And now, a word from Heather MacIntosh Huffnagle, our Membership Chair…
Greetings!
As a Riverton resident and Historical Society of Riverton (HSR) board member, I am extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in 2020, thanks to your support. Here are some of the highlights.
We continue to expand our excellent quarterly, Gaslight News, which is now digital. Our Facebook page receives between 500 and 1000 views each month and we have produced 35 new articles on our website’s blog this past year, and 14 more just since January.
Our board helped realtors understand the history, architectural significance, and zoning restrictions for the amazing mansion at 106 Lippincott. This extraordinary house, attributed to architect Frank Furness, now has new owners with experience renovating historic houses. The previous owners, Bob and Aggie Kennedy, now deceased, were great supporters of the HSR and generously included the Society in their wills.
We also commissioned a high-resolution scan of the original 1890 birds-eye view of Riverton so that residents can once again it can soon be available to residents to display in their homes.
We assisted the Porch Club in commissioning a similarly high-quality scan of their large, ca. 1851 map of Riverton, the earliest known map of the town.
This year, the 1926 film, The Romance of Riverton, will receive a high-quality digital scan as well.
Thanks to your donations in 2020 and an unexpected but welcomed wreath fundraiser, we will have 19 beautiful glass plate negatives from 1910 professionally scanned at high resolution.
Board members have been extensively researching two upcoming interpretative markers for early Riverton houses. One of these houses was built for the man who ran the Antislavery Society in Philadelphia for 25 years. This abolitionist opened the crate in which celebrated slave Henry “Box” Brown shipped from slavery in Richmond, VA to freedom in Philadelphia. The full history of that house is now over 200 pages. I can’t wait to see what else they will turn up!
On behalf of the board, I hope you will continue to support us in the new year!
Sincerely,
Heather MacIntosh Huffnagle
Membership Chair
If you find something of value in the nearly 500 posts and over 8,500 media items on display here and wish to help illuminate Riverton’s past and preserve its history, please support the Historical Society of Riverton with your membership or a donation (see PayPal DONATE button at lower left.) -JMc, Editor
