Hamburg Area Historical Society

Hamburg Area Historical Society Open the first and third Sundays of the month from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (except holidays) or by appointment.

Tonight is the night! Please join us for our first meeting of the fall tonight at 7 PM in the Large Group Instruction Ro...
09/03/2026

Tonight is the night! Please join us for our first meeting of the fall tonight at 7 PM in the Large Group Instruction Room of the Hamburg Area High School. Our program for the evening is Amish Settlements in the Hamburg area presented by Elam Stoltzfus. As always our meetings are free and open to the public.

An Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, producer, and historian, Elam Stoltzfus, serves as the Executive Director of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead Preservation Committee, where he bridges Amish heritage and contemporary media. Through historical preservation, filmmaking, and educational programs, Stoltzfus has collaborated with historians to document his lineage back to 1624—a heritage shared by 80 percent of Lancaster County Amish.

It will be an eye opening program to learn about the number of Amish settlers in our area. Hope to see you there!

As with all of our programs, we keep preserving our past for the future!!

www.hamburgpahistoricalsociety.org

Good morning. As preparation for our meeting this Thursday September 3rd at 7 PM with Elam Stoltzfus who will speak on A...
09/01/2026

Good morning. As preparation for our meeting this Thursday September 3rd at 7 PM with Elam Stoltzfus who will speak on Amish Settlements in the Hamburg Area, here are 10 basic facts about Amish immigration to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. (And Shady Maple isn’t one of them 😊.)

1. The Amish came to Pennsylvania seeking religious freedom.

2. The Amish migration was part of a much larger German-speaking migration.

3. The exact date of the first Amish arrival is uncertain. Some Amish families may have arrived as early as the 1710s or 1720s, but the first well-documented group of Amish immigrants arrived in 1737.

4. In 1737, the ship Charming Nancy brought 21 Amish families from Europe to Pennsylvania. Over the following three decades, approximately 100 Amish families would make the Atlantic crossing.

5. Their first major Pennsylvania settlement was in what became Berks County around Northkill Creek.

6. Lancaster County became another major center of Amish settlement.

7. The Amish were attracted not only by religious liberty but also by Pennsylvania’s abundant, relatively inexpensive farmland.

8. The Amish did not generally build traditional churches, instead conducted worship in private homes, rather than dedicated church buildings.

9. During the 1750s, warfare along the Pennsylvania frontier created serious problems for Amish settlers, particularly around Northkill.

10. By the end of the 1700s, the Pennsylvania Amish were firmly established—but still relatively small.

Please join us Thursday night as Elam Stoltzfus expands on these basic facts to tell the story of Amish settlements in our area. Hope to see you there!

One last thing, attached is our poster for our BBQ fundraiser in October. All information needed to help us through the purchasing of delicious pork BBQ dinners from Smokin’ Rubs BBQ can be found on the poster. If you would also like to help us with our bake sale, we will have more information on that in the weeks to follow.

Keep preserving our past for the future!

www.hamburgpahistoricalsociety.org

PS- make sure when you bring your buns to Hamburg for the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival this Saturday to stop by our stand in front of the library. We will have games for the kids, and books and costume jewelry for sale.

Good morning!! Thank you for all the anniversary wishes and comments! We appreciate all of them and invite you to be par...
08/28/2026

Good morning!! Thank you for all the anniversary wishes and comments! We appreciate all of them and invite you to be part of our next 25 years.

Speaking of invitations, please join us for our first meeting of the fall on Thursday September 3 at 7 PM in the Large Group Instruction Room of the Hamburg Area High School. Our program for the evening is Amish Settlements in the Hamburg area presented by Elam Stoltzfus. As always our meetings are free and open to the public.

An Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, producer, and historian, Elam Stoltzfus, serves as the Executive Director of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead Preservation Committee, where he bridges Amish heritage and contemporary media. Through historical preservation, filmmaking, and educational programs, Stoltzfus has collaborated with historians to document his lineage back to 1624—a heritage shared by 80 percent of Lancaster County Amish.

He is a direct descendant of Nicholas Stoltzfus—the first family member to immigrate from Germany in 1766. His deep genealogical research has led to collaborative family publications, including the history book "German Lutherans to Pennsylvania Amish", effectively bridging his celebrated storytelling career with a profound commitment to local cultural preservation.

Elam will bring to the program the large map in photo #3 of this post to show the 60 plus Amish land grants in Berks County in the 1700s. You may remember that the first Amish bishop lived at the corner of Pine Road and Old 22 in Tilden Township and is buried in a small cemetery behind the house. But what surprised many of us on our tour this June at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Wyomissing was the sheer amount of Amish settlers in our area.

