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Doylestown Historical Society

Name: Doylestown Historical Society
Address: 56 S Main Street, Doylestown, PA, 18901, US
Telephone: +12153459430
Price range: Not applicable

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Doylestown Historical Society

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Preserving and celebrating the historic significance of Doylestown and its neighboring communities

Founded in 1995 by Judge Ed Ludwig, we are “committed to commemorating and preserving the history of Doylestown, so that Doylestown, its people, places and events may long be remembered”.

10/15/2026

For : The property at 77-79 N. Broad St., constructed in 1887, is a twin brick three-story house built in the cross-gabled form of a Queen Anne Victorian. Designed by Milton B. Bean and built by Henry Darrah Livezey, it functioned as residence and law office for Charles F. Meyers, Esq. (1853-1904).

Following the Meyers family's occupancy, the house served as a rental property for boarders and businesses. In March of 1919, two rooms were rented by the Village Improvement Association (V.I.A.) for the Visiting Nurse Service, functioning as "Emergency Rooms" and marking the unofficial start of a local hospital. Dr. Frank Swartzlander (1873-1925) and nurse, Miss Norma Munsey (1890-1954) treated the first patients in late May 1919.

Dr. Herbert T. Crough (1879-1951) purchased the twin house in 1926. He used 77 N. Broad as his medical office, residing at 79 N. Broad with his wife, Elizabeth (1887-1963) and daughter, Betty Jane (1911-1994). Dr. Crough was notable for administering the area's first tetanus anti-toxin injections and serving the community through house calls, sometimes accepting payments in the form of live chickens or pies. His wife, Elizabeth, was highly active in local organizations including the Nature Club, the Borough School Board and the V.I.A., serving as president in 1933.

In 1972, radio and television writer Charles J. Gussman (1913-2000) converted the Victorian twin into rental units. Gussman, who wrote the pilot for the soap opera, Days of Our Lives, sold the house to a law firm in 1987, which converted the building from apartments back into offices. In 1997, Albert Weiner (1928-2011), a retired linen service owner, acquired the property for $362,500 and performed extensive renovations, restoring the exterior to its original design. In 2021 the property sold for $1 million. Currently, the Charles F. Meyers House accommodates Bucks Beautiful—a local non-profit—as well as several other businesses.

Source:
Spence, J. Kurt, A History of 77-79 N. Broad Street, Doylestown Historical Society, 2017.

Photo caption:
77-79 North Broad Street circa 1890

10/12/2026

On Columbus Day, many also observe Indigenous Peoples' Day to remember and commemorate the original inhabitants of the land. Doylestown’s original crossroads, that we know as Main and State Streets, were originally trails carved by the Lenni Lenape before European settlers arrived. In our latest documentary, we will explore how these crossroads developed into the bustling town of today. A brief clip explaining the beginning of “our crossroads.”

10/08/2026

For : Originally the Borough of Doylestown was a small town in the country, squarish in shape, carved out of the township in 1838; and the lines between town and country were clear. However, as the town grew, it provided its residents fire protection, paved streets, water and electric lines, and other amenities. Living within the Borough’s boundaries became increasingly desirable and the period of annexation began.

This process, provided by state law, enabled a borough to absorb pieces of surrounding townships. Many township residents feared that annexation would bring higher taxes and the loss of rural character, but those living just outside the borough boundaries began to desire the services of the town. Existing Borough residents worried about the impact on their carefully managed services. The town’s population was expanding and developers began eyeing the farmland surrounding the borough…to make new subdivisions attractive they also wanted access to the infrastructure.

Between 1838 and the mid-20th century there were many petitions filed and ordinances passed to enact the acquisition of township land. These included the annexation of:
acreage of Clemens Farm in 1910;
“the angle formed by North Main Street and East Street” in 1911;
property along Jefferson Street between West Court Street and the railroad tracks in 1913;
the tract to the north of town known as the Doylestown Annex in the 1930’s;
a portion of War Memorial Field in 1947;
land for Doyle Elementary school and the Maplewood community, both in 1957.

