Founded in 1890, the Old York Road Historical Society is a nonprofit organization located at 515 Meetinghouse Road in Jenkintown, PA. The Society is dedicated to studying and preserving the history of the area of eastern Montgomery County from Philadelphia to New Hope, Pennsylvania. The Society maintains a research archive and library.
The Old York Road is an ancient road that once connected Philadelphia to New Hope, Pennsylvania and continues to run through various towns throughout the state of Pennsylvania. It is a national historic landmark and a national scenic byway.
You can find out more about the Old York Road by visiting their website. The Old York Road Historical Society also hosts a number of events and lecture series.
Their Annual Lecture Series is held at the Alverthorpe Manor on Wednesday evenings, 7:30pm to 9:00pm. The lectures cover a variety of topics related to the Old York Road. The lectures are sponsored by a grant from the Jenkintown Lyceum and refreshments will be served after each session.
About Old York Road
The road was laid out from New Hope, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia between 1711 and 1771. It is still used today for local transportation and for commuters traveling to the city of Philadelphia.
During the 18th century, it was the only way to travel between the two cities. It was a major route for the Swift Sure Stage Coach Line, which completed the journey in just two days.
It is also the oldest highway in the United States. It was built over the Naraticong Trail, or “Tuckaraming Trail,” a route that was used by the Raritan (Unami) tribe.
Some sections of the Old York Road still exist today, in particular in the townships of Abington and Warminster as well as the borough of Warwick Township. The road is referred to by many local residents as “Old York Road” or just plain “York Road.”
A portion of Old York Road still runs through the neighborhood of Rising Sun/Franklinville in North Philadelphia. A milestone near the intersection of Germantown Avenue and West Westmoreland Street still tells passing pedestrians, “9 to R S, 11 to P.”
Several sections of Old York Road continue as the route of Pennsylvania Highway 611 in Willow Grove, Buckingham, and Bridge Valley. The most notable exception is the section that passes through the village of Hartsville in Warminster and Warwick Townships.
In addition, the Old York Road is used as a local road in neighboring boroughs such as Cheltenham and Lower Moreland.
About the Old York Road Historical Society
The Old York Road Historical Society is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 historical society that focuses on the history of the area of eastern Montgomery County, including the boroughs of Bryn Athyn and Hatboro and the townships of Abington and Cheltenham. Their mission is to study and preserve the history of the area, to promote interest in the area’s heritage, and to educate citizens about their community.
