You may recall that in our September Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors issue, our History Spotlight Expert Doug Humes and Edgmont Township Supervisor Annie Thorne sent out a call to action to our loyal readers.
Wow, did our Reader Leaders answer that call!
The request was for community members, history buffs and local residents interested in becoming founding members of the Edgmont Historical Society to gather for a general interest meeting in September. “All interested township residents were encouraged to get involved because forming and operating the society takes a lot of volunteer effort in many different aspects,” explained Doug. “The wonderful thing is that for every interest and every skill, there is a unique place for members to lend their expertise and talent.” He added that each contribution is invaluable and helps to shape the future of our community’s history.
“We had a great turnout for the Edgmont Historical Society’s first exploratory meeting in September and a follow-up meeting in October,” Annie said. “Our group included historic property owners, folks whose families have been in Edgmont for generations and residents who were interested in learning the history of their neighborhoods.” The meeting was held in the Edgmont Township’s history room and began with helpful advice from leaders of nearby Historical Societies. Then, attendees went around the room, introduced themselves and connected over stories of Edgmont’s past.
Annie added that their next step is to find people willing to serve on the Historical Society’s Board. “We need volunteers with a variety of skill sets, including organization, communication, web design, education, and legal experience,” she explained. “We’d also like to get more of Edgmont’s historic homeowners involved in this effort since these are the people currently caring for many of Edgmont’s remaining historic structures.”
Doug and Annie believe that, together, establishing an official Edgmont Historical Society can significantly impact the preservation of our community’s rich history and heritage. They are more than willing and qualified to lead this initiative. Doug is the Curator, Communications Liaison and Program Director for the Newtown Square Historical Society. “I am a practicing attorney and have extensive experience setting up non-profit entities,” Doug said.
Annie co-founded the Connect Edgmont community group to share her love of the outdoors and advocate for outdoor recreation, open space and community building in Edgmont Township. She is also a frequent contributor to the Edgmont Historical Society’s Facebook group, sharing stories about our many historic buildings such as the Gradyville Hotel and The John Worrall House, sometimes referred to as the “Hospital house” which is the most significant structure in Ridley Creek State Park.
“Everyone who shares our interest in learning about and preserving Edgmont Township’s history is welcome,” Annie explained. “If you didn’t get a chance to join us in September or October, we hope you’ll consider coming out for our next meeting, which will be advertised online at Facebook.com/EdgmontHistoricalSociety.