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Swarthmore Historical Society Records

Notifications

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

The Swarthmore Historical Society was founded in 1988, and its collections were deposited in Friends Historical Library in 1996. The records include legal and financial papers of the organization, minutes, projects, and related historic preservation work supporting the Swarthmore Planning Commission and Swarthmore Borough Task Force on Historic Preservation.

The collection is divided into 4 series:

  1. Minutes
  2. Legal and Financial
  3. Projects
  4. Miscellaneous including correspondence and clippings
  5. Historic Preservation

Donor: Swarthmore Historical Society

The records originally were stored in Swarthmore Historical Society Reference Files/ RG7/004. With additional donations a separate RG 7 number was assigned and the records processed and described.

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Author
FHL staff
Finding Aid Date
2013
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

1988-1990.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

The first meetings to organized the Swarthmore Historical Society were held in the spring of 1988, coordinated by Mary Ann Jeavons who became the first president of the organization.

Physical Description

1 folder

Constitution and by-laws.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Incorporated 1989

Physical Description

1 folder

Financial records.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Gifts.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Current accession records are stored on-line and in RG 7/004, Swarthmore Historical Society Reference files, FHL Workroom.

Physical Description

1 folder

Centennial, 1988-1993.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Centennial logo and Historical Society letterhead, 1993.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Centennial Exhibition, McCabe Library, 1993.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Historic Resources Survey, 1988-2002.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

See: Historic Resources Survey, Swarthmore Borough, Delaware County Planning Department, 2001. Copy available in Swarthmore Public Library. Archival copy with corrections available in Friends Historical Library, Reference. For field forms and supporting information. see RG7/004, Reference, filed by street.

Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 1993.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 1994.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 1995.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 1997.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 1999.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 2003.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 2004.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 2006.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

House Tour, 2008.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Historic Walking Tour, 2005-2006.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Programs.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

Miscellaneous: Correspondence, clippings.
Box 1

Scope and Contents

The papers include minutes, reference, and draft preservation plans prepared by the Swarthmore Planning Committee Historic Resources Subcommittee and the Historic Preservation Task Force. Council's mandate for the Historic Preservation Task Force, January 2005:

"...To develop a plan to preserve the historical, cultural, architectural and archaeological resources, and to encourage compatible development and design to maintain the unique character of Swarthmore."

Historic Resources Survey.
Box 2
Related Materials

Swarthmore Historic Resources Survey, published 2001 by the Delaware County Planning Department. "Archival" copy on reference in Friends Historical Library reference includes handwritten (S. Morikawa) annotations. Handwritten field forms and related papers filed in Swarthmore Historical Society Reference by street address.

Scope and Contents

History of the Swarthmore Historic Resources Survey and planned process to update and correct (not successfully implemented).

Swarthmore Planning Commission Subcommittee on Historic Preservation, 2002-2003.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Contains papers concerning the Historic Resources Subcommittee appointed by the Swarthmore Borough Planning Committee. This group worked to develop a purpose statement, goals, and strategies which were submitted to Planning. Planning forwarded a draft preservation plan to Council at the end of 2003.

Physical Description

1 folder

Minutes and related correspondence.
Box 2
November 2005 public meetings on Historic Preservation, 2005-2006.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

The Task Force held a public meeting on Nov. 9, 2005, with recommendation that an application for Swarthmore Borough National Register Historic District be prepared and submitted. This was seen as a first step to gauge public support for regulation.

Power point (CDs and hard copies) of presentation prepared by John Gibbons as a Historic Resources overview. Hard copies are the amended version presented to Borough Council in preparation for endorsement for national historic district applications

Swarthmore Borough National Historic District drafts, 2006-2007.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes an article on visit by State Preservation officer, Michel LeFevre, with recommendations about National Register status.

Historic Preservation Advisory Committee drafts.
Box 2
Demolition Delay Ordinance proposal, 2006-2007.
Box 2
Preliminary work on North Swarthmore National Historic District.
Box 2
Historical reference on architects and builders.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Copies printed from the American Architects and Buildings project and other reference.

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