Call Number:

01

Repository:

Germantown Historical Society

Extent:

163.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

circa 1875-2012

Creator:

Germantown Historical Society.

Abstract:

Germantown, a section of northwest Philadelphia, was settled in the late 1600s. It is well known as the site of the first American anti-slavery protest, the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown, and the seat of the National government during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The Germantown Historical Society pamphlet boxes, circa 1875-2012, contain files on various topics relating to Germantown and surrounding areas.

Germantown, a neighborhood in the northwest section of Philadelphia, was the site of several nationally significant events. It was settled in the late 1600s by Mennonite and Quaker German-speaking emigrants and incorporated as a borough in 1689. Germantown is sometimes called the home of the American anti-slavery movement, because the first organized protest against slavery in the Americas was begun by four members of the Germantown Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1688. In 1777, the courage displayed by American troops at the Battle of Germantown helped to spur the French to assist the United States in the Revolutionary War. During the yellow fever outbreak of 1793, government officials escaping the epidemic in Philadelphia relocated to Germantown, and it served as the temporary home of George Washington and the First Bank of the United States.

Germantown was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia in 1854.

This collection is composed of subject files on various topics relating to Germantown and surrounding areas. Subjects include: ethnic groups, including African-Americans, Italians, and Jews; local professionals, including artists, authors, dentists, and doctors; religious groups and Germantown churches; local businesses and schools; wars, especially the Battle of Germantown; and social clubs and groups. The most common document type in the collection is pamphlets. The collection also includes mailings and circulars, ephemera and invitations, newsletters, and newspaper clippings. There is a small amount of original manuscript materials scattered throughout the collection.

Item inventories are included in certain boxes.