History Spotlight: A Wedding\u2026 and Divorce

by Doug Humes

The adjoining townships of Marple and Newtown, both sparsely populated farm communities, came together in 1914 to fund and construct a joint high school. The communities celebrated 100 years of that happy marriage in 2014, and a wonderful timeline full of photos and artifacts from those 100 years now lines the hallways of the high school.

1960 Birth Announcement

Photo courtesy of Delaware County Daily Times

In 1960, historians in each community proposed a joint historical society as well, and the Marple Newtown Historical Society was formed that year. That marriage had a successful 25 year run, but ultimately ended in divorce years later (a personality clash at the time). Now each community has its own historical society.

Paper Mill House & Museum

Photo courtesy of Newtown Square Historical Society

The Newtown Square Historical Society now concentrates most of its efforts on the historic Paper Mill House and Museum, and events that celebrate the building and the generations of families who have lived there. They host the annual Historic Newtown Square Day (June 1, 2019), and also have monthly speakers on history topics, held at the Township Building; have an archive of local history documents and artifacts; and host a Facebook page and a website, www.HistoricNewtownSquare.org.

The original members are all gone; the current members will someday be history too. The only way that community institutions such as this endure is because community-minded people join them, pick up the torch and pass it along to the next generation. Please support your local historical society and help us pay our local history forward to the next generation.

For more history on Newtown Square, Delaware County, and membership information, please visit the web site of the Newtown Square Historical Society at www.HistoricNewtownSquare.org.