Tickets are on sale now for the Historic Pottstown Holiday Tour which will be Sunday, December 8, from noon until 5:00 pm.
The Borough of Pottstown boasts many stunning, historic buildings – and
many will be festively decorated and warmly opened to the public tour.
All proceeds will benefit the Third Annual Pottstown GoFourth! fireworks festival in Memorial Park. (See below for details on how to enjoy the various holiday activities). This year’s festival will have a “Sunny 2020” Woodstock theme, planners say. In the meantime, holiday lovers can get in the spirit on December 8, beginning with a tea at the Elk’s Club, 61 E. High St., between noon and 3 p.m.
A trolley, sponsored by ROG Orthodontics and Pottstown Area Rapid Transit, will shuttle historic house tour-goers to about one dozen stops throughout the Borough while Pottstown historian Mike Snyder shares fascinating stories about our town’s past. The trolley tours will begin at 1:00 p.m. and again at 3:30 p.m., both leaving from Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 150 N. Hanover St. Cookies and punch — and raffle baskets — will be offered at Emmanuel, too.
Event planners note that the tickets are selling rapidly – with more than one half of the Historic Pottstown Trolley Tour available seats already taken.
A self-guided tour of the historic properties, all lovingly decorated for the season, may be taken between 1 and 5 p.m. A shuttle service will be provided to those interested, courtesy of Tompkins VIST Bank and Pottstown Area Rapid Transit. “This is a wonderful opportunity to peek inside some of Pottstown’s fantastic homes, many of which are perfect examples of architecture ranging from Queen Ann Victorian to Revival styles,” says Jo Bathurst, chair of the GoFourth! Historic Pottstown Holiday Tour. “The property owners who are participating will pull out all the stops to showcase these Pottstown gems. We truly appreciate their generosity in welcoming guests into their homes.”
“Even if you can’t enjoy the tour in person, you can show your pride in our beautiful community by purchasing the 2020 Pottstown Historic House Tour calendar, beautifully photographed by local artist Carol Brightbill,” adds Amy Francis, Pottstown GoFourth co-chair.
This Saturday, September 13th from 1-4 pm, Bethel AME Church will host a luncheon and book signing event on the site of their proposed new church at the corner of Lincoln and Grant Street in Pottstown.
Each year the church gives $500 scholarships to the high school graduates in the congregation who are pursuing higher education. They hold an annual fundraiser, among other fundraising activities throughout the year, in which they promote a book. This year they selected Legendary Locals of Pottstown, and I am so appreciative of their support and the big community gathering they have planned.
Admission to the luncheon is $10. Books will be available for purchase.
Several legendary locals will be on hand such as Donna Hennessey, George Wausnock, Dan Brunish, and more! Co-author and photographer Ed Berger and I will be there, too! Hope to see you there.
ArtFusion 19464 will host their fourth annual summer beef and beer fundraiser on Saturday, August 9 from 6-9pm. This year’s event will be held at the ArtFusion studios and gallery at 254 E. High St.
Tickets are $20 purchased in advance. If any are still available, tickets at the door will be $25. Tickets can be bought online athttp://artfusion19464.org/event/2014-beef-and-beer/, in person at ArtFusion, or over the phone by calling 610-326-2506. Guests can choose the beef entrée, or a vegetarian sandwich option.
Victory Brewing Company has once again generously donated their amazing beer for this event. Ice House will be making the hot beef sandwiches and Montesano Bros. will again be creating their amazing side salads and veggie sandwiches. There will be soda and water in addition to Victory beer and homemade desserts to finish off the meal.
Along with enjoying great food and great beer, guests will have the chance to win fun door prizes, try their luck at a 50/50 raffle and bid on silent auction items. Proceeds benefit ArtFusion 19464’s upcoming fall educational exhibit Rainbow Crow and Other Stories. This show will feature artwork inspired by Native American stories.
The non-profit community art center will once again be offering free field trips to local schools in conjunction with this show. Please email info@artfusion19464.org for more information on scheduling a field trip. The Rainbow Crow field trip program is generously sponsored by the Foundation for Pottstown Education.
ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.
This comes to us from ArtFusion 19464. For quite some time I have been curious about what we know about the Lenni-Lenape in Pottstown. This looks to be an informative, fun, and fascinating way to re-connect with the Native Americans who lived upon and walked this land before us.
