By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer
Excitement is building around the Center for Northeast Philadelphia History. Local historians held their third meeting at the Historical Society of Frankford last week to discuss the project that would preserve and promote the history of Northeast Philadelphia.
When asked if there is a defining line for what might — or might not — be considered historical, Harry Silcox, retired Lincoln High School principal, historian and co-director of the project, said that while most people think of history as when George Washington walked down Bristol Pike, to Silcox "it’s yesterday."
The session also included discussion of the history center’s Web site. The site will feature information, photos and links to each neighborhood, an overview of houses of worship, parks and watersheds, along with information related to sports and the history of ethnic groups and religions in the region. The historians discussed ways to get the community involved, as well as the benefits of undertaking possible partnerships with other organizations.
Silcox told those at the session how impressed he was with essays written by Holmesburg School students. Their writings not only captured the essence of the area’s history but added to it as well, he said.
The students were given access to a collection of articles from the Holmesburg Scrapbook Collection. Former Holmesburg librarian Katharine M. Petty had collected newspaper clippings between 1911 and 1948. Last year the collection was digitized with the aid of funding from the Trustees of the Lower Dublin Academy.
The student whose essay won first-place recognition had written about a magnesium company between Holmesburg and Tacony where his grandfather had worked.
"He reported on the company and included pictures. It was a paper that added to what are doing," Silcox said.
The students’ other topics included a man who’d witnessed Abraham Lincoln’s life being saved as bullets whizzed by his stovepipe hat during the Civil War; the Forrest Home for Actors; a personal, generational history of St. Dominic’s; and a tornado that had whipped through Tacony.
The local historians are also easily sidetracked with interesting facts and stories that support other historical accounts or raise more questions. They are excited to share their knowledge of specific geographic areas or topics — one reason that the consortium of organizations and plans for a central repository of information on Northeast Philadelphia have been gaining support, not only within the historical organizations but in the community as well.
In fact, a representative from Holy Family University who is on a committee for a proposed Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame was happy to hear of the work being done to chronicle the area’s history, and spoke of a possible collaboration to include local history in the hall-of-fame committee’s plans.
"It’s a good dose of enthusiasm," said Bustleton and Somerton historian Bruce Conner. ••
The committee will meet again on Wednesday, May 21, at the Fox Chase branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 501 Rhawn St. Anyone who’d like to participate can call the Historical Society of Frankford at 215-743-6030.
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com