News and Events: 2022
DECEMBER: Millbrook staff updated the Society's local history display at Hallowell Elementary School located on West Moreland Avenue in Horsham. The display features photos, history, and artifacts recognizing the life of renowned local historian and author Charles Harper Smith and his wife, Helen.
The Smith's owned the Kenderdine tract in Horsham, which they called "Millbrook" and is the namesake of The Millbrook Society. Millbrook shared this display space with two other local historical societies: Horsham Historical Society and Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum.
Millbrook is proud to support Principal Steven Glaize and the staff, faculty, and students of the Hallowell school community!
NOVEMBER: Millbrook members, donned in colonial-era costumes on a cold, brisk Autumn day, enjoyed a fun and festive walk down York Road at the 2022 annual Hatboro Holiday Parade! Millbrook is proud to join our community is celebrating this annual Hatboro holiday tradition.
Mary Porter, Millbrook’s Museum and Archives department head, continued her genealogy series with a program titled, Wills and Probates, held at the Union Library on November 1st.
OCTOBER: Millbrook staff joined Hatboro's Halloween festivities on a seasonable Fall Saturday afternoon, October 29th. Millbrook's display outside Union Library featured 'Classic Candies' that started in Philly and gave out sweet treats like Dubble Bubble, Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, and Candy Corn to hundreds of Trick or Treaters! Did you know...a Wunderle Candy Company employee is credited with inventing candy corn. Phillip Wunderle owned a 32-acre estate in Hatboro between York Road and south of Cemetery Avenue. Candy was made at a factory there. The Wunderle family once lived in the historic John Harrison House, now the home of Hatboro Federal Savings.
October is Family History month…and Mary Porter, who heads Millbrook’s collection and archives, continued her Genealogy series with a program titled, The Census: What’s in it for us Genealogists (Beyond the obvious!) on October 1st in conjunction with the Union Library of Hatboro.
History on Display! Linford Magaha along with David and Patt Shannon created this display in the Borough’s newly acquired Pennypack School building (130 Spring Avenue, Hatboro). The former Pennypack School will be transformed into a center for community activities. Millbrook is proud to share a part of this space to inform visitors about Hatboro's history. Stop by to see the display about Millbrook and Hatboro.
The Crooked Billet History Fair will be held here at the (former) Pennypack School auditorium on Saturday, April 29th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - FREE OF CHARGE
SEPTEMBER: Just in time for the Phillies dramatic run to the post season…Millbrook hosted on September 18th an original education program, Hatboro’s World Series Wonder - the story of Steve Yerkes. Millbrook’s own Dan Troilo prepared and presented the program, which chronicled the career of Hatboro’s only major league baseball player, particularly his exploits as one of the Red Sox heroes of the 1912 World Series. We were delighted that the decedents of Steve Yerkes - Linda Faust and her grandchildren Chase and Brayden Kuntz attended the program and shared some reminiscences with the staff.
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AUGUST: Millbrook staffed an information table at Hatboro’s annual National Night Out on Friday, August 12 held at Miller Meadow.
On August 27th for the Annual Revolutionary War Reenactment at The Moland House in Hartsville, Millbrook staff was on hand educating about archaeology and the 'tools of the trade', as well as displaying artifacts that were found on the property by Millbrook’s archaeology team over the past two decades, some dating back to the pre-colonial period!
MAY: Annual Meeting 2022. Millbrook on Sunday, May 15th, held its first Annual Meeting in two years. The Millbrook Board and staff were excited about assembling our members again in person! Members of the executive staff highlighted the Society’s financial statement, accomplishments and plans since 2021, and nominated Board members for election to a two-year term. The education program featured an introduction and discussion of “The Battle of Crooked Billet” documentary from 2011 presented by Dan Troilo (l) and Jim Phillbrick (r).
APRIL: Millbrook members staffed a table at the Northeast Philadelphia History Fair on Saturday, April 30th at Canstatters in NE Philadelphia. Fred Moore, a Millbrook member and active leader in many Philadelphia and area historical societies, was one of the event organizers. Millbrook was one of over 30 historical societies and non-profits exhibiting at the fair, which was attended by a steady flow of history enthusiasts from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m.