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Darby Borough Historical and Preservation Society local history collection, circa 1900-2012

Extent:
25.0 cubic feet
Abstract:
The borough of Darby in Delaware County, Pennsylvania was settled by Quakers in the early 1680s. It had its first Town Meeting in 1683 and was incorporated in 1853. The Darby Borough Historical and Preservation Society local history collection, circa 1900-2012, focuses on the history of Darby Borough and surrounding areas. It consists principally of secondary materials, such as copies of photographs and documents, computer print-outs of articles and narrative histories, newspaper clippings, printed materials including newsletters and ephemera, and genealogy research, with a very small amount of original materials such as scrapbooks.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Henry Shmith scrapbooks, 1950-1975 (bulk) 1924-1979 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Henry Shmith (also spelled Heinrich Schmitz and Henry Schmidt) was born on August 21, 1899 in Germany. Shmith traveled extensively, working as a professional chef at many locations in the Delaware Valley region of the United States and frequently returning to Germany for visits. He settled in Glen Mills, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, where he passed away in 1982. The Henry Shmith scrapbooks, 1924-1979 (bulk 1950-1975), consist of about 20 volumes compiled by Henry Shmith, with photographs as well as clippings, ephemera, stamps, greeting cards, and letters. The scrapbooks, heavily annotated by Shmith, mostly in German with some English, focus on areas in the Delaware Valley or in and around Germany (including Spiegelau).

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Delaware County Historical Society deeds and documents collection, 1681-20th century

Extent:
40.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Delaware County was the first section of Pennsylvania to be settled by Europeans, specifically Swedes in 1643. It was in the city of Chester, the original county seat of Delaware County, that William Penn and the General Assembly of Pennsylvania adopted Penn's "Great Law of Pennsylvania," which granted the right to vote, citizenship, freedom of religion and trial by jury to all settlers. Located adjacent to Philadelphia, Delaware County's suburban population grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Delaware County Historical Society deeds and documents collection, 1681-20th century, consists of over 8,000 deeds and similar property, estate, and legal documents. It includes a large number of 19th and 18th century documents - the earliest is from 1681 - as well as several deeds from William Penn and John Morton.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Chester Redevelopment Authority records, 1955-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Chester Redevelopment Authority (CRA) was the administrative agent for most economic and community development programs and activities in the City of Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Amidst controversy that CRA's grant programs had not adequately been administered, its funds were transferred to the newly-created Chester Economic Development Authority (CEDA) in 1995. The Chester Redevelopment Authority records, 1955-1995, consist largely of newspaper clippings, 1955-1995, with a large quantity of case files relating to the Emergency Rehabilitation Program, 1986-1991, and some folders on other CRA projects.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Delaware County Resource Recovery Facility permit applications, 1987