Join us Thursday September 3rd and be surprised too!

By the way, to raise more funds for the museum we will hold a 50/50 drawing at each meeting. Bring some Washington’s,
Lincoln’s, Hamilton’s, or Jackson’s and take a chance.

Also look for a post this weekend announcing the date for our October BBQ fundraiser.

Thanks for your support!

Keep preserving our past for the future!!

www.hamburgpahistoricalsociety.org

08/23/2026

25 years of preserving our past for the future!

A quarter of a century!! Today 25 years ago the Hamburg Area Historical Society was recognized as an official organizati...
08/23/2026

A quarter of a century!! Today 25 years ago the Hamburg Area Historical Society was recognized as an official organization. Happy anniversary to us!! 🎂🎉🥳

In those 25 years since our very first meeting in the borough hall we have been able to preserve a whole lot of the unique history of this area. Through our museum at 102 State Street, monthly meetings with diverse programs, quarterly newsletters telling stories of our past, annual picnics with a variety of entertainment from boombas to two Berks County Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, field trips to Gettysburg, Cornwall Furnace, and other local sites, books published (and still available for sale!), and even this page, we have endeavored to live up to our motto to preserve our past for the future.

Our museum under construction at Fourth and Franklin Streets is a huge commitment to ensuring that we press on to tell the stories of the Schuylkill Navigation Canal, the manufacturing traditions we once had (“101 places to stop and shop”), the men and women who have served our country bravely throughout its 250 years, King Frost and that unique tradition, and many other aspects of life and living in the Hamburg area. This is who we are.

As we celebrate this milestone anniversary we remember the many good folks who have helped us on this journey. Some are no longer with us, but we cherish the memories they have provided.

Finally, thank you, yes you, reader of this lengthy post. Your interest in what we do has kept the home fires burning. But can I ask you a favor or two? Would you consider becoming a member of our organization? Would you consider helping us financially or volunteering time to support us so we can continue for more years? Just like Uncle Sam, we need you too. Thanks!

With 25 years in the books and more to follow, keep preserving our past for the future!!

www.hamburgpahistoricalsociety.org

Good morning. Do you like to travel? Where are some of your favorite destinations to go to no matter the season?Trips, f...
08/16/2026

Good morning. Do you like to travel? Where are some of your favorite destinations to go to no matter the season?

Trips, for business or pleasure, involve a mode of transportation, maps (old school paper or GPS today), and a place to stay amongst other parts of your itinerary.

Hamburg is at the crossroads of northern Berks County. Literally. Interstate 78 and Route 61 intersect at once was a beautiful cloverleaf (now a quagmire of construction approaching that area). But before the interstate and 61 bypass were built, both old 22 and 122 (Centre Turnpike) met at Fourth and State Streets.

Where was a weary traveler to stay in those days? No hotels.com to help you out.

Pictured here are three suggestions from years gone by. All were found along Old 22. Each one offered lodging, food, and one even had a service station for your car and was home to Roadside America for a time.

Other lodging options existed along the way too. If you remember any, please add them to the comments.

And speaking of traveling, join us for our September 3 meeting as Elam Stoltzfus has a program on the Amish settlements in northern Berks County in the 1750s. As always, our meetings are free and open to the public. More information to follow.

Like Motel 6, “we’ll leave the light on for you”, and keep preserving our past for the future!!

Photo credits: Google Earth, eBay as the photos come from postcards for sale

www.hamburgpahistoricalsociety.org

Part 2- Hurricane Agnes in 1972 struck the east coast with tremendous force. Hamburg and Berks County were not spared in...
08/07/2026

Part 2- Hurricane Agnes in 1972 struck the east coast with tremendous force. Hamburg and Berks County were not spared in the damage, but thanks to Kaercher Creek and the other 2 flood control dams built in the area, the damage was far less than it could have been.

Thanks for reading, and you know the tag line…keep preserving our past for the future!!

www.hamburgpahistoricalsociety.org

Part 1- sharing the Hamburg Item articles and photos on the building of Kaercher Creek, constructed in response to the 1...
08/07/2026

Part 1- sharing the Hamburg Item articles and photos on the building of Kaercher Creek, constructed in response to the 1906 flood and several others that would follow. I wish the pictures were clearer, but you are welcome to visit the museum on State Street to see them for yourself.

Keep preserving our past for the future!

Address

102 State St
Hamburg, PA
19526

Telephone

+16105623664

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hamburg Area Historical Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Hamburg Area Historical Society:

Shortcuts

Share