Kate Furness, Historical Society, Nether Providence, Pennsylvania | 1 Comment »
Posted on April 2, 2010 by nphistory
The corner of Providence and Rose Valley Roads was known as Palmer’s Corner. It marked a corner of the Palmer-Ryan farm.
In 1939, on 50 acres of the former farm, at Rose Valley Road and East Country Club Lane, Roach and Roach Builders began construction on Providence Village. The parcel was divided into 38 homesites of approximately 1/4 acre each. The developer seemed to be of two minds when marketing the location; in some ads calling the neighborhood “Providence Village of Swarthmore” and others calling it “Providence Village in Wallingford.” In every ad, the bucolic setting was described – “The location…with its adjoining golf course and century old wooded section will appeal to you and your family and will maintain its present desirability for all time.” The adjoining course was the public Mary Lyons Golf Course which had not yet been developed. Private Springhaven Club (at that time offering swimming, tennis and golf) was just to the south. The wooded section was described as “ten acres of virgin hardwood forest” Continue reading →
Filed under: Articles | Tagged: Mary Lyons, Nether Providence, Palmer, Palmer's Corner, Roach and Roach, Springhaven | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 2, 2010 by nphistory
Springhaven Clubhouse, c.1907
The Golf Association of Philadelphia’s website includes a brief history of Delaware County’s first golf club – the Springhaven Club, formed in 1896.
Eleanor Reed toured Europe in the summer of 1896, saw golf being played in France, tried it herself, fell under its spell, and returned to her home in Media eager to organize a golf club there. Fortunately, several of her neighbors— Dr. Casper T. Miller, who had also recently played in Europe, and Henry and Ida Dixon, who had been introduced to the game some months earlier in Bermuda— were equally enthusiastic.
Continue reading →
Filed under: Articles | Tagged: Casper Miller, Eleanor Reed, Golf Club, Horace Rawlins, Ida Dixon, Nether Providence, Springhaven | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 12, 2010 by nphistory
by Donna Ferruzzi
The following is the transcript of a local radio address from 1950. It was published in a leaflet recently discovered in the Furness Library’s archives. I transcribed the leaflet in its entirety, without editing. The endnotes are mine, provided to add more information about the people and facts mentioned in the text.
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Broadcast by Alexander B. Geary (1) over WPWA (2) on Library Day, January 17, 1950:
The article in the Chester Times (3) on January 10th showing the picture of the building with my name in the item below, has resulted in numerous telephone calls for definite information. Many ask what induced the Furness family to establish the library.
Dr. Furness did not initiate the library but this love for the children of the community and interest in Wallingford, resulted in the fine building and the noted library.
Continue reading →
Filed under: Articles | Tagged: Alexander B. Geary, Helen Kate Furness, History, Horace Howard Furness, Nether Providence, Pennsylvania | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 11, 2010 by nphistory
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, curator of the 1785 Leiper House and NPHS board member Angela Hewett, will give a talk on the love letters of Thomas and Elizabeth Gray Leiper. To find out more about the Leipers, click here.
Monday, February 8th at 3:00 pm
Plush Mills Senior Living will host the program and provide refreshments – 501 Plush Mill Road in Wallingford.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended. Call Plush Mills at 610-690-1630.
Filed under: Programs & Events | Tagged: History, Nether Providence, Pennsylvania, Thomas Leiper | Leave a comment »
Nether Providence Historical Society 