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Bulletin Newsletter: November 2025

A sliver watch fob that dates from sometime in the mid-19th century. Fob watches by this point were made with interchangeable parts out of what was known as "coin silver", a silver alloy commonly used in the production of coinage.
A sliver watch fob that dates from sometime in the mid-19th century. Fob watches by this point were made with interchangeable parts out of what was known as "coin silver", a silver alloy commonly used in the production of coinage.

This past year of 2025 has certainly been a very busy one! DCHS is happy to report that our events and programming have been met with great enthusiasm, and we appreciate all the support from the Delco community. DCHS is grateful for the support we receive from our community, to promote and protect Delco history and make it available to all.


Make a gift of support to DCHS today to help us close out 2025 with strong support. We are looking forward to celebrating the 250th with Delco in 2026!


Events and Programming:

The exhibit is titled "Delco's Dutiful Dozen" and has been jointly organized by the Delaware County Historical Society and the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. Support was provided by the Steve Burman Family Special Exhibition Fund for the joint display. The exhibit highlights the lives and service of Delco professional athletes who served during the Second World War.
The exhibit is titled "Delco's Dutiful Dozen" and has been jointly organized by the Delaware County Historical Society and the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. Support was provided by the Steve Burman Family Special Exhibition Fund for the joint display. The exhibit highlights the lives and service of Delco professional athletes who served during the Second World War.

Also, still on display are some of the items DCHS has accessioned from Crozer Medical, including some pictures, articles published by Crozer Health, and a portrait of John Price Crozer dated from 1862!

Stop by between Tuesday through Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm to see the displays and learn more about Delco history! Free and open to the public.

Programming like this is made possible with the support of our friends, neighbors and community. Donate to DCHS today to help protect and promote local history for all!

Currently on display at DCHS items from the Crozer Family and Crozer Medical Center. The portrait at the center is of John Price Crozer, painted by noted portrait artist Thomas Sully.
Currently on display at DCHS items from the Crozer Family and Crozer Medical Center. The portrait at the center is of John Price Crozer, painted by noted portrait artist Thomas Sully.
The winners and participants of the first annual Delco Downhill Derby from Saturday September 27th!
The winners and participants of the first annual Delco Downhill Derby from Saturday September 27th!

Delco Downhill Derby a Success!

 We had a wonderful time, and everyone who participated created such amazing and awesome vehicles, we loved seeing the creativity! We can't wait to do it again next year, see you back on the hill soon!

Big congrats to our winners: greatesthits.official Three Potato Four and Edgmont Historical Society


Special thanks to: Dad Nap, The Harris Family and Utility Works, The Hancher Family, and Jack Coleman. Thank you all for coming out with such amazing vehicles, we can't wait to see you again next year!


Big thanks to our program partners and sponsors: Media Borough, Visit Delco, PA, Riddle Village Retirement Community, Three Potato Four greatesthits.official, Rosati Ice, Media Arts Council Media Theater, Ship Bottom Brewery, Travelin Tom's Coffee, Linvilla Orchards, Delco Skatepark Coalition


Super big thanks to: Zach Beaver, Frances Beaver, Jude Hutchinson, Naomi Davidoff, Vanessa and Caniya Marshall, Karen Grossman, Paul Fellman, Jeff LaMonica, Carl Park and Tex, Matthew Machado, Chris McNichol! Thank you so much for your time, talents and help in pulling this off!


DCHS will bring the Triple D back in September of 2026!


If you missed the Delco Downhill Derby, check out the highlight reel we created below on our YouTube page:


