Historian Fred Moore

Fred Moore moved to Huntingdon Valley a decade ago after 42 years in the Holmesburg section of Northeast Philadelphia, as he and his wife wanted to be closer to their daughter, who had moved to town so she could have her kids educated in the Lower Moreland School District.

Moore, 78, is a lover of history, and his move to the suburbs has enabled him to gain an appreciation of the history of

Huntingdon Valley and adjacent towns in eastern Montgomery County.

“I was able to expand my horizons,” he said.

As a city resident, he studied the history of Holmesburg and took frequent walks in Pennypack Park. He enjoyed living near Pennypack Creek – which runs through parts of Northeast Philly, eastern Montco and Lower Bucks – and still does.

“I love the Pennypack Creek up here, it’s so beautiful,” he said.

While living in the city, Moore fondly recalls 1997’s 300th anniversary celebration of the King’s Highway Bridge in Holmesburg. That cemented his love of history.

“One thing just led to another,” he said.

A decade or so after that, he was among those who successfully fought Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s plan to close the historic Holmesburg Library.

Today, Moore is editor of a dozen or so books. He’s worked closely over the years with some fellow Northeast historians and history buffs – Jack McCarthy, Bruce Conner, Joe Menkevich, Charles McCloskey, John Charles Manton, Roland Williams and others.

Some of his titles have included president of the Trustees of Lower Dublin Academy and Holmesburg Civic Association and treasurer for Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History Network and Pennepack Baptist Historical Foundation.

Moore is active in Montgomery County, on the board of the Bryn Athyn-based Alnwick Grove Historical Society and a member of the Hatboro-based Millbrook Society. He’s a big fan of the Old York Road Historical Society, headed by David Rowland, an organization that is the author of The Morelands and Bryn Athyn historical book. And he and Bryn Athyn historical book. And he noted the contributions of Rob DeMartinis, noted the contributions of Rob DeMartinis, former president of the Lower Moreland former president of the Lower Moreland Township Board of Commissioners, who Township Board of Commissioners, who recently helped Huntingdon Valley Library recently helped Huntingdon Valley Library conserve and digitize a rare copy of a hisconserve and digitize a rare copy of a historic Farm Map of Moreland Township. toric Farm Map of Moreland Township.

Moore wouldn’t mind getting involved in more work. more work.

“I’d like to see a Huntingdon Valley Historical Society,” he said. Historical Society,” he said.

Moore has some hobbies – walking, enjoying his enclosed back porch and big enjoying his enclosed back porch and big yard and playing guitar for the last halfyard and playing guitar for the last halfcentury in the bluegrass band Holmesburg century in the bluegrass band Holmesburg

Jam. He likes living on a peaceful street, Jam. He likes living on a peaceful street, with the sound of birds and sightings of with the sound of birds and sightings of deer, along with being close to Northeast deer, along with being close to Northeast

Philly. Philly.

At the same time, he’s continuing to explore local history. Montgomery explore local history. Montgomery

County was created in 1784, he points County was created in 1784, he points out, and there’s plenty of history of note. out, and there’s plenty of history of note.

He has some theories, and is researchHe has some theories, and is researching how Huntingdon (sometimes called

Huntington) Valley got its name, probably sometime in the early 1700s.

“Huntingdon Valley could easily be called Pennypack Valley if you look at the map,” he said.

Moore studies maps, books, photos, wills, deeds and other historical documents to find out about things like mills, roads, bridges and houses. It helps that published works from 1926 and earlier are in the public domain. As Moore puts it, “I want to get the news out there.”

For people interested in local history books, he recommends the websites of Arcadia Publishing and Amazon.

In Moore’s view, the Lady Washington Inn, where Martha Washington is believed to have stayed, is a particular prized historic building.

So is Fetter’s Mill, built around 1746 in Lower Moreland

“The beauty of Fetter’s Mill is that it hasn’t been reconstructed too much,” he said.

Moore also praises the Pitcairn family and the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust for valuing the importance of land preservation.

“We can thank them for a lot of this open space,” he said. “It’s benefited us all. It’s really important to Huntingdon Valley.” 

PHOTOS BY JAMIE STOW