A daily feature from our surrounding historical societies.
Detweiler's Store once stood at Broad & Market streets in Hatfield Borough.
Isaac C. Detweiler purchased the general store in 1908. In the early 1930s, Detweiler's son, Gilbert, after working for two years in New York City, came back to Hatfield to work in his father’s store.
In 1946, Isaac Detweiler died at the age of 73 and Gilbert carried on the store business. In 1970, Gilbert made the decision to close the store that was a Borough institution for almost 100 years.
Hatfield Museum & History Society At the end of business on Christmas Eve Day, 1970, after 62 years of operation, Detweiler's Market closed its doors forever. The store's inventory was liquidated, and the store property sold to the adjoining Hatfield Savings and Loan Association.
The store building was demolished in 1971 to make room for a parking lot for the Savings and Loan next door.
Hatfield Museum and History Society was incorporated as a nonprofit on Dec. 18, 1991, through the efforts of Rev. Greg Dimick and Larry Stevens, both members at the time of the Hatfield Chamber of Commerce Historical Committee.
The purpose of the Hatfield Museum and History Society is to preserve the history of the Hatfield Community, according to its website. This includes collecting and preserving books, documents, photographs, memorabilia and any other items relative to the history of the Hatfield Borough and Hatfield Township. It also includes educating the public through the presentation of programs on Hatfield's history. The Society presents five community programs a year, highlighting different aspects of Hatfield’s history, per its website.
Donate to the nonprofit historical society here. Follow the Society on Facebook.
