The UMT Police Department was established following the April 9, 1929 robbery-murder of a grocery store owner in Swedesburg. The crime was never solved and led to the denunciation of township officials by the Swedesburg residents. At the time, Swedesburg was the most heavily populated area in UM. The township was policed by two constables with assistance from the Bridgeport Police Department. Investigations were usually conducted by the State Police or the Norristown Police Department. (Courtesy of the King of Prussia Historical Society)
Fact published 4/8/16 Upper Merion Township E-Newsletter
Many of the early settlers and descendants of UM made their mark and moved. Some family names may only be known by the streets named after them such as Rambo, Holstein, Brooks, Henderson, Abrams, Allen, Pawling, Dewitt, Beidler, Coates, Walker, Pugh, DeHaven, Supplee, Roberts and others. (Courtesy of the King of Prussia Historical Society)
Fact published 3/25/16 Upper Merion Township E-Newsletter
Renowned local historian, Michael E. Tolle, kicks-off his Southeastern Pennsylvania book tour with a presentation on Saturday, April 9 at 2:00 pm, Christ Church (Old Swedes) Church Hall. Tolle’s book, They’ve Been Down So Long…Getting Up’s Still On Their Minds, examines the past, present and future of eight classic American mill towns on Pennsylvania’s lower Schuylkill River. The work attacks the myths and misunderstandings about what happened to our towns and cities after World War II, and attempts to replace them with a more accurate understanding of this controversial subject.
Tolle describes his approach as “urban history in support of urban activism.” His talk will address directly those who wish to see their long-suffering towns along the river, from Pottstown to the Conshohockens, undergo a revival. Tolle will introduce the fundamental themes that ground his work at each appearance, tailoring his talk to the audience.
Michael E. Tolle is also the author of What Killed Downtown? Norristown, Pennsylvania, From Main Street to the Malls, and blogs regularly in support of urban revival in America’s small towns, using the eight towns on Pennsylvania’s lower Schuylkill River as his subjects.
Michael has a B.S.F.S. (Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service) from Georgetown University and a Masters Degree in History from Villanova.
He has worked in Vietnam, first in a province resettling refugees, then in Saigon. As Deputy Chief of the Refugee Division of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Michael was responsible for the day-to-day operations in support of refugees throughout the country.
He has been an instructor in History at Delaware County Community College and Montgomery County Community College. He now resides in San Francisco, where he continues his research and focus on the history and future of our small towns.
WHEN Saturday, April 9 at 2:00 pm
WHAT Schulykill River Towns
WHO Michael E. Tolle
WHERE Christ Church (Old Swedes) Church Hall, 740 River Road, Swedesburg PA 19405 (Directions)
Meetings are free and open to the public.