Library and Program Manager Zach Beaver readies DCHS intern Jude Hutchinson in the DCHS sponsor cart.
Library and Program Manager Zach Beaver readies DCHS intern Jude Hutchinson in the DCHS sponsor cart.
Jack Coleman prepares to go down the hill in his shopping cart.
Jack Coleman prepares to go down the hill in his shopping cart.
The Harris Family of Utility Works in Lansdowne with their fully repurposed vehicle.
The Harris Family of Utility Works in Lansdowne with their fully repurposed vehicle.
Edgmont Historical Society brought Delco history alive with their Red Arrow inspired vehicle.
Edgmont Historical Society brought Delco history alive with their Red Arrow inspired vehicle.
Three Potato Four brought the retro racing vibes with their vehicle Big Red
Three Potato Four brought the retro racing vibes with their vehicle Big Red
The Hancher Family brought Mario Kart to life at the Triple D.
The Hancher Family brought Mario Kart to life at the Triple D.
Josh Jordan with his Dad Nap vehicle to finally get some rest.
Josh Jordan with his Dad Nap vehicle to finally get some rest.
Winner of the William Penn Stump, Danger Dom of Greatest Hits Records
Winner of the William Penn Stump, Danger Dom of Greatest Hits Records
Director Paul Hewes overseeing the events of the day.
Director Paul Hewes overseeing the events of the day.

DCHS 130th Birthday!

DCHS was honored to be present at the Media Courthouse for the launch the America 250 celebrations in Delco!
DCHS was honored to be present at the Media Courthouse for the launch the America 250 celebrations in Delco!

DCHS would like to thank everyone for coming out on Friday September 26th for Delco's birthday celebration! We would like to especially thank America250PADelco, Delaware County Council, Visit Delco, PA, and Delaware County Institute of Science for their support and efforts in this wonderful celebration! The banners look fantastic, and it was our honor to participate in such a wonderful event.


To learn more about the upcoming America 250 Delco celebrations and events in 2026, visit their website to learn how you can volunteer and participate!


DCHS was on Office Hours with Tim Heidecker!

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Big thanks to Office Hours for having DCHS on their show to discuss hoagie history! We gave them an honorary award for their promotion and consumption of hoagies and shared the storied history of the Delco food staple. Big thanks to our team and thanks to our volunteers, Jude Hutchinson and Frances Beaver for their efforts in helping!


To watch the full episode and interview, click the link below:


Historic Mount Lawn Cemetery in Need of Volunteers on November 11th!

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Mount Lawn Cemetery will host a centennial celebration intended not only to remember those interred, particularly military veterans, but also to announce an ambitious volunteer stewardship and docent program to help maintain the grounds, share history, and engage the community going forward.

• When: Veterans Day, November 11, 2025, with ceremonies commencing at 10:00AM-concluding at 3:00PM

• Where: Mount Lawn Cemetery, 84th Street and Hook Road (Darby Township) near Sharon Hill- near John Heinz Wildlife Refuge Darby, PA 19079

• What: Ceremony, tours, music, announcing of the stewardship & docent program, volunteer sign-ups, refreshments, give-a-ways.

• How to Get Involved: Prospective volunteers should attend the event, or contact Gigi McGraw at helpmt.lawn@gmail.com


History Under the Stars Concludes the 2025 Season

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DCHS would like to thank our speakers for the History Under the Stars Fall Series:

Caitlin Angelone of Elwyn Inc.

Jennifer Green of Chester County Historical Center

Matthew Kowalski of Delaware County Community College


History Under the Stars will return in April of 2026!


From the Archives:

Pictured here we have a piece found in the 1940's by amateur archeologists in Broomall. Two rock shelters were discovered and excavated in Broomall, along a stream called Langford Run, a tributary of Darby Creek. A report by Mary Butler of the University of Pennsylvania entitled, "Two Lenape Rock Shelters Near Philadelphia", highlights the findings in Broomall, including a burial site, pottery and stone tools.
Pictured here we have a piece found in the 1940's by amateur archeologists in Broomall. Two rock shelters were discovered and excavated in Broomall, along a stream called Langford Run, a tributary of Darby Creek. A report by Mary Butler of the University of Pennsylvania entitled, "Two Lenape Rock Shelters Near Philadelphia", highlights the findings in Broomall, including a burial site, pottery and stone tools.

Specifically local to present-day Delaware County was the Okehocking Tribe (also known as Ockanickon) who were a small band of Unami language-speaking Lenape people, who lived along the Ridley and Crum Creeks, or what is today known as Ridley Creek State Park. The Okehocking were known as Unami or "people down the river" by other local Lenape communities.


The present-day area of Tinicum got its name from the Lenape term, "mahtanikunk", meaning "Where they catch up with each other". Swedish colonist used the term Tinicum as shorthand to refer to the Lenape area. The Muckinipattis Creek derives its name from the Lenape meaning "deep running water".