With each addition, the Borough’s edges pushed farther into the adjoining countryside, but by the late 20th century, the era of easy annexation had come to an end. The early laws which permitted the conversion of unincorporated border properties into official borough wards were changed. However, the outline of Doylestown Borough had already become an interlocking puzzle with neighboring townships. Today there are even a few streets that cross from borough to township and back again, reflecting the town’s irregular footprint that expanded over time to accommodate the needs of its citizens.

10/07/2026

Join The Doylestown Bookshop and The Doylestown Historical Society as we welcome Becky Libourel Diamond, who will discuss her new book City Tavern: The Founding Table—Colonial Dining, Revolutionary History, and the Restaurant at the Center of It All as a part of Doylestown Celebrates USA 250! programming on Thursday, October 8th at 6:00 pm in the Doylestown Society Barn at The Doylestown Historical Society.

Doylestown Celebrates USA 250! is a yearlong program by Doylestown Historical Society in partnership with community businesses and organizations.

This is a ticketed event. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold will be donated to The Doylestown Historical Society. The Doylestown Bookshop will be on-site, selling the author's books at this event.

Tickets: https://buff.ly/ScpiDBV

10/04/2026

We had a great time hosting "Porch #17" for Doylestown Porchfest on a beautiful day! Thank you to our performers: "Too Many Cooks," "The Back Porch Jug Band," and "No Filler" for filling our park with music and bringing out large groups of people to enjoy your performances! Congratulations, and thank you to the organizers of Porchfest for a fantastic town event.

10/01/2026

For : For most of the 19th century, when a Doylestown resident passed away, the funeral took place within the home. A body was washed and prepared by family members or local women and then laid out in the formal front room—the family parlor; hence the term “funeral parlor.” Since local cabinet makers built furniture, they were the ones who possessed the wood and skills necessary to build coffins. They would also provide the horse-drawn hearse and assist the family with transport to the church or cemetery. These specific craftsmen were called “undertakers” because they offered to “undertake” such services for the grieving families.

The establishment of Doylestown Cemetery in 1849 as a "garden cemetery" completely changed local mourning customs. Rather than bleak churchyards, local residents embraced the beautiful Victorian park-like landscape for the dead, which increased the demand for professional undertakers to manage logistics. During the American Civil War, particularly following the death of Abraham Lincoln, chemical embalming gained widespread acceptance to facilitate long-distance transportation for deceased soldiers and national figures. Throughout the closing decades of the nineteenth century, Doylestown undertakers gradually transitioned into "funeral directors," expanding their offerings to advanced sanitary preservation techniques.

Howard W. Atkinson (1854-1925), a prominent Doylestown resident, was one of the first funeral directors in Doylestown. He started his profession in 1884 in the Lenape Building on Main Street (after having been one of the leading house painters in the area for eight years). As his funeral business grew, in 1905 he purchased the property at 30 S. Main Street (now J. Carroll Molloy Real Estate). Ten years later, behind his funeral parlor, Atkinson built a stone mortuary where dead bodies were kept and prepared before burial (now Paint n’ Pottery). In other business, Atkinson and his wife Emma (nee Wilson) operated the “Oakland” in 1891, a summer resort on West Oakland Avenue where they received guests until 1913. He was also affiliated with several fraternal organizations and was a well-known angler and leading member of the Bucks County Fish, Game and Forestry Association.

Photo Caption: 30 S. Main St. circa 1910

Sources: Book of Biographies:Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Bucks County, Penna., 1899.
The Daily Intelligencer, February 17, 1925.
Davis, W.W.H., History of Bucks County Penna., 1905.

09/30/2026

Going to Porchfest this Saturday? We are thrilled to be one of the porches, or in our case--the Doylestown Historical Society Park. Check out our line-up! We'll have seating for you--and restroom.

09/24/2026

Love local history? Become a member and help support our mission of preserving and honoring Doylestown's rich history!

Address

56 S Main Street
Doylestown, PA
18901

Opening Hours

Friday	10am - 3pm
Saturday	10am - 3pm

Telephone

+12153459430

Website

http://www.doylestownhistorical.org/

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