Native American Memorial
In 1859, workers clearing a mound in an area on the south side of the borough unearthed skeletal remains and artifacts of an ancestor of the Lenni-Lenape people. Over the next twelve years many more remains and artifacts were unearthed in this area. Many of the remains and items were initially exhibited locally, but over time they have been lost.
In 2000, then mayor Anne Jones headed up a campaign that resulted in the Memorial currently located at the intersection of South Franklin Street and Industrial Highway. The site sits on land generously donated by the family of Mr. Tim O’Conner, owner of Humphrey Flag Company.
The memorial, which was originally dedicated on May 5, 2000, is an acknowledgement and a recognition of the people whose spirits inhabit those grounds. Unfortunately, in recent years, the memorial has been neglected. In an effort to bring new life and attention to this memorial, Ron Williams and Clanmother Star Harbach have organized a re-dedication of the memorial on May 3 and a pow wow on May 3 and 4. Williams says: “The Memorial is my primary objective. The Pow Wow is a way of creating interest. I am hopeful that in time we can do more to make this memorial a local landmark that we can be proud of. It should be a place of cultural awareness. Future plans will include warm weather monthly story-telling circles, new plants representing the indigenous features of the pre-colonial period, a medicine wheel, lighting and a sculpture representing the culture of the Native Americans, for starters.”
The rededication ceremony will begin at 9am on Saturday, May 3 at the site, which is at the corner of Franklin St. and Industrial Highway near the river. Frankie and Johnnie’s has generously offered the use of their parking lot for those who want to attend. Afterwards the festivities will switch to Memorial Park.
The pow wow will take place from 10am-6pm on Saturday and from 10am-5pm on Sunday at the Veteran’s Memorial in Memorial Park. Visitors will be treated to dances from many different tribes. In between the dances, a storyteller will entertain and educate with traditional tales. Guests will be able to shop at different Native American vendors, who will be selling leather crafts, jewelry, beadwork, instruments, wood sculptures, herbal teas and more. Author Gretchen Hardy will be selling signed copies of her book. Buttons& Beads: Lenape Princess Wynonah and the Future President, an historical fiction book illustrated by Zoungy Kligge, takes what is known of these intrepid ancestors and weaves them into one Lenape woman, Wynonah, who becomes their collective voice. A portion of the sales of her book will be donated to the Memorial fundraiser. There will also be an interactive education tent run by Laura and Ron Buckwalterwhere visitors can learn more about the Lenape people. Outside of the main pow wow site, other local groups including ArtFusion 19464 will be set up.
The event will begin with a Grand Entrance and opening ceremony at 12pm on Saturday. Following the opening ceremony, there will be a Veteran’s Dance, where military veterans and those currently serving are invited to participate to honor their service. The dancing will continue until 6pm. At 7pm, group Spirit Wing entertain the community with a free concert open to the public. The pow wow on Sunday will also begin with a Grand Entrance at 12pm. The events that day will end at 5pm.
Clanmother Star will MC the event and Joe Camaho will be whip man for the event, a ceremonial position responsible for lining up the dancers for the Grand Entrance. Medicine Horse Singers will drum for the dancers.
The entrance fee for the pow wow is $5, cash only. Children 6 and under are free. Visitors can park in the Memorial Park lot and at the lot by the Carousel building on King Street. There will be a free trolley running from the Carousel parking lot up to Pottsgrove Manor, where the annual May Day festivities will also be taking place on Saturday.
Please note that the back gate at the Veteran’s Memorial in the park will be closed to the public. All events will run rain or shine.
The organizers and dancers ask that visitors only take pictures when they are told it is allowed, as a matter of respect. Those who do not follow these rules will be escorted from the event.This is a pet friendly event. Well-behaved pets on a leash are welcome, and owners are asked to be courteous and clean up after their pets.
All funds raised during this weekend will go toward establishing an annual celebration and the maintenance and improvement of the monument. The site will be updated to make it a place of learning, with a regular schedule of storytelling and other events that will take place on site. The pow wow will be an annual event, in an effort to continue the recognition of what was lost.
In conjunction with this effort to create the awareness of the Native American contribution to the history of this nation, Representative Mark Painter will also be presenting a resolution in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on June 2, to recognize this year as the 90th anniversary since Native Americans were granted full United States citizenship. Until 1924, Native Americans were not citizens of the United States, but on June 2, 1924 Congress granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. under the Indian Citizenship Act.
This comes from Rev. Vernon Ross, Jr., Pastor of Bethel AME Community Church.
