On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County will host a three part event. First and foremost, the day will celebrate 50 years of caring for their important collection of early buildings. All of the Trust properties will be open to the public that day. Finally, the Trust will unveil signs informing visitors of the history of the buildings at the historic park at Old Morlatten Village, 31 Old Philadelphia Pike, Douglassville.
Theresa Beard, Raymond Elliott and Dr. Arthur Graeff, former president of the Pennsylvania German Society, initiated the preservation movement in Berks County in 1964. They recognized the significant legacy of the early Europeans settling in what would become Berks County. Ms. Beard focused on the earliest settlers, the Swedes, and began efforts to preserve the 1716 Mouns Jones house along the Schuylkill near present day Douglassville. Along with others, they formed the Trust in April 1964 and were gifted the modest Mouns Jones by Roy Schurr. The high style Hottenstein Mansion above Kutztown was a gift of the David Hottenstein family.
With those buildings protected by caring hands, other buildings were acquired over the next several decades, including the George Douglass mansion, White Horse Tavern and what was known as the Bridge Keeper’s house. Along with the Jones house, this part of the collection comprises the historic village. Two other sites in the upper Oley valley were added, the diminutive DeTurk stone cabin and the massive Keim homestead.
All of the properties will be open to the public on Sep. 27, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the Trust’s annual Fall into History Tour. Tickets are available by calling 610-385-4762 and online at www.historicpreservationtrust.org. From 2 to 7 p.m., the 50th anniversary festivities will continue with a picnic, staff in period costume, colonial music and dancing in the park at Morlatten. Wine tasting will be available for a donation.Visitors may stroll through the village and, with the help of the recently installed signs and kiosks, learn about the people who lived and worked here. The signs were a joint venture of the Trust and the Schuylkill River Greenway, managers of the Thun Trail which runs behind the village, parallel to the Old Philadelphia Pike. Festivities will be focused at the White Horse Tavern, 31 Old Philadelphia Pike, Douglassville, 19518. Members and the public is invited.
From Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County