Extent:
0.4 linear feet
Abstract:
The Delaware County Resource Recovery Facility, an incinerator located in Chester, Pennsylvania, began commercial operation in 1992. The plant is currently owned and operated by Covanta Energy, and processes up to 3,348 tons of municipal and commercial solid waste each day. The Delaware County Resource Recovery Facility permit applications, 1987, consist of permit applications for the construction of the facility by Chester Solid Waste Associates.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Citizens Council of Delaware County records, 1958-1977 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.35 linear feet
Abstract:
The Citizen's Council of Delaware County (Pa.) is a county-wide citizens organization concerned with studying and making suggestions for solving the physical problems caused by the growth of the county. It was created in 1957 by the merger of the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association of Delaware County (CHPA) and the Citizens' Creek Valley Association of Delaware County (CCVA). The Citizens Council of Delaware County records, 1958-1977, include correspondence, minutes, pamphlets and brochures, ephemera, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and several maps. Subjects include Tinicum Marsh, the construction of the Blue Route, landfills, recycling, and open space / Rose Tree Park.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Lansdowne Stamp Club records, 1925-1960 (bulk) 1925-1994 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Lansdowne Stamp Club, founded in 1925 in Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, was one of the first stamp clubs on the eastern seaboard. The Lansdowne Stamp Club records, 1925-1994 (bulk 1925-1960), include administrative, membership, and financial records, as well as materials relating to stamp exhibitions, and copies of the club's newsletter, The Tattler.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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M. I. Marshall Pennsylvania Railroad Company agent records, 1956-1969 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), the largest railroad by traffic and revenue in the U.S. for the first half of the twentieth century, was founded in 1846. The company began to decline during the mid-20th century, and merged with rival New York Central in 1968 only to undergo bankruptcy within two years. The M.I. Marshall Pennsylvania Railroad Co. agent records, 1956-1969, consist of records created by PRR station agent M.I. Marshall from the mid-1950s to the late 1960s. Most of the records relate to PRR's Lansdowne station in Delaware County, Pennsylvania (as of 2013 a stop along SEPTA's Media/Elwyn Regional Rail line); a few relate to the Fernwood-Yeadon station, which is no longer active.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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William Penn School Board records, 1975-1979 (bulk) 1969-1979 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.67 linear feet
Abstract:
Located in southeastern Delaware County, Pennsylvania the William Penn School District serves students who live in the six communities of Aldan, Colwyn, Darby, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, and Yeadon Boroughs. Despite a protracted legal battle, the school district was established in 1972 per a state mandate to merge and desegregate schools from the districts of Lansdowne-Aldan, Yeadon, and Darby-Colwyn. The William Penn School Board records, 1969-1979 (bulk 1975-1979), consist of newsletters and minutes, court-related documents, press releases, financial reports, budgets, directories, a long-range plan, and some miscellaneous items.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Kiwanis Club of Yeadon records, 1941-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Kiwanis International is a coeducational service club founded in 1915 to "focus on changing the world by serving children, one child and one community at a time." The Kiwanis Club of Yeadon (Delaware County, Pennsylvania) was founded in 1939, and dissolved by the late 2000s. The Kiwanis Club of Yeadon records, 1941-2006, include a mostly complete set of annual reports, as well as some newsletters, reports of club elections, and photographs. There are also scattered materials relating to the club's history, club events, and club-sponsored scholarships, as well as some ephemera.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Delaware County Historical Society collection on Lansdowne Borough, 1919-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.67 linear feet
Abstract:
Settled in the early 1700s and incorporated in 1893, the Borough of Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, has a rich industrial and commercial history. Located just six miles from the center of Philadelphia, the town became a haven for middle-class families beginning in the early 20th century as well as a popular design location for the area's best architects, including renowned Philadelphia architect Frank Furness. The Delaware County Historical Society collection on Lansdowne Borough, 1919-2012, consists of records and materials relating to numerous Lansdowne institutions, organizations, and events. About one third of the collection pertains to Lansdowne-Aldan High School (formerly Lansdowne High School) class reunions.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne records, 1897-1997 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania was organized in 1897. The club organized social, educational, and philanthropic activities for its members to participate in. The club house building, designed by the architectural firm Heacock and Hokanson, opened in 1911 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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League of Women Voters of Delaware County records, circa 1960-circa 1999

Extent:
3.75 linear feet
Abstract:
The League of Women Voters was founded by Carrie Chapman Catt in 1920 to help women carry out their new responsibilities as voters. A non-partisan group, it encourages women to be active in politics by educating citizens about, and lobbying for, government and social reform legislation. The League of Women Voters of Delaware County is an Inter-League Organization comprised of three local League organizations in Delaware County, Pennsylvania: Central Delaware County, Haverford and Radnor. The League of Women Voters of Delaware County records, 1960-1999, include administrative and organizational records, event materials, and literature on local and national policy issues.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Tinicum National Environmental Center records, 1970-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Tinicum Marsh (in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties), the largest remaining freshwater tidal wetland Pennsylvania, is preserved as the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. When the area was threatened in 1969 by construction plans for Interstate 95, public and private groups rallied to save the land. In 1972, the Tinicum National Environmental Center was established by United States Department of the Interior. The Tinicum National Environmental Center records, 1970-1987, consist largely of reports relating to environmental preservation in Tinicum and wetland preservation, as well as related correspondence, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures, and financial papers.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Chester F. Baker local history research and family papers, 1925-1960 (bulk) 1864-1960 (inclusive)

