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Have You Seen Frankford?

You may not have seen Frankford with its wealth of history.  Join The Historical Society of Frankford and The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia on a walking tour of one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Philadelphia. Enjoy refreshments at the Historical Society after the tour. 

The next tour of Frankford will be on September 8th at 10 am to 12 pm beginning and ending at the Historical Society of Frankford. On this tour, we will get to see the inside of St Mark’s Church (Frankford’s Cathedral).

Tickets for members of the Preservation Alliance or Frankford Historical Society $15.00. Others $20.00. Tickets available at the event.

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Historical Society Presents Elizabeth Drinker

The Historical Society of Frankford opens the Fall 2018 series on Tuesday, September 11th at 7:30 PM with the story of Elizabeth Drinker.

Doreen Velnich, a member and longtime friend of The Historical Society of Frankford, and recently retired from the Free Library of Philadelphia, will present a paper originally read to the Society in April 1931 by Mabel Corson, a founding member of the Society.

Elizabeth Drinker (nee Sandwith) (1735-1807) was a Quaker diarist of Irish descent who maintained a journal of her daily activities beginning in her teenage years. Her residence in Frankford was Womrath Place, which tradition defines as a special place of interest during the American Revolution.

As a Quaker she was opposed to the War on religious principles. Elizabeth’s account of the ordeals she encountered as a pacifist provides a glimpse into what life was like when both sides of the Revolution looked upon you as a traitor. The list of individuals mentioned in her accounts of this Revolutionary period constitutes a Who’s Who not only of the early days of Frankford but also of the Founders of America.

Come and experience this exciting presentation.

Admission Free
Refreshments served
Donations welcomed

The Historical Society of Frankford
1507 Orthodox Street
Philadelphia, PA 19124
(215) 743-6030

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Discover Frankford This Weekend

The Kings Highway Trust presents, this week, the First Annual Northeast Philadelphia History and Heritage Celebration.  

There are two events being held in Frankford. 

Tonight, at the First Philadelphia Prep. Charter School at 4300 Tacony Street from 7 to 9 PM, is Share Your Story.  Be a part of history and share the stories of your family, ancestors, and everything Northeast Philadelphia in a fun and interactive series of workshops hosted by Manor College Professor Matthew Smalarz and moderated by Jason Sherman.

Sunday, August 19th from 3 to 6 PM at the Historical Society of Frankford, 1507 Orthodox Street, will be an architectural walking tour of Frankford with Debbie Klak and Diane Sadler. After the tour, then see ancient artifacts at the Historical Society of Frankford along with old photos and a slideshow.

This will also be the first opportunity to use the Historical Walking Tour of Frankford app.  So if you can’t make the event on Sunday, download the app on your mobile device and take the tour whenever you can. Search for Sidewalk.  Then search for the King’s Highway.  I’ve tested it and it is pretty good.

For more information about the event, follow this link.   See you Sunday at the Historical Society.

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Circus Comes to Frankford

The meeting begins at 6;30 on June 12th, with a social gathering at which food and conversation are shared prior to the presentation. This is always a very cordial event. If you are able, please bring some to add to the food and refreshment table array.  The circus presentation begins at 730 PM.

Circus Comes to Frankford -Patty McCarthy. It might not have been “The Greatest Show on Earth”, but it is an interesting and largely unknown part of the history of Frankford. Join us to learn more about the circus that was in our own backyard and some of the circus performers who called Frankford their “home”.

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Hunt for History

The Historical Society of Frankford is on a Hunt for history and we need your help!

In order to complete a fuller picture and fill in the gaps in Frankford’s history, we are asking our friends and neighbors to tell us their stories. If you are, or have been a resident of Frankford, we need you to tell your stories of life in Frankford as you lived it.

There are four categories we are interested in:

Memories of Frankford

If you have lived in Frankford for any length of time, you must have some memories of your neighborhood. Tell us the places you remember, and what you did as a child and as an adult. Where did you go to school? What church did you belong to? What was the street you lived on, and who were your neighbors.

Families of Frankford

If you are, or were a long time resident of Frankford, then tell us about your family. Who were they? Were they immigrants? Where did they come from? When did they come to Frankford? Name their names and tell us where they lived and what they did.

Organizations in Frankford

Did you belong to any organization that was active in Frankford. Were you a member of the Lions Club, the Oddfellows, the VFW, or the American Legion? Were you a Boy Scout or Girl Scout? Did you go to the Northeast Boys Club or the Frankford Y? Tell us about your organization. What it was. Where it was. What it did, and who was there. What part did you play?

Where I worked in Frankford

If you worked anywhere in Frankford, tell us about it. Did you own a business in Frankford? Were you a store clerk on the avenue, a waiter or waitress, a barber or hair stylist. Did you work in any lite industry In Frankford? Were you a paperboy or did you shine shoes? The type of job is not to big or too small. Tell us the name of the place, where it was located, who were the owners, and what your job was there. We want to hear all about the places you worked.


We are asking you to take some time and reflect on your life in Frankford. Write it all down in an electronic file. If you are not able, ask a friend or family member to help. Give your stories a title if you want to. Make sure you list yourself as the author. Include pictures or other graphics if you wish. Use any font style you want, but keep it at size 11. Titles can be larger, in color or underlined. Send your stories to

www.frankfordhistoricalsociety.org

All stories will be logged and kept in both an electronic file and a printed out open book file at the Historical Society of Frankford. Come and visit us at 1507 Orthodox St.