Teacher at Riverton School 1974-2019, author, amateur historian, Historical Society of Riverton Board Member 2007-2023, newsletter editor 2007-2023, website editor 2011-2023
In case you are not one of her 100 Instagram followers, just had to show you Deb Lengyel’s perfect pic of Riverton Yacht Club captured during last week’s snowfall. Thanks, Deb!
A few people have contacted us to ask if they could still buy historically themed gifts if they missed seeing our mini-museum during the Candlelight House Tour on Dec. 3.
I will be at Riverton Free Library from pm tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 20. We have several dozen mugs on hand, Romance of Riverton DVDs, note cards, flags, HSR gift memberships, as well as photo reproductions of many of the vintage images your see on our website. See the DVD and examples of mugs in the HSR Store.
If you missed our display on Dec. 3 this is a last chance to look around for a while.If you can’t make it Tuesday, phone me, and I can come back Weds. or Thurs. The Library closes at 8:30 pm those nights. – John McCormick, newsletter and website editor
This cherished Riverton holiday tradition returns after a cancellation in 2015.
The weather forecast for this Saturday’s Candlelight House Tour in Riverton calls for 51 degrees and partly sunny skies. A tenth home has just been added to the tour.
During your rounds of the decorated homes stop by The New Leaf for refreshment and entertainment.
HSR archives entrance
After a two-year absence, the Historical Society of Riverton’s Museum-for-a-Day returns, this time to the Library’s basement.
Maybe we should call it Mini-Museum-for-a-Day since the space is small. Still, if you can venture downstairs, it’s worth the price of admission, which is free for this one day. Who knows when we can do it again?
HSR Board members have prepared a number of exhibits of materials from our seldom seen archives.
A remarkable highlight is Society member Dorothy Talavera’s own collection called A Family of Brides containing bridal gowns, photos, invitations, love letters, and mementos representing almost two centuries of brides in the same family.
Upstairs, in the Library’s meeting room, we will screen the 43-minute DVD Romance of Riverton, filmed in 1926. It is available again for $20 after a sellout in 2015.
Also available for sale upstairs will be reproduction prints of many of the postcards, photos, and maps plus historically themed mugs seen on our website. See more information about the DVD and the mugs here. – JMc
Rev. 12/1/2016: This bulletin from Deb Lengyel – Here is a link to the 8-page tour booklet for a sneak preview of the homes this year. It includes a list of businesses and shops open for the event, a map, and provides descriptive information filled with architectural and local history details for the places on the tour. A history lesson in itself! Thanks to Deb and Idea Patio Creative Services for again generously donating her design expertise and a part of the printing costs to the project.
In a program co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Riverton and the Riverton Free Library on November 17, Trish Chambers colorfully described many Victorian era Christmas traditions.
Trish Chambers
Using illustrations by renowned British illustrator Randolph Caldecott from the charming volume of old English Christmas traditions by famed American author Washington Irving, Ms. Chambers brought to life what a Christmas holiday looked like, smelled like, tasted like, and sounded like.
‘Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle’, from a Supplement to the Illustrated London News, Dec. 1848
Rosemary, holly, and ivy decorated the homes representing friendship, love, commitment, and togetherness. The greenery symbolized resiliency in the coldness and darkness of winter.
When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert from Germany, he brought the German tradition of the Christmas tree.
Bayberry candles lit the manor houses adding light to ward off the winter grey. The celebration lasted for twelve days since guests traveled long distances to the manor houses in the countryside. Food and drink were plentiful, lavish meals were served accompanied by music and dramatic performances. Villagers sang outside the manor houses to entertain the guests. Children took an active part and were included in the celebrations.
See an online version of the 1886 edition of the entire Washington Irving classic here. – Susan Dechnik
Matt Mlynarczyk, who now lives in Virginia, sends us this scan of a Riverton fire engine. (We last heard from him last summer (Dig this, July 4, 2016) when he sent in a photo of a rare bottle labeled “MacMullin” he had found.)
Local residents may have read the Philadelphia Inquirer story in August about a two officers who rescued a “treasure” of thousands photo negatives that were slated for disposal by the Cinnaminson Police Department. This undated photo was among them.
Please advise if you can identify and date the above photo. – JMc
Ok, so it’s not a confirmation that a founder’s home was a station on the Underground Railroad, but it’s a piece, nonetheless.
HSR members Jill and Hank Croft recently gave us another example of things that aren’t there anymore in these undated photos of Klipple’s Fine Pastries.
The Klipple family’s business was in the building at Broad and Main now occupied by Orange Blossom Bakery and Cafe, Milanese Pizza (2022)
Klipple’s Fine Pastries, undated photo courtesy of Jill and Hank Croft
I had only mentioned in a September blog post that a photo of that bakery was one requested by our web visitors.
This excerpt from Betty Hahle’s booklet that accompanied the Romance of Riverton, a 1926 film turned to DVD in 1989, explains earlier incarnations of that spot.
1911 Riverton Sanborn map detail
The small building on the corner (formerly Klipple’s, now Zena’s Patisserie ) was erected by the Gas Company in 1900, became the Railway Express office (in 1926 moved to 1st floor Price Bldg.) and is seen here very briefly as a butcher/grocery store. Although directories identify it as Riverton Market House at this time, it was occupied very briefly by Ludlow’s Market, and identified as such by Paul Gibbon who, as a boy, made deliveries for Ludlow.
Carl McDermott, 2013
In this 2011 blog post Carl McDermott recalled how his mother was a telephone operator in the upper story of the attached structure to the left of Klipple’s (toward Palmyra).
If a reader can date the photos, please advise.
We are still seeking any photos of the Sharon Shop when it was a favorite lunch spot for Riverton students and teachers, among others. Wishing has worked so far. – JMc
A few people have contacted us to ask if they could still buy historically themed gifts if they missed seeing our mini-museum during the Candlelight House Tour on Dec. 3.
If you can’t make it Tuesday, phone me, and I can come back Weds. or Thurs. The Library closes at 8:30 pm those nights. – John McCormick, newsletter and website editor
This cherished Riverton holiday tradition returns after a cancellation in 2015.
Upstairs, in the Library’s meeting room, we will screen the 43-minute DVD Romance of Riverton, filmed in 1926. It is available again for $20 after a sellout in 2015.
Rev. 12/1/2016: This bulletin from Deb Lengyel – Here is a link to the 8-page tour booklet for a sneak preview of the homes this year. It includes a list of businesses and shops open for the event, a map, and provides descriptive information filled with architectural and local history details for the places on the tour. A history lesson in itself! Thanks to Deb and Idea Patio Creative Services for again generously donating her design expertise and a part of the printing costs to the project.
In a program co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Riverton and the Riverton Free Library on November 17, Trish Chambers colorfully described many Victorian era Christmas traditions.
Bayberry candles lit the manor houses adding light to ward off the winter grey. The celebration lasted for twelve days since guests traveled long distances to the manor houses in the countryside. Food and drink were plentiful, lavish meals were served accompanied by music and dramatic performances. 
Villagers sang outside the manor houses to entertain the guests. Children took an active part and were included in the celebrations.