You are invited to attend and to encourage your congregation, family, friends, and others to attend the Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 4:00 PM.
The Celebration will take place at The Hill School Center for the Arts, and the Pottstown Community Martin Luther King Choir will be singing. Our special guest will be Mr. David Carlisle, Director of Music, Ms. Melanie R. Hill, Violinist, and Minister Adrien Gale, Soloist.
The proceeds of a free will offering will be given to the Pottstown School District to support their Math/STEM Programs. This is a wonderful opportunity to help our youth in the Pottstown Community! We hope to see you!
Pottsgrove Manor’s annual Candlelight Tour once again coincides with Pottstown’s Historic Holiday House Tour. See Evan Brandt’s blog post here for all the details and enticing photos. Great opportunity to see the insides of some of Pottstown’s loveliest historic homes… including that of our founder, John Potts!
There are a couple of book talks/signings coming up in the next week for the Legendary Locals of Pottstown book, co-authored by photographer Ed Berger and me. Come out to meet some Legendary Locals, learn more about the history of Pottstown through its legends, and how we put this book together. BOOKS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ($21.99) Look forward to seeing you!
The first event is at the Pottstown Regional Public Library at 500 E. High Street this Sunday, from 1-3 pm. The library is opening just for us!
Then, next Wednesday, November 6th at 7 pm, there is a talk/signing at the Schuylkill River Greenway Association at 140 College Drive in Pottstown. This is a really cool former PECO substation that is used by the Greenway and owned by Montgomery County Community College, and they’ve got a fabulous permanent exhibit about the history of the Schuylkill River. You can learn about Pottstown’s people and the river all in one fell swoop.
Pottsgrove Manor will host a lecture by historian Dan Graham on the colonial iron industry this Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. Graham has conducted extensive research on early ironworks in Pennsylvania and on the Potts and Rutter families. His talk will focus on the development and implementation of the Potts family’s colonial-era iron production and distribution system.
He will discuss the evolution of their multi-forge, multi-furnace organization and how the expansion of their iron distribution practices kept up with industry demands, making Thomas Potts and his son, John Potts, some of the most successful ironmasters of their day.
There is a suggested donation of $2 per person for the program.
After the lecture, tours of John Potts’ manor house and the museum’s current exhibit, “Forging a Lifestyle: Ironworking with the Potts Family,” will be offered.
This will be one of the last opportunities to see the exhibit, which will close on Nov. 3.
“Forging a Lifestyle” can also be viewed during a guided tour of Pottsgrove Manor during regular museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tours 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 pre-register 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, & Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department.
ArtFusion and Cheapniteout Productions are proud to present Jazz Nite III. This event is a fundraiser for our non-profit community art school.
The High St. Swing Co. is back for another night of fantastic jazz, from be-bop to classic. The music lasts from 7-10pm on Saturday, November 2. Refreshments will be available for purchase, and the event is BYOB for those over 21.
Tickets are $10 (cash only please) and can be purchased in advance at ArtFusion during regular business hours: Tuesday-Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-3pm.
This event sells out every time, so we recommend purchasing your tickets
as soon as possible!
The night of the event we do ask that you arrive 15 minutes before curtain time. Please park in the large lot behind our building and come in through our back door. (For detailed directions please call 610-326-2506 or email us.)
ArtFusion is a federal charitable 501(c)3 non-profit community art school and gallery. Our mission is enrich the lives of the residents in the greater Pottstown area through the visual arts, regardless of ethnicity and economic situations. Our goal is to spark creativity, build self-confidence and develop community bonds through education, mentoring and community service.
For more information on ArtFusion, our current gallery exhibit,
and our great classes, please visit our website.
The Legendary Locals book launch party will take place Sunday, October 20th from 1-4 pm at Grumpy’s Sandwiches (137 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464).
Come on out, meet authors Sue Repko and Ed Berger, and get a copy of the book! Legendary Locals of Pottstown features the people who have contributed – and continue to contribute – to the life of our community in ways large and small.
Book talks and signings are also scheduled for:
Sunday, Nov. 3rd, 1-3 pm, Pottstown Regional Public Library, 500 E. High Street, Pottstown.
Wednesday, Nov. 6th, 7 pm, Schuylkill River Greenway Association, 140 College Drive, Pottstown.
The book costs $21.99 and is also available at these local retailers: Grumpy’s Sandwiches, Coles Tobacco, Pottstown Roller Mills, and Professional Pharmacy
Positively Pottstown blog 