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Perkasie Historical Society: From Lehigh Valley Transit Trolley Station to a Museum

A daily feature from our surrounding historical societies.

A daily feature from our surrounding historical societies.

  • Community

Our Perkasie Historical Society Museum located in the 100-year-old-former Lehigh Valley Transit Trolley Station underwent renovations in 2012.

The project truly became a “labor of love.”

What started as Brandon Lederach’s Eagle Scout Project evolved into a community project. Fellow Troop 1 scouts, business, community, and society volunteers worked together through the Spring and Summer of 2012.

    Credit: Perkasie Historical Society.
 
 
    Credit: Perkasie Historical Society.
 
 
    Credit: Perkasie Historical Society.
 
 

In Spring of 2012, the first step involved Perkasie Historical Society volunteers, led by Matt Lynch and Rick Doll along with Bob Dunlap, to move all the society’s artifacts and memorabilia into temporary storage. Removal of the old and grimy paneling, ceiling, bathroom, office, and storage areas was a dirty and dusty job taking the interior down to its original brick walls.

The improvements included new window moldings, ceiling and wall painting, wainscoting, interior doors, freight room restoration, drywall, lighting, and an entirely new electrical system, along with wiring for a security and fire protection system.

Original paint colors were matched to restore the look of the trolley station to its heyday in the first half of the 1900’s.

The success of this joint effort gave the museum a new and brighter look, while preserving much of the history of the building, once a transportation hub of the community.

In celebration, the Perkasie Historical Society hosted a Museum Open House on November 10th and 11th, 2012.

    Credit: Perkasie Historical Society.
 
 
    Credit: Perkasie Historical Society.
 
 

Incremental maintenance, including masonry, roof, exterior painting by the society continues through today, 12 years after the building’s 100th anniversary.

This and more society milestones can be found on our website www.perkasiehistory.org