Call Number:

08

Repository:

Tri-County Heritage Library

Extent:

12.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

circa 1970s-2016

Creator:

Tri-County Heritage Library (Elverson, Pa.)

Abstract:

The region of southeastern Pennsylvania where southern Berks, northern Chester, and eastern Lancaster counties meet is known locally as the "Tri-County" area. The Tri-County area was first settled by Welsh immigrants, and later by German, Irish, and Scottish immigrants. While the area was largely agricultural, it also developed into an important early industrial corridor. In the early twenty-first century, the Tri-County area is a mix of farmland, industry, and suburban real estate development. The Tri-County Heritage Library obituary collection, circa 1970s-2016, consists of obituaries from residents of the Tri-County area. There are original newspaper clippings as well as photocopies of the obituaries.

The region of southeastern Pennsylvania where southern Berks, northern Chester, and eastern Lancaster counties meet is known locally as the "Tri-County" area. Chester County was established by William Penn in 1682 as one of the three original Pennsylvania counties. Lancaster County was established in 1729 from the western part of Chester County and Berks County was established in 1752 from the northern section of Chester County as well as parts of Lancaster and Philadelphia Counties.

The Tri-County area was first settled by Welsh immigrants who migrated westward from the Welsh Tract region around Radnor, PA in the early 1700s. While the area was largely agricultural, it also developed into an important early industrial corridor. The settlers established iron forges and furnaces as well as wool, paper, grist, and saw mills along the banks of the French and Conestoga creeks. The region also included mines for iron ore, copper, Kaolin (clay), and limestone quarries, which contributed to its industrial growth.

As forests were cut to produce charcoal to fuel the furnaces and forages, the landscape became more agricultural, with large farms established by the Germans who began migrating to the area in the early to mid-eighteenth century. Irish and Scottish settlers also came, purchasing large tracts of land for farming, as well as working in the mines and quarries.

In the early twenty-first century, the Tri-County area is a mix of farmland, industry, and suburban real estate development. The eastern part of Lancaster County consists primarily of rural communities of Amish and Mennonite farmlands, where tourism is also a major industry. The southern region of Berks County continues as an agricultural center, although in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century period Berks County experienced an era of industrial growth, particularly the area along Schuylkill River around the City of Reading. Northern Chester County remains largely agricultural with areas of industry and suburban development.

The Tri-County region is home to several historic sites, including Joanna Furnace, Geiger Mill, and several historic homesteads and districts. French Creek Valley, home to Hopewell Furnace, is located in both Berks and Chester Counties. The Tri-County Heritage Library was originally established in 1970 as the Morgantown/Caernarvon Historical Society, focusing on a smaller area within the region. The organization later broadened its geographic area of focus and in 1990 was incorporated as the Tri-County Heritage Society. The society's mission was to collect, preserve and disseminate the history that relates to the people, properties and events of Berks, Chester and Lancaster Counties. In 2024, the Tri-County Heritage Society was disbanded and their assets, including archival collections, were transferred to Hay Creek Valley Historical Association. The library is now called The Tri-County Heritage Library.

Bibliography:

County of Berks, Pennsylvania. "Berks County Background." Accessed November 4, 2015. http://www.co.berks.pa.us/Pages/BerksCountyBackground.aspx.

ExplorePAhistory.com. "Chester County Historical Marker." Accessed November 4, 2015. http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-1A.

LancasterHistory.org. "Overview of Our County and Region." Accessed November 4, 2015. http://www.lancasterhistory.org/learn/overview-of-our-county-region.

Tri-County Historical Society. "About Us: A Brief history of the Tri-County Area." Accessed November 4, 2015. http://www.tricountyheritage.org/aboutus.html.

Tri-County Heritage Library obituary collection, circa 1970s-2016, consists of obituaries for residents of the Tri-County area. There are original newspaper clippings as well as photocopies of the obituaries. Most of the collection is organized chronologically and indexed. Some of the more recent obituaries are not yet indexed. There are also loose obituaries that have not yet been processed. A portion of obituaries from Lancaster County are organized alphabetically in binders, with about half of these obituaries indexed.