Call Number:

05

Repository:

Tri-County Heritage Society

Extent:

13.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

circa 1982-2008

Creator:

Cremers, Estelle

Abstract:

Estelle Harrop Cremers (1925-2010) was active in historic preservation, especially in Chester County, Pennsylvania, from the 1970s to the 2000s. Cremers served on boards and commissions of local historical organizations, helped develop the French and Pickering Creek Trust, worked as the coordinator for the Chester County Comprehensive Historic Sites Survey, researched and wrote nominations for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, free-lanced as a historic property and land researcher, and wrote five books on local townships. Estelle Cremers papers, circa 1982-2008, consist primarily of research materials accumulated or created by Cremers that relate to Chester County locations, properties, businesses, people, and other history related topics. Some of the research in the collection relates to locations in Montgomery, Berks, Lancaster, and other Pennsylvania counties. There is also some correspondence and other non-research related materials in the collection.

Estelle Harrop Cremers (1925-2010) was active in historic preservation, especially in Chester County, Pennsylvania, from the 1970s to the 2000s. Cremers served on boards and commissions of local historical organizations, helped develop the French and Pickering Creek Trust, worked as the coordinator for the Chester County Comprehensive Historic Sites Survey, researched and wrote nominations for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, free-lanced as a historic property and land researcher, and wrote five books on local townships.

Estelle Harrop Cremers (1925-2010) was born to David and Elsie (Robinson) Harrop in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1925. Estelle was an accomplished vocalist, attending the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for one year and graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music (1948), as well as receiving a bachelor's degree in school music from West Chester State College, now West Chester University, (1945). Estelle performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia-based American Opera Company, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony, and several oratorio societies. She was offered a place on the roster of the Zurich Opera Company in Switzerland, but declined in favor of marriage to William Cremers.

In 1949, Estelle married William L. Cremers, Jr. (1915-1992) and they had three children: William Leonard III, Matthew R., and Elisa "Lisa" M. Active in historic preservation, especially in Chester County, Estelle served as chairperson for the Historical Commission of Warwick Township, was on the board of Tri-County Heritage Society, helped develop the French and Pickering Creek Trust, worked as the coordinator for the Chester County Comprehensive Historic Sites Survey from 1979 to 1981, researched and wrote nominations to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, free-lanced as a historic property and land researcher, and wrote five books on local townships. She was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Chester County and received several other awards for her historical preservation work. She passed away on November 28, 2010.

Bibliography:

"Estelle Cremers" obituary. Pottstown Mercury (Pottstown, PA), November 30, 2010. Accessed August 26, 2016. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/phoenixvillenews/obituary.aspx?n=estelle-cremers&pid=146856542.

Estelle Cremers papers, circa 1982-2008, consist primarily of research materials accumulated or created by Cremers that relate to Chester County locations, properties, businesses, people, and other history related topics. Some of the research in the collection relates to locations in Montgomery, Berks, Lancaster, and other Pennsylvania counties. There is also some correspondence and other non-research related materials in the collection.

Research files include photocopies of primary-source documents, newspaper articles, research articles, maps, property line drawings, and photographs; some of these photocopies are annotated. There are also computer printouts, handwritten notes, original photographs and negatives (mostly of houses and property), and maps. Research materials are mostly related to land/property and organized into folders with topical or location-based headings. Topics include taverns, such as Swan Tavern, Jones Tavern, Eagle Tavern, and others. Places include Phoenixville, Warwick, Yellow Springs, Pickering Valley, and other locations. Other topics such as Sowbelly Railroad, Sunnybrook property, Warrenpoint, Whitestone, Windsor Forge, Welkinweir, and other subjects are also covered in the collection.

There is a box of newsletters, circa 1980s-2008, from various local history organizations, including Chester County Historical Society, Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area, Pennypacker Mills, and other organizations. There are also several boxes of unprocessed materials in the collection that will eventually be sorted into the subject file format.

There is some correspondence in the collection. It is a mix of personal letters and invitations, including some materials from the Curtis Institute of Music, and letters that relate to Cremers's historic research and preservation work.