HISTORY OF HORSHAM
The present day boundaries for Horsham Township were originally surveyed and mapped by William Penn’s surveyor general, Thomas Holmes in the 1680’s. Many of the main travel routes that run through Horsham to this day can be found on these plot maps, including Horsham Road and County Line Road. Following the survey of the land that later became known as Horsham, Penn sold off the township in large parcels to four investors between 1682 and 1686.
One investor’s son, Thomas Palmer, settled their parcel following acquisition. The other three investors, and their heirs, then went on to sell their parcels off to 36 settlers, who purchased their parcels from 1709 to 1750. Samuel Carpenter sold a 50 acre parcel to the Horsham Friends Meeting. Several structures were constructed on the parcel near Meetinghouse and Easton Roads. In 1739, the Quaker school house and farmhouse were constructed. In 1803, the Meeting House was built across the street. All of these structures stand to this day and are all in use. Samuel Carpenter is believed to be the person who named the township. Carpenter’s birthplace was Horsham, in Sussex, England.
In 1718, Sir William Keith, the governor of Colonial Pennsylvania, acquired a 1,684 acre parcel. In 1722, he built his estate there. Graeme Park, Keith’s estate, is now owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Keith would later be instrumental to the construction of extensions of the modern-day Easton Road, which provided access to his estate. Norristown Road would later be built to allow easy access to the Gwynedd Friends Meeting from the Horsham Friends Meeting.
During the American Revolution, local men were enrolled in militia. Encamped at Crooked Billet in the spring of 1778, they would be involved in a skirmish that was later commemorated with a monument that stands at the site of Crooked Billet Elementary in Hatboro.
A farming community, Horsham cattle herders found the need for local grain to feed their herds. Several mills were constructed in order to supply this demand. The Kenderdine Mill, still standing near Davis Grove and Keith Valley Roads, was built in 1734. Palmer Mill was built in 1740 near the modern-day intersection of Dresher and Horsham Roads. The mill still stands today. Later, in 1832, a water-powered mill was built along Limekiln pike.
Horsham was once a township of villages: Horshamville, the area between the intersection of Easton and Horsham Roads to the south, the Horsham Friends Meeting to the north was one area. Also in Horshamville were a hotel, general store, wool mill, and post office. Davis Grove was once located on the tract of land now occupied by the Willow Grove Naval Air Station. Prospectville was at the intersection of Horsham and Norristown Roads.
Up until the mid-20th century, Horsham remained a farming community. During World War II, the Pitcairn Field was transformed into a large military base. Today, following the construction of housing developments, shopping centers, and larger roads, Horsham is a thriving suburban community with more than 15, 000 residents.
LANDMARKS AND HISTORIC SITES
Graeme Park: Graeme Park consists of several structures. The Keith House was built in 1722, and it is the only surviving house of the Colonial Pennsylvania Governor. Also on the property is the Strawbridge Mansion which was built by Samuel Penrose in 1810, following his acquisition of the estate from the Graemes, who purchased Fountain Low in 1739, and renamed it Graeme Park. Later acquired in 1920 by Welsh Strawbridge, the 300 acre estate included the original Keith House. In 1958, a 42 acre parcel including the Keith House was given the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1958.
859 County Line Road, Horsham PA 19044
(215) 343-0965
The Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum: This museum consists of a small collection of military aircraft and aviation related memorabilia. This museum houses one of two surviving ME-262 jets, a plane developed and used by the German Air Force during the end of World War II. It was the first military jet to be built – information about the plane’s development can be found here. It’s free to tour, and located ½ mile south of the Air Base’s main gate.
(215) 443-6039
Horsham Friends Meeting House: The first Friends Meeting took place in Horsham in 1716. It wasn’t until 1803 that the Horsham Friends would construct a Meeting House. This Meeting House is located at the corner of 611 and Meetinghouse Road. The tract of land that it stands on today was once part of a 50 acre parcel, originally part of Penn’s Woods and deeded to Horsham Friends by Hannah Carpenter in 1718. The parcel included the adjacent farm, the graveyard across the street, and the schoolhouse.
Meetinghouse & Easton Roads, Horsham PA 19044
(215) 672-1714
POPULATION: 15,200
SIZE: 5.5 square miles
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