Germantown Historical Society

GHS Publications

The Germantown Crier

A Farm in Jefferson County, New York: Charles Eberle’s Diary 1821–1825

A Farm in Jefferson County, New York: Charles Eberle’s Diary 1821–1825 by Jan Lundy and Judith Callard. The Germantown Historical Society and the 4 River Valleys Historical Society in Jefferson County, N.Y. are presenting this day-by-day look into the life of a farmer. Although the diary concerns Eberle’s time in N.Y., there are numerous references to family members in Germantown and Philadelphia. In 1826 Eberle returned to Germantown and farmed there with his son William.
To order, send $29.95 plus $5.00 shipping/handling to the Germantown Historical Society. Order Form

Bibliography of Germantown

Researcher Rusty Lang has compiled an extensive 43-page bibliography of materials related to Germantown. Sections include Bibliographies; Church Histories; Biographies, Families and Genealogies; History; Immigration & Early Settlers; Land Records; Military; Miscellaneous (includes Architecture, Art, Maps, Programs and Pamphlets); Research Guides; Serials & Journals; and Vital Records. She includes catalog numbers for items held at the Free Library of Philadelphia. This valuable tool for the Germantown researcher is available from the Society for $10.00 postpaid.

A Pictorial History of Germantown

"Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill" by Judith Callard, published by Arcadia Publishing, is one of many books in Arcadia's "Images of America" series. Featuring rarely seen images from the archives of the Society, the book has a little bit of everything from the Colonial times to the 20th century. Scenes of the Wissahickon, early mills, the Battle of Germantown, industrial development, the first railroad (one of the first in the nation), Civil War hospitals, Victorian homes, and modern-day Germantown tell the area's history. You'll encounter images of African American churches, educational institutions such as Germantown Academy and Germantown High School, boys and girls clubs, stores and apartment buildings, as well as everyday people at work or play.

The book is now available for purchase in our Gift Shop. Or, you can select the book online from our Order Form page, and mail or fax the form. Join us on our stroll through Germantown's history!

New from Arcadia:

Mount Airy by Elizabeth Farmer Jarvis Order Form
Italians of Philadelphia by Donna di Giacomo Order Form

Growing Up in Alden Park

Many other titles are available from our Gift Shop. One such work is "Growing Up in Alden Park" by Richard H. MacNeal, a 1998 recollection of the author's childhood and adolescent life in Germantown's first luxury high-rises, the national landmark Alden Park complex.

The Germantown Crier

The Germantown Crier is the Society's semiannual journal of local history, published since 1949.

SPECIAL CRIER OFFER
20 back issues of the Germantown Crier from 1949 to 1980 (our selection)! These issues contain many articles and photos of interest to the local history buff. All for the low price of $20 postpaid. Use the order form or mail a check to Germantown Historical Society, 5501 Germantown Avenue, Phila., Pa. 19144.

Packet of articles from "The Germantown Crier" pertaining to the Battle of Germantown, especially prepared for the 225th Anniversary of the Battle of Germantown. Price: $10.00. Add $5.00 if mailing is requested. Can be ordered by sending check payable to The Germantown Historical Society, 5501 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144.

NOW AVAILABLE: Index to the Germantown Crier

Complete Index to 50 years of the Germantown Crier. An invaluable resource for your research into Germantown, Mt. Airy, and Chestnut Hill history. Thousands of listings by author and subject. Go to the subject index for a complete listing of topics published in the Crier. To buy a copy with full page references, send a check for $10 ($7.00 plus shipping and handling) to GHS. Also available on CD in either MS Word or MS Works for $15.00 ($12.00 plus shipping and handling). Or come into the Germantown Historical Society and do research in person.

The following back issues of the Crier are also in stock:

