Community History Documentation Project

The Springfield Township Historical Society’s Community History Documentation Project seeks to acquire personal recollections from township residents and former residents about the people, places and events that shaped the history of our township. The information compiled will be added to our archive to benefit future generations and may be used for purposes of research, education, publication and exhibition.

We would very much appreciate you taking the time to share your recollections of life in Springfield Township and we look forward to receiving your input to this valuable and interesting project.

Please click here to submit your recollections directly through the website. For a printable Community History Documentation Form in PDF format for you to fill out and return to Springfield Township Historical Society, click here.

Recollections from previous submissions:

“Paper Mill Road ran from Bethlehem Pike all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue, just passed the Rail Road tracks. Crossing the Reading Railroad tracks was very precarious as I recall. I remember going up the hill and over the tracks a few times. The hill over the tracks on the East side was fairly steep and I recall as a child that I couldn’t see over the hood of our car. I would’ve been a small child siting low in the front seat at the time….” – Barry Hoefermann

“Our barn burned one year & the Wyndmoor Fire Co came running. My mother gave them cocktails afterwards.” – Margaret Newbold Pearson

“There used to be a bowling alley at Haws Lane and Bethlehem Pike….” Those were the days before the bowling pins were automatically set up by machines. Many of us earned extra money by being ‘pin boys’.” – William Ritter

“One of our favorite places to ride our bikes was the neighborhood swimming holes at Wissahickon Creek. My mother warned me not to wear out my bathing suit, and I ‘obeyed’ by sometimes stripping down to my skinnies.” – Dick Gregory

“West Oreland School was over on Plymouth Avenue, where we would play basketball at the courts and baseball on the ball field all day long – Many times we shoveled snow off the court to play basketball – As we played sports in our late teens and early twentys, we became the ‘West Oreland Wild Cats’, a name that became synonymous with ‘sports excellence’.” – John D’Lauro