Down Butler Pike to Ambler, residence of Dr. R. V. Mattison, built, 1890, Scotch baronial style, wrought iron gates designed in Munich; opposite is Trinity Memorial Church, Romanesque, noted for its beautiful windows, designed by F. S. Lamb, original, and adapted from paintings by world famous artists, of scenes in Christ’s life, made by J. and R. Lamb; interior paneled in oak, similar to House of Parliament, London; font, Italian marble, good design. Through Morris Road, over bridge crossed by Washington’s army, between Morris and Skippack roads, one mile west of Ambler, is stone residence, built by Abraham Dawes in 1736, was Washington’s headquarters, October 21, 1777.
Out Skippack Road, on road from Center Square to Heebnerville, Washington’s headquarters, October 16; residence of Peter Wentz, still standing, two story, stone, built, 1758. Out Township line to Kulpsville, on Sumneytown Road, Baptist or Mennonite meeting house, here are buried General Francis Nash of North Carolina, and other officers who died of wounds received in the Battle of Germantown. Northwest, one mile, Harleysville, residence of Henry Funk, Bishop of Mennonite Church, who with the Dunkards of Ephrata, made translation, in 1748, from the German, of Tielman Jan van Braght’s great historical book of the Mennonites, termed the noblest specimen of American colonial bibliography; Henry Funk’s mill, still standing, known as Musselman’s Mill, contains a parchment deed, date, 1733, with great seal of the province and signature of Thomas Penn.
Return to Skippack Road, to Pennypacker’s Mills, Schwenksville, residence of the late Governor Samuel Pennypacker, two story, stone house, Washington’s headquarters before and after Battle of Germantown; army marched down Skippack Road, 7.00 P.M., October 3, to attack the enemy; here October 7, Washington received a committee of Friends, appointed by the Yearly Meeting, against war; Schwenksville was settled by Schwenkfelders from Silesia in 1734; Casper Schwenkfeld preached, in 1523, doctrines accepted by George Fox in 1648, were forerunners of Quakers. Perkiomen Seminary, at Pennsburg, originated in a school founded by Schwenkfelders, 1764. Down Perkiomen Creek road, over finest old stone bridge in state, five arches, built, 1799, architect, George Lewis, carries Ridge Road over Perkiomen Creek at Collegeville, Ursinus College; Co-ed Lutheran, portraits by Albert Rosenthal. And old Providence meeting house.
One mile west, at Trappe, Augustus Church, oldest Lutheran church in United States; built, 1743; unaltered; used as hospital for American soldiers during Revolutionary war; Henry Melchior Muhlenberg was sent from Halle, Germany, in 1742, to organize this church in Pennsylvania; first regularly ordained preacher, reports he sent to Halle supply much early, original information. His sons, born here, were General Peter Muhlenberg, pastor of church in Shenandoah Valley, who called on his congregation to enlist in the Revolutionary War, and Frederich Augustus, speaker, First National Congress, 1789. Evansburg, St. James Protestant Episcopal Church and schoolhouse, built about 1700, contains Bible, prayer book, and old walnut Communion table, sent over by the English Society in 1723, to its foreign mission. Revolutionary soldiers are buried in the church yard. Here is an eight arch stone bridge, date 1792.
Norristown, county seat, settled, 1784, population 32,319. Courthouse built, 1791, native white marble; on grounds is Rittenhouse monument, granite shaft, dedicated 1876, marks the meridian. Jail, built, 1851, red sandstone, castellated Norman, architect for courthouse and jail, N. LeBrun. Historical Society of Montgomery County has local historical collections. St. John’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Gothic, dedicated, 1815, Revolutionary soldiers are buried in its grounds. Montgomery Trust Company, Greek, Ionic, Westerly granite and Indiana limestone, facing public square, on site of first hotel in Norristown. In Montgomery Cemetery are buried Charles Heber Clark (Max Adler), and General Winfield Scott Hancock.
Plymouth Meeting, old Friends meeting house, built, 1715, stone, used as hospital during Revolutionary War, Thomas Hovenden, artist, buried in grounds; residence of Mrs. Thomas Hovenden (Helen Corson), was a noted underground railway station for refugee slaves. Stone bridge over Plymouth Creek, date, 1796; stone bridge carrying Germantown and Reading Railroad over Plymouth Creek, date, 1802. Barren Hill, Lafayette and detachment of army attacked here by British, May 18, 1778. Roxborough, Philadelphia, St. Timothy’s Protestant Episcopal Church has frieze, procession of angels. Through Ridge Avenue to Wissahickon Drive, Fairmount Park, to Philadelphia.
XVI
DAUPHIN COUNTY
SEAT of state capital; formed March 4, 1785; named for title of the Dauphin of France, then Louis XVI, in recognition of aid rendered to the colonies in Revolutionary War. Chief industries iron and steel; in the north, anthracite coal. High mountain ranges, with valleys of rich rolling farm lands, intersected with many streams, show much scenic beauty.
Harrisburg, county seat; laid out in 1785; population 75,917. The state capitol’s best approach is from Third and South Streets, the massive pile looms up in exquisite proportion, one is impressed with the inherent dignity of the façade, controlled by a well-proportioned dome; dedicated in 1906; architect, Joseph W. Huston; Roman and Italian Renaissance, with influence of Greek Corinthian; dome suggests St. Peter’s in Rome; bronze doors, designed by J. W. Huston, were modeled by Otto Jansen; superb groups of statuary on either side of the main entrance typify, “The Joy, and Burden of Life,” sculptor, George Gray Barnard; within the rotunda is the splendid collection of battle flags, 378, owned by the state; one of the most interesting of the kind.
Mural decorations, the Rotunda; Economic “Triumphs of the State,” artist, Sir Edwin A. Abbey; from large lunettes show the “Spirits of Commerce, Oil (Light), Coal, Steel”; four pendentives contain single