The Fall 2007 issue of the Crier includes Movie Theaters of Germantown by Dennis McGlinchey; Protrait of Catherine Wister Miles by David D. mcCann; Doorways of the German Township by Irvin Miller.
The Spring 2007 issue of the Crier includes the following articles:
- Shouting Old Satan's Kingdom Down: A History of Early Methodists in Germantown by Sam Whyte
- Naaman K. Ployd by Eugene Glenn Stackhouse
- "Our Sweethearts of the North": Civil War Portrait Photographs at the Germantown Historical Society by Susan Powell Witt.
The Fall 2006 issue of the Crier includes interviews with African American and White Germantowners about life between the two World Wars. Topics discussed include schools, churches, recreation, work, and racism. Local resident J. Patrick Moran shares his experience of researching a Colonial Revival house on Church Lane.
The Spring 2006 issue of the Crier features articles on East Germantown, including excerpts from Thomas Clemens’ 1930s history of the area, Lou Brownholtz’s memories of growing up in Belfield, and Gordon Howard’s account of and artist’s drowning death in a Germantown dam.
The Fall 2005 issue of the Crier is a special edition devoted to women of Germantown. Some of these women were wealthy “do-gooders,” others teachers, artists, or tavern owners including Sarah Butler Wister, the mother of Owen Wister, a writer and friend of Henry James; the women who ran the Germantown Door of Hope, which aided “fallen women;” Clarissa Jones Dye, a Civil War nurse; Gina Carano, singer; the Germantown Needlework Guild members, who sewed thousands of articles of clothing for the needy; Ella Peacock, a 20th century artist from Harvey Street; Margaret Brooke, a woman determined to escape slavery, who was helped by black and white Germantowners; Hannah Zell, organizer extraordinaire; Elizabeth Head, a progressive teacher of girls; Mary B. Houston Williams, who opposed women’s suffrage but was a friend of Louisa May Alcott and Walt Whitman; the “wayward” Bessie Weaver; Les Jeunes Vocalistes, African-American vocal ensemble—and others.
Spring 2005 features two articles on the Germantown Theatre Guild, one on its founding in the Depression years by Nancy Boykin, and a personal memory of the Guild by Dolly Beechman-Schnall. Also in this issue: “David McMahon: Germantown Contractor” by Norman Giorno-Calapristi and Donna Di Giacomo and “The (Other) Haines Residence, Then and Now” by Eugene Cole Zubrinsky.
Fall 2004 features “The Lambdins of Germantown” by Gordon J. Howard. James Reid Lambdin and his son, George Cochran Lambdin, were both well-known 19th century painters, who spent much of their lives in a house on Price Street in Germantown. The lives of these (and other) members of the Lambdin family are described, with many illustrations of their work. Also in this issue: “A Brief History of Holy Rosary Church” by Norman Giorno-Calapristi and Louisa May Alcott Returns to Germantown by Judith Callard
Spring 2004 features the diary of 17-year-old Jacob Hortter Bechtel from 1839 to 1842. Jacob lived at the Bechtel paper mill on Cresheim Creek. His vibrant drawings are included with the diary entries. Also in this issue, “Hamill’s Mill and the Harkins Family: Two Irish Families,” by Rita Harkins Glancey. Ms. Glancey looks at the intertwined lives of a mill owner’s family and one of the families that worked at the mill.
Fall 2003 issue of the Germantown Crier featured an article that highlighted the rich Italian-American history of Chestnut Hill: "Memories in Artifact and Stone: Italians Build a Neighborhood" by Joan Saverino. It also includes "Navajo Weaving with Germantown Yarn: Legacy of Survival-Legacy of Beauty" by Linda Woal, Guest Curator of the "Eyedazzlers: The Two Century Romance of Navajo Weaving and Germantown Yarn" Exhibit at the Sedgwick Cultural Center this fall. Publication date is November 1. Price is $8.00.
Spring 2003 Germantown Crier features articles relating to the Pulaski Town section of Germantown such as "Pulaski Town: The Evolution of a Black Community" by Joseph O'Grady, "The Potter's Field" by Eugene Stackhouse, and articles on Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church and Pulaski Town businesses in 1902.
Fall 2002 Germantown Crier features the following major articles: "Mineralizing in Germatown" (mineral collectors and quarries) by Jay L. Lininger; "Navajo 'Germantown' weavings" by Craig Watson; "Germantown and Its Civic Organizations, pt. 2" by Frank X. Delany.
Spring 2002 Germantown Crier features Frank X. Delany's article "Germantown and Its Civic Organizations," William Will's "Germantown Renewal Program", "William Byrd" (African - American quarry owner and businessman) and "Internet Germantown" by Marion Katzenbach Rosenbaum.
Fall 2001 Germantown Crier contains winning entries from our Art and Writing Contest; “On the Trail of Owen Wister” by James A. Butler; “Winemaking As We Knew It” by Emilio F. Quartucci; “Centered in Germantown: 18th and 21st Century Trades” by Mary K. Dabney; “Skating at Kelly's Dam, Germantown” by Gordon J. Howard; and “The Germantown Community Band” by Norman Giorno-Calapristi.
The Spring 2001 issue includes the following articles: "A Germantown Artist: George Bacon Wood" by Gordon J. Howard; "Edward Jones and the Gardens of Montebello"; "Emily Fox Cheston" by Kathryn Harriman; "Remarks at the Centennial Gala" by Jeff Groff; "Joseph Murter, part II" by Edwin C. Jellett; "The Basics of Historic House Preservation" by Emily T. Cooperman; and "Finding your House's History Through Philadelphia Records" by J. M. Duffin.
The Fall 2000 issue includes articles on The Italians of Northwest Philadelphia, and Mower Civil War General Hospital. Also, if you've wondered how to preserve your own history, look no further than this Crier! This issue focuses on preservation, with contributions from the GHS staff and Board of Directors.
The Spring 1998 issue features the article "Charlotte Cardeza, Titanic Survivor."
Also available is the 1997 single issue covering Louisa May Alcott.

To order any edition of the Germantown Crier, select the issue(s) you want from our Order Form page, and send the printed page to us with your payment and address. Prices include shipping and handling.

Writers Wanted!

We are always looking for articles about Germantown for the Germantown Crier. For further information, please write to: Judith Callard, Editor, The Germantown Crier, 5501 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144-2225, or e-mail us at info@germantownhistory.org.

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