Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, was once served by 140 miles of trolley lines. In the first half of the 20th century, a wide array of trolley cars rolled over Montgomery County's rails, from quaint open streetcars rumbling through borough streets to sleek 80-mile-an-hour trolleys sailing across open fields in Upper Gwynedd and Hatfield Townships. The cars had zero emissions, and some lines were powered by renewable hydroelectric power. Taking the trolley was a convenient, affordable option for those travelling and commuting in Montgomery County, nearby Philadelphia, and points beyond. Freight was also carried on board trolleys, with prompt parcel delivery service. Fortunately, many years ago, dedicated trolley fans had the foresight to aim their cameras at these unique vehicles, providing rare glimpses not just of the trolleys but also of Montgomery County's rapidly changing landscapes.

This book is written especially to honor the residents in a small black community whose time as a totally black community may be ending. . Not all Black Americans have lived in the urban areas of this country; not a better life, but different. It is hoped that any who read this book would see that the hopes, dreams, and life styles of many Black Americans are no different than those of other Americans. This story is about such people. Just beyond the Bethlehem Baptist Church on the corner of Penllyn-Blue Bell Pike and Trewellyn Avenue, in the village of Penllyn, Lower Gwynedd Township, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, rests a predominantly black settlement. The people who founded the church are the same people who established a firm foundation for the community. But there is something more to the church and residents whose presence there dates back 120 years. The author’s purpose is to document their presence before their rich history is swept away by changing demographics. The book’s focus is on the black immigrants from Virginia who were recruited from the farmlands of Westmoreland County, Virginia to those in Gywnedd and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania. There is a brief acknowledgment of the settlement of the Welsh and other Eastern and Southern Europeans, as well as the aristocracy, who came before. Also noted are the ties to the Revolutionary War and structures that could be considered as historic sites still remaining in the village. A review of their southern roots was important to understanding the residents’ success in their new home. They had strong ties to their families and skills already gained back home. Some came to make enough money to send home to buy the farmland back in Virginia that their forefathers had farmed under the yoke of slavery. Some succeeded and returned home. Others remained to find work in the mills, and estates of the wealthy; some were able to start small businesses of their own. Their settlement began with a prayer group of nineteen people that met in a home in Springhouse, PA, in 1885. Told from the perspective of the elders in the community the expanding group had already become a community in faith and spirit if not in residence. In 1888, having outgrown their meeting site they established a church in Penllyn Village, and the first black resident moved into the village. When malicious arson caused that church to burn down, they built another. For the greater part of 120 years the church was their anchor. It is continually illustrated that the early church leadership encouraged them in developing business acumen, political savvy, and artistic talents. Two major land investments established the village as a black community. The first was the purchase of a block of land by young black entrepreneurs in the early 1900s. It was during that time one sees the development of businesses and self-sufficiency that held their community together. The second and most challenging occurred in 1947, when they were able to develop, what is believed to be the first Black corporation in the state of Pennsylvania, in order to buy the Pershing estate. The Penllyn Home builders Association, Inc., sold stock for fifty dollars a share and bought the 40-acre estate. As a result 50 more black owned homes were added to the community. A discussion of their social and recreational activities from the early 1900s on, are what has been observe in American culture throughout that same time span. Simple church picnics, hometown roller rinks, the ice cream parlor, the old swimming hole are typical hometown entertainments of decades past. There is an array of musical talent of an unusual proportion in such a small population, ranging from instrumental, and singing to, contemporary jazz bands. You will note that the residents have never shirked their civic duty. Since the 1930s and 1940s and currently, they have been actively involved in all aspects of the political spectrum from consis

New York Times Bestseller • People’s Book of the Week “A heartfelt tale of love too stubborn to surrender to human frailties." — Kirkus Reviews Set in the lush Big Band era of the 1940s, this spellbinding saga from beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani tells the story of two talented working class kids who marry and become a successful singing act, until time, temptation, and the responsibilities of home and family derail their dreams. Shortly before World War II, Chi Chi Donatelli and Saverio Armandonada meet one summer on the Jersey shore and fall in love. Both are talented, and dream of becoming singers for the legendary orchestras of the time: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman. They’re soon married, and it isn’t long before Chiara and Tony find that their careers are on the way up as they navigate the glamorous worlds of night clubs, radio, and television. All goes well until it becomes clear that they must make a choice: Which of them will put their ambitions aside to raise a family and which will pursue a career? And how will they cope with the impact that decision has on their lives and their marriage? From the Jersey shore to Las Vegas to Hollywood, and the dance halls in between, this story is vivid with historical color and steeped in the popular music that serves as its score. Tony’s Wife is a magnificent epic of life in a traditional Italian family undergoing seismic change in a fast paced, modern world. Filled with vivid, funny, and unforgettable characters, this richly human story showcases Adriana Trigiani’s gifts as a storyteller and her deep understanding of family, love, and the pursuit of a dream.

Nicknamed the “Gateway to the Nation's Capital,” Montgomery County is home to a number of federal agencies and a highly educated and affluent population that has grown increasingly diverse in recent years. Established in 1776, Montgomery County now consists of urban centers like Bethesda and Silver Spring; suburban neighborhoods like Wheaton, Germantown, and Potomac; and scenic rolling farmland interspersed with historic villages, like Brookeville and Barnesville. An additional 50,000 acres of federal, state, and county parkland provide numerous recreational opportunities for its residents. Nicknamed the “Gateway to the Nation's Capital,” Montgomery County is home to a number of federal agencies and a highly educated and affluent population that has grown increasingly diverse in recent years. Established in 1776, Montgomery County now consists of urban centers like Bethesda and Silver Spring; suburban neighborhoods like Wheaton, Germantown, and Potomac; and scenic rolling farmland interspersed with historic villages, like Brookeville and Barnesville. An additional 50,000 acres of federal, state, and county parkland provide numerous recreational opportunities for its residents.

In 1950, the classic American downtown of Norristown, Pennsylvania, centered on the six blocks of Main Street, was the bustling commercial heart of central Montgomery County, and had been for over a century. With depression and war in the past, downtown merchants looked forward to an extended period of prosperity. It was not to be. By 1975, downtown's core stood largely shuttered and deteriorating, with 99 storefronts vacant and countless others lost to the wrecking ball, as first shoppers and then the merchants fled Main Street. What Killed Downtown? Was it... The Malls? Commercial wisdom points to the King of Prussia Mall as the prime suspect. But were there accomplices? Municipal Government? The Main Street merchants always believed that the Borough Council was the culprit--and with good reason. The Downtown Merchants themselves? Did the shopholders blind themselves, then step into the firing line, ignoring the threats of a changing world? Or was it something else...something more fundamental? Historian Michael E. Tolle's extensive research into the collapse of downtown Norristown reveals not only the answers to these questions, but also recreates the classic American downtown shopping experience, long an American characteristic, but now largely foreign to anyone below middle age. In so doing, Tolle lays bare the fundamental incompatibility between the urban grid and the automobile, as he recounts how a middle-sized American city struggled -- and failed -- to solve the the issues of traffic flow and parking, issues that are no closer to solution today, regardless of the size of the city.