6 minute read
The Man at the Crossroads: Harold Martin the visionary and founder of the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce
The Man at the Crossroads:
Harold Martin, the visionary and founder of the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce
By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer
Sitting at the intersection of two well-traveled roads— Route 30 and Route 100—Exton has been a gathering place since the 18th century, with people coming from Philadelphia going West along the Lancaster Road (later called the Lincoln Highway) and others going to and from Pottstown to the north, meeting, shopping and doing business. One man saw the growth potential of this spot more than 80 years ago, when he purchased the Exton Lodge, a restaurant and hotel. That man was Harold Martin. He was among the most dedicated of local citizens and public servants who helped this area thrive, bringing much needed changes and improvements which have shaped life in the region through the present day. When Harold Martin came to this area in 1939, it was a largely rural farming community, before megashopping malls dotted the countryside and cars roared by on six-lane highways. At that time, West Whiteland Township had a population of just 700; the Post Office was in the same building as the local luncheonette. Over the years, he sensed that it could be much more if public roads and other facilities were updated and improved. Martin had some grand ideas for development, including extension of public utilities throughout the area, consolidation and improvement of postal delivery and by the year 1964, a bypass of Route 30 to allow better flow of traffic through the region. Martin once recalled, “Route 100 was only two lanes north and south with a stop sign at Route 30. Route 30 was two lanes as well… but traffic was building. In the 1950s, traffic became congested and I knew that if the town was going to grow, we would need more than one road.”
That road took decades, and a lot of persuading, to become reality. Back in 1970, Martin confided with Milton Shapp, who was then running for Governor of Pennsylvania, hoping to get a through-going road in the area to relieve congestion. It didn’t work.
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There was opposition from many parties who did not like the idea. It was not until the mid-1980s that interest was rekindled, but plans did not begin to take shape for several more years. Construction of the 5.5-mile-long Exton Bypass began in 1993. The four-lane roadway which connects US 202 to Lancaster Avenue (Business US 30) was completed on December 22, 1995. The Bypass was later designated a state scenic route by the Pennsylvania Assembly due to its unique “scenic, historic, cultural, and archeological” significance. Martin was not a mechanical
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engineer, and he did not have a degree in urban planning from an Ivy League institution, although he did study briefly at Drexel University. More importantly, he had a deep supply of common sense, a variety of practical skills and an immense amount of determination. He had a knack for looking at the landscape and being able to project what kinds of
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improvements could help people in their daily lives and businesses. Martin always shared his commitment to local development with anyone who would listen. Partly due to that, he was one of the founders of what today is called the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce. He was also a founder and charter member of the West Whiteland Fire Department. Martin served on the West Whiteland Township planning commission for much of the 1950s and on the Board of Supervisors from 1960 to 1966. He was named “Man of the Year” by the Chamber in 1977 for his many accomplishments. To get a sense of Harold Martin’s importance to the community, take a drive on the road he helped create. According to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the Route 30 carries approximately 35,000 vehicles per day (AADT) along the Exton Bypass section. Harold Martin had the vision to see decades ahead, to when the Exton area would be thriving— and need improved transportation arteries like this one. He wanted the region to bustle with economic activity with the infrastructure needed to support it. For years he attended PennDOT and West Whiteland Township meetings to track the progress of the ideas he recommended. When he passed away on June 11, 1999, at the age of 87, he could see the fruits of all his labors. Harold Martin was the type of man every growing community hopes to have involved in planning civic improvements. He did not want notoriety—just progress. “I see things to do and I do them… but not with any intention of getting a claim to fame. I’m just trying to earn my keep.” Harold Martin did that and so much more, and the people in and around Exton can thank him for that.
Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@ GenePisasale.com.
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