The Lenape were known as the "original people" among the Algonquian speaking community, believing that the Algonquian speaking people descended from the Lenape. The Lenape nation, Lenapehoking, extended as far north as the Hudson River Valley in present-day New York, and as far south as present-day Cape Henlopen in southern Delaware. By the late 17th century, increased European colonization drove the native Lenape people further west, creating tensions between the Lenape and European colonizers. Today, we reflect on that history and try to highlight the incredible, rich culture of the Lenape in what is today Delaware County.


To learn more, please stop by DCHS or make an appointment for books, journals, research files and more that highlight the history of the Lenape.

For further information and research please check out the links below!


A recent accession has brought us an incredible collection of early Pennsylvania newspapers. This is an example of one, an edition of The Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertise, published on November 2nd, 1785.
A recent accession has brought us an incredible collection of early Pennsylvania newspapers. This is an example of one, an edition of The Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertise, published on November 2nd, 1785.

The Pennsylvania Packet was established in 1771 by John Dunlap, and by 1784, it had become the first successful daily newspaper published in the United States. Printing was a time-consuming ordeal, and the fact that they were able to print daily editions was a feat of engineering. The publication went under numerous name changes, and featured several milestones, such as the first newspaper to publish George Washington's Farewell Address and interview the Marquis de Lafayette during his Grand Tour of America in 1824.


Launching of the “City of Peking” from Roach’s Shipyard, Chester, Pennsylvania by Alexander Charles Stuart (1874)
Launching of the “City of Peking” from Roach’s Shipyard, Chester, Pennsylvania by Alexander Charles Stuart (1874)

Stuart’s portrait of a ship launching from Roach’s Shipyard of Chester demonstrates the unique engineering history of Delaware County at the height of the 19th Century. The City of Peking held the record for the largest American ship afloat until 1889. The launching ceremony depicted here was reportedly attended by 25,000 people and included a trial ride with President Ulysses S. Grant and Vice President Wilson. This was a unique moment in history as this was also effectively the first time the United States of America was without an executive head in the country.

 

Stuart became a United States citizen after resigning from the navy in 1866. Thereafter, he worked primarily as an artist and illustrator for the merchant shipbuilding companies of John Roach & Son in Chester from 1872 to 1880, and then with Harlan & Hollingsworth in Wilmington, Delaware through the late 1880s. During this time, he became well known for documenting many of the early iron steamships built by these firms in the latter nineteenth century.


Special Thanks to our Partners:

Delaware County Community College

Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum

Willows Park and Preserve

Media Arts Council

Media Borough

Delaware County Institute of Science

YES, Center of Chester

The Mill at Rockdale

Warehouse 3 in Swarthmore

Elwyn Inc.

America 250 Delco

Visit Delco

Visit Media

Greatest Hits Records and Books

Three Potato Four

Ship Bottom Brewery


Special Thanks to the DCHS 2025 Sponsors:

Delaware County Council

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semi-Quincentennial

Delaware County Interactive Gaming Authority

The Burman Family Charitable Fund

Mr. Andrew Saul

Visit Delco!

The Philadelphia Foundation

Anthony Makowski and Elise Brand

PECO/Exelon

2SP Brewing Company

Burmans Health Shop

Oliver HVAC

Entrepreneur Works!

Delco Gives!

S.R. Rosati Inc.

Riddle Village

Arasapha Farms

Welcome Society of PA

Jandzio Excavating

Media Cemetery Company


Please consider supporting DCHS today by donating or becoming a member. Funding by members and friends help DCHS continue our mission of collecting and preserving Delaware County history and culture and making it available to the community!

 Venmo- @Delcopahistory

You can send a check or money order made out to Delaware County Historical Society, and mail it to our address at: 9 W. Front Street, Media, PA 19063


Links and Contact Information:


Email:

Director, Paul Hewes: outreach@padelcohistory.org

Library and Program Manager, Zach Beaver: research@padelcohistory.org

General Inquires: info@padelcohistory.org 

Phone: 610-750-0622

Address: 9 W. Front Street- Media, PA 19063. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 am to 3pm.

 
 
 

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