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History of Boyertown History of Boyertown

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1819 saw the enlargement of the Mennonite meeting house.  The old log structure was torn down and a new large structure was built in it's place.

Now that the town was supporting 2 churches and a school, a mail service was needed.  This was provided by "post riders" and the stage coach once or twice a week.  People gathered at Boyers' Inn to await the mail's arrival.  On February 14, 1828, the Post Office of Boyertown was officially established with Daniel Boyer as the postmaster.

1849 brought advanced education to Boyertown with the establishment of the Mt. Pleasant Seminary.  By 1855, it housed 50 boarding students and 75 day students.  This building is located on West Philadelphia Avenue near College Street.

Boyers' Inn changed hands when William Binder took over its management and replaced the small log structure with a magnificent brick building.  He renamed it the Union House and it still stands today as the Boyertown Inn.

As early as 1851, a petition for incorporation has been drafted, signed by 13 residents, and sent to the county courts where it was rejected.  The residents appealed again in April 1866.  Not everyone was in favor of the incorporation.  Fearing higher taxes would result to benefit only the town officials, ten members of the opposition drafted a letter of protest which was filed on August 6, 1866.  Disregarding the protest, the Grand Jury granted the town's request for incorporation on October 20, 1866.

Finally the citizens of Boyertown could conduct their own affairs, including free schools.:

  • 1856 - Establishment of the Boyertown Water Company
  • 1860 - Horse market established by William Binder
  • 1860 - School built on South Chestnut Street
  • 1864 - Keystone Cigar Company established by D.S. Erb
  • 1867 - Henry Erb established a news agency by the railroad which later became Mest's News Agency
  • Mining continued to prosper in the area
  • 1868 - Establishment of the Boyertown Democrat (now the Boyertown Times)
  • 1868 - Mr. Shapell opened a granite works which later became C.W. Kline
  • 1869 - Railroad came to Boyertown from Pottstown bringing Boyertown's biggest boom years
  • 1870's - Most productive years of the mines in the area.  Production gradually decreased as water began seeping into those mines and they had to be abandoned.
  • 1870 - Jake Wallach opened a horse stable on the property that once housed the Boyertown Casket Company.
  • 1871 - Lutherans built their own church on North Reading Avenue
  • 1872 - Opening of the Sweinhart Carriage Factory which later became known as the Boyertown Carriage Works.
  • 1872 - Leidy's Livery stable opened.
  • 1872 - National Bank of Boyertown established (now National Penn Bank)
  • 1873 - Establishment of the Keystone Steam Fire Engine Company
  • 1875 - Daniel Schlegel built a machine shop that later became Emerald Tool and Die on the corner of 2nd and Washington Streets (Taylor Bacus is now located there)
  • 1882 - Formation of the Friendship Hook and Ladder Company
  • 1882 - Erb's cigar factory owner built a three story building on the corner of Philadephia and Reading Avenues which became known as the Erb building.
  • 1882 - Other businesses running were LeFevre's hardware store, Leidy and Carver bakery, Lechner's butcher shop and J.J. Browns Furniture and Mortuary on the corner of Washington and Philadephia Avenue
  • 1883 - Farmer's National Bank and Trust Company started (now M&T bank)
  • 1891 - Competition came for Leidy in the form of Eshbach's Livery Stables at the west end of Reading Avenue.
  • 1893 - The first stock in the Boyertown Casket Company was sold.
  • 1893 - Union Foundry established.
  • 1894 - Evangelical Church started on South Washington Street.
  • 1899 - Washington School built on the corner of 3rd and Washington Streets (location of the Boyertown Borough Hall and the Boyertown Post Office)
  • 1900's - Trolley came to Boyertown
  • 1902 - Conestoga Telephone Company started
  • 1908 - Rhoads Opera House fire
  • 1909 - Lincoln School built on West Philadelphia Avenue (building still stands)