Albany Township Historical Society

Over the weekend someone felt they needed the 150th Anniversary Candle from in front of the ATHS sign at the Trexler bridge. We hope it brings you great joy knowing you are misrepresenting yourself as donors to our village’s celebration.

Wonderful Nice:The Curious Legacy of the Pennsylvania Dutch
The Pennsylvania Dutch have made a tremendous impact on our nation's development, and as recently as 1950, a half million individuals spoke or at least understood the Pennsylvania Dutch language. Despite this, many do not fully appreciate the curious and unique history of these people and their language. Join Bradley Smith for an entertaining discussion exploring the origins of the Pennsylvania Dutch and the importance of their legacy. Whether you are a "native Pennsylvania Dutchman," who grew up speaking the language, or a person who is completely new to our region, this program will have something for you!

Saturday, May 18 at 7:00 PM Light refreshments to follow
Meeting is free and open to the public

Please participate in this great event next October. Deadline for artist registration ends soon!

Plein Air Challenge — Albany Township Historical Society Allemaengel Plein Air Challenge October 10, 11, and 12, 2024 $6,000+ in awards The Albany Township Historical Society is proud to announce a unique art event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Kempton in 1874. During October 10-12, 2024 the society will be sponsoring the Allemaeng...

Date/Time: Saturday, May 18, 7 PM.
A Reception with light refreshments will follow the presentation.

Wonderful Nice: The Curious Legacy of the Pennsylvania Dutch
Presented by Bradley Smith

The Pennsylvania Dutch have made a tremendous impact on our nation's development, and as recently as 1950, a half million individuals spoke or at least understood the Pennsylvania Dutch language. Despite this, many do not fully appreciate the curious and unique history of these people and their language. Join Bradley Smith for an entertaining discussion exploring the origins of the Pennsylvania Dutch and the importance of their legacy. Whether you are a "native Pennsylvania Dutchman," who grew up speaking the language, or a person who is completely new to our region, this program will have something for you!

Speaker Intro: Bradley Smith holds a Masters of History degree from Shippensburg State University and is the Assistant Director at the Berks History Center. A native of Lebanon County, he grew up in a PA Dutch family, hearing their language spoken everyday. He has been an adjunct professor of history at Alvernia University for nearly 20 years, and has been teaching PA Dutch classes since 2022.

Please follow this link to our website to learn all about the Allemaengel Plein Air Challenge coming this October.

Plein Air Challenge — Albany Township Historical Society Allemaengel Plein Air Challenge October 10, 11, and 12, 2024 $6,000+ in awards The Albany Township Historical Society is proud to announce a unique art event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Kempton in 1874. During October 10-12, 2024 the society will be sponsoring the Allemaeng...

The Albany Township Historical Society will host a program this Friday, November 17 at 7:30 PM in our headquarters at 404 Old Philly Pike, Kempton. Featured will be Hamburg Native, Fern Shollenberger and other Berks County women who played in the All American Girls Softball League. This program is being presented by baseball historian and Berks History Center Ambassador, Brian Engelhardt. While he provides the history, ATHS will provide the atmosphere of the ball park with hot dogs and popcorn. Wear your favorite teams colors and shirts!
This program is free and open to the public. Please join us!

THE TOOLS OF GEORGE HAMM

Saturday, May 6, 2023
7:00 PM 9:00 PM
Albany Township Historical Society (map)
George Hamm’s son, Walter, has graciously donated a collection of his father’s tools to the society. He will speak on the use of the tools and his personal experience working on the farm with his father and other family members. The tools will be displayed that evening for the first time.

A reception will follow the program.
Come enjoy the talk and visit with your neighbors afterwards.

In August 1874, the Reading Eagle reported that hunters in Albany Township had killed the region's last Mountain Lion. In the weeks that followed, dozens of additional newspapers, from across the country, shared this story, with each providing new sensational details of the hunters' ordeal. Interest in the tale was rekindled decades later, after the taxidermied remains of the Albany Township mountain lion appeared at an estate sale. Join Bradley Smith, Archivist at the Berks History Center of Reading, PA, as he discusses the facts - and the mythology - surrounding this intriguing local legend.
Albany Township Historical Society
Friday, March 24, 7:30 PM
404 Old Philly Pike, Kempton

Put these dates on your calendar:

Friday, March 24, 7:30 PM
ALBANY TOWNSHIP'S LAST MOUNTAIN LION
Presented by Bradley Smith

Saturday, May 6, 7 PM
THE TOOLS OF GEORGE HAMM
Presented by Walter Hamm
Exhibit of the tools and reception to follow

Friday, November 17, 7:30 PM
REMEMBERING HAMBURG NATIVE, FERN SHOLLENBERGER
along with other women from Berks County who played on the
All American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Refreshments will be served!

The Albany Township Historical Society meeting on Friday, November 18 at 7:30 featyrubg David Ray speaking on the Indigenous People of Berks County will be available on Zoom.
Here is the link. Please note. Zoom time says 7 but the meeting does not start until 7:30.

ATHS - November 18, 2022 Meeting
Friday Nov 18, 2022 ⋅ 7pm – 9pm (Eastern Time - New York)
Albany Township Historical Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
November 18, 2022 - 7pm

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The ATHS November meeting will feature guest speaker, David Ray, discussing the Indigenous People of Berks County. The program will include information concerning villages, names, archaeological surveys and sights, photos, and artifacts. David is the President of the Hawk Mountain Chapter 31 of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology. The meeting is free and open to the public and will be held in the Allemaengel Room of the Albany Township Historical Society at 7:30 PM on Friday, November 18. We hope to see you there!

Yesterday over fifty kids and their adults explored Albany Township on the ATHS bus tour sponsored by a grant from the Albany Township Tomorrow Fund. The participants learned about folk art and created their own “barn sign”; learned about seed potatoes and corn shelling and participated in those activities and saw a demonstration of old wooden farm tools, including a schnitzelbank. On the bus they were told tidbits about some local history and sang some fun songs. At the Red Church a scavenger hunt was held to expose everyone to some of the early history and founding families in the area, including Civil War veterans, Aaron Greenawalt and Jonas Johnson.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this day a success and all our volunteers. After putting this off for two years due to the pandemic ATHS is back fulfilling our mission. We took lots of photos but in deference to the privacy of the families we will not post them.