Knapp Farm - Montgomery Township Historical Society

10/08/2026

Who's up for Coffee and Cake Saturday Morning?

09/23/2026

IT'S A PARTY!! 🥳🎂🎈🎉 Saturday, October 10 would have been Florence Knapp's birthday, and we've decided to celebrate! Please join us for birthday cake, remembrances of her long life and a special exhibit of her mementos on Saturday, October 10 from 11 am to 1 pm as we celebrate this special lady who was the recipient of TWO Guinness World Records. As some of you may know, Florence was 114 years old when she passed away in 1988, and the oldest person in the world. Today, she still holds the record for living in the same residence the longest.

You can also browse our curated history book sale while visiting. All proceeds to towards the restoration of Knapp Farm.

We hope to see you at Knapp Farm on October 10 from 11 am to 1 pm!

09/20/2026

We join the Lansdale Historical Society in supporting the preservation of this historic building.

09/13/2026

Always something new to learn! Great story of courage and resilience.

On the morning of September 11, 1851, a Maryland slaveholder named Edward Gorsuch rode into Lancaster County with a federal marshal and a posse to seize four men who had escaped from his farm. He was met at a stone tenant house near Christiana by a free Black farmer named William Parker and a crowd of neighbors who had been alerted by horn. Gorsuch was killed. His son was badly wounded. 🌽

Most people have never heard of the Christiana Resistance, and it is one of the most consequential things that ever happened in Pennsylvania. The Fugitive Slave Act had passed the year before and required Northerners to assist in captures. Christiana was the first time a Northern community answered it with organized force.

The federal response was enormous. Thirty eight men, most of them Black, were charged with treason against the United States, the largest mass treason indictment in American history. The government wanted to make an example. The first defendant tried was a white Quaker miller named Castner Hanway, and the jury acquitted him in about fifteen minutes. The remaining charges collapsed.

William Parker escaped to Canada. Frederick Douglass helped arrange his passage. The message that reached the South was that the law could not be enforced in Pennsylvania, and the road to 1861 got noticeably shorter.

Did you learn about Christiana in a Pennsylvania classroom, or is this the first you are hearing of it? ✊

08/04/2026

Happy 200th Birthday to Mary Ann Knapp! Mary was the daughter of Abiram and Mary (Worrell) Knapp, born on August 4, 1826 and died June 9, 1934, just about two months shy of her 108th birthday. She resided in the Knapp House for 99 years, having been just a young girl when she moved there in 1835. Mary is pictured here when over 100 years old, waiting to vote at the Walker Inn, the township polling place at that time. The Walker Inn was located at what is now the "Five Points" intersection in Montgomeryville, approximately where Red Lobster is located today. The daguerreotype gives us a glimpse of how Mary looked when she was in her 20's. Some of you may recall Mary as the focus of "The Civil War Love Story" we presented some years ago.

07/11/2026

Well! The last old-time Florence Knapp riddle must have stumped everyone! We even gave you a bit more time, but only one guess!

The riddle was: WHAT GOES UP THE CHIMNEY DOWN, AND DOWN THE CHIMNEY DOWN, BUT NEVER UP THE CHIMNEY UP OR DOWN THE CHIMNEY UP?

The answer: AN UMBRELLA! (This was quite a stumper, but think about it and it makes sense.)

07/09/2026

Thank you for all the guesses to the riddle in Monday's post!
The riddle was: WHAT GOES UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN, BUT NEVER TOUCHES SKY, NOR GROUND? There were many very clever guesses, and ones that would certainly be suitable answers. But, remember, the riddle was from the 1800's, so that was the clue. There was ONE correct answer, and that was from Natalie M. Macy: A PUMP HANDLE! No running water in homes back then. Great guess, Natalie!

Ready for another Florence Knapp riddle? Here goes: WHAT GOES UP THE CHIMNEY DOWN, AND DOWN THE CHIMNEY DOWN, BUT NEVER UP THE CHIMNEY UP OR DOWN THE CHIMNEY UP? Clue: Although this is an oldie, it can still pertain to chimneys today.

Put your guesses below and the answer will be posted on Friday!

07/06/2026

Did you know that Florence Knapp (1873 - 1988) earned TWO Guiness World Records during her lifetime? One, for being the oldest person in the world when she passed away at age 114, and the other, a record she STILL HOLDS, is for living in the same residence the longest - 110 years!

Florence was born in the Knapp House and resided there until she broke her hip at 110 years-old. Unable to return to her long-time home afterwards, she lived at Dock Woods, a skilled care facility in Towamencin Township until she passed away, but her mind was still clear as a bell! She did know about her record for being the oldest person, and was amazed, but was not aware of her other record. In fact, no one in the Knapp Family was aware of it. Our MTHS president and Florence's great-niece, Lisa Knapp Siegel, stumbled upon that record some years ago, long after Florence had passed.

Talking to Florence was like talking to a living history book. In addition to being the family historian, she could recall important events in history and even remembered (at age 113) when the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, was installed and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The US was celebrating 100 years of the Statue in 1986. She had just turned 13 years old in 1886 and read about it in the newspaper, because, as she said, "Of course, we didn't have television or radio back then!" Growing up without any modern conveniences, she stated that the invention of electricity was, in her opinion, "wthout a doubt, the most important invention" during her lifetime.

One of her favorite things to do was to tell popular little riddles from the 1800's/early 1900's. We have a few from her, and this will be #1: WHAT GOES UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN, BUT NEVER TOUCHES SKY, NOR GROUND?

Put your guesses below! Answer will be given in a post on Wednesday. Keep in mind this is one is from the 1800's. Good luck!

07/03/2026

Happy 250th Birthday, America!! If the thick, stone walls at the Knapp House could talk, what fascinating stories they would tell! We date the house to about 1760, so it witnessed the birth of our nation and was home to many, many residents over the years. The second photo is of CS Knapp and family in front of the house in 1894. The Knapp House is the only house in Montgomery Township listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend, friends!

06/07/2026

Today’s the day! Join us from 1-4 for our summer open house! Tours, mini-presentations, raffles, book and bake sale. Free and open to the public.