Extent:
28.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Chester F. Baker (1891-1963) was a municipal engineer and amateur historian from the city of Chester in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Among his many affiliations with historical and genealogical organizations, Baker was president of the Chester Rural Cemetery Association and director of the Delaware County Historical Society. The Chester F. Baker local history research and family papers, 1864-1960 (bulk 1925-1960), consist of well over 100 binders with research materials on history topics, papers from organizations with which Baker was involved, and papers relating to his work as a surveyor. There are also a few personal and family photograph albums and scrapbooks.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Howell family papers, 1830-1880 (bulk) 1798-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Howell family were members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) who resided in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The Howell family papers, 1798-1929 (bulk 1830-1880), consist substantially of routine personal correspondence between several generations of the Howell family, particularly Sally R. Howell, Israel Howell, Mary Mott Howell, Joshua R. Howell, and Elizabeth Howell. The collection also includes a sizeable amount of school records, about 17 manuscript volumes from the early to mid-1800s, and drafts of poems and other writings.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Dr. Anna E. Broomall scrapbooks, 1900-1922 (bulk) 1841-1922 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.25 linear feet
Abstract:
Anna Elizabeth Broomall (1847-1931), from Delaware County, Pennsylvania, was a prominent physician who established one of the first clinics for out-practice maternity care in the United States. She was chief resident physician and instructor of obstetrics at the Woman's Hospital of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. Having an active interest in history, Broomall served as librarian and curator of the Delaware County Historical Society after she retired from medicine. The Dr. Anna E. Broomall scrapbooks, 1841-1922 (bulk 1900-1922) primarily consist of volumes of clippings that focus on historically-significant people, organizations, buildings, and events in Delaware County and Philadelphia. The collection also includes some glass-plate and film negatives as well as items, such as letters and ephemera, of historical and personal interest to Dr. Broomall.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Louise Deshong Woodbridge glass negatives, 1884-1905 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Louise Deshong Woodbridge (1848-1925), a member of the prominent Deshong family of Chester (Delaware County, Pennsylvania) was an active socialite as well as an amateur photographer and painter. Taking up photography in the early 1880s, Woodbridge had a fairly successful career with her work being exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Louise Deshong Woodbridge glass negatives, 1884-1905, consist of approximately 200 primarily glass plate negatives with some 4x5" film negatives that document the creator's family, friends, and social activities. They also document Delaware County and the surrounding area around the turn of the 20th century, particularly historic structures, such as the Woodbridge and Deshong mansions, and landscapes. Of special interest are some photographs of the White House, including the White House conservatory, and First Lady Ida McKinley.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Lansdowne School pupil directory and report cards, 1907-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:
17.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Lansdowne School was constructed by the Upper Darby School Board in the late 1880s in Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The building was demolished in stages from 1950 to 1986. The Lansdowne School pupil directory and report cards, 1907-1925, are organized into two series. The pupil directory cards date from 1911 to 1925 and generally include student's name, parents' names, birth date, address, and date of admission. The report cards, which date from 1907 to 1914, give each student's name, teacher's name, and grades for the year.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Delaware County Historical Society vertical files, circa 1850-2013

Extent:
85.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Delaware County was the first section of Pennsylvania to be settled by Europeans, specifically Swedes in 1643. It was in the city of Chester, the original county seat of Delaware County, that William Penn and the General Assembly of Pennsylvania adopted Penn's "Great Law of Pennsylvania," which granted the right to vote, citizenship, freedom of religion and trial by jury to all settlers. Located adjacent to Philadelphia, Delaware County's suburban population grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Delaware County Historical Society vertical files, circa 1850-2013, cover various local topics. Materials are mostly newspaper clippings, photocopies of newspaper articles, pamphlets and ephemera, research notes, narrative histories, transcripts, indexes, printed materials, copies of church and civil records, death and funeral records, and census and tax records, as well as some original documents and oral histories on audiocassette tapes and CDs.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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