ANALYSIS
The objective of the thesis is two-fold; to identify a possible
expansion of the Oley Township Historic District with surrounding townships and
the designation of a possible historic scenic route that contains a large number
of the historic buildings.
The Oley Valley historically has referred to the valley that is
comprised of the present-day townships of Amity, Exeter, and Oley located in
eastern Berks County. The Oley Valley played an integral part in the
development of the region which stretches from the Borough of Boyertown and
through the Oley Hills. The Manatawny Creek watershed, which is the study
area for the thesis, and the Oley Valley are not inclusive. Most of Amity and
Oley Township are located within the watershed but Exeter Township is completely
outside the watershed. Earl Township is the only municipality entirely within
the study area and it also happens to form the eastern boundary of Oley
Township. For these two reasons, the possibility of expanding the Oley Township
Historic District will focus entirely on Earl Township (Figure 8).
Expansion of the Oley Township Historic District
Two requirements exist for the possibility of the addition of
Earl Township to the Oley Township Historic District. First, both Earl and Oley
Township must share common, historical ties and second, since Oley Township is
classified as a historic rural district according to the National Trust of
Historic Preservation, Earl Township must also qualify under those same
guidelines.
The Oley Valley was originally called the "Manatawny Region"
because of the creek with the same name that runs through the valley. The region
was later renamed the Oley Valley because land patents from the early 1700s
referred to the bordering mountains as the Oley Hills. The most prominent peak
in the Oley Hills was Earl Mountain (Fox 1925, 3). The valley contained portions
of seven present-day townships: Amity, District, Earl, Exeter, Oley, Pike, and
Rockland. The lower portion of the valley was formally organized as Amity
Township in 1719. The following year, thirty-one men signed a petition to have
the upper valley declared a separate township. By 1740 the petition was finally
recognized and Oley Township was established. This new territory stretched over
eighteen miles in width. The eastern portion was mostly mountainous while the
western portion was flat and contained excellent soil for agricultural purposes
(LeVan 1990).
In the hilly and wooded section of Oley Township which lay to
the east of the Oley Hills, a considerable number of settlers took up land and
established their homes before the erection of the county. The first such
settler was John Jacob Linck who in 1734 was granted one hundred acres of
wilderness from William Penn (Velazquez 1981, 6). By 1752 Berks was officially
designated as a county with the county seat located in the city of Reading. The
settlements in this wooded territory then came to be commonly regarded in that
vicinity as a "district" though it was not officially established as such. The
inhabitants of one or the other portion identified their locality as the
"Western District" or the "Eastern District" (Montgomery 1975, 1016).
On August 14, 1781, the inhabitants of the "Western District"
presented a petition to the Court at Reading requesting that the district be
seperated from Oley Township because of its great length and be established as a
separate township. Shortly thereafter the Court of Reading approved the measure
and a new township was established named Earl Township. The township was
named after Earl Mountain, the most prominent peak in the Oley Hills (Velazquez
1981, 8).
Oley Township was mostly agrarian while the new Earl Township
was unfit for mostly all sorts of crops. The hills were covered with many trees
and and the main industry became timber (Figure 9).
Along with timber, the Oley Hills contained many deposits of iron ore and
limestone. Soon iron furnaces and forges were appearing throughout Earl Township
along the Manatawny Creek. One of the most successful forges was Spring Forge.
Originally located in the upper Oley Valley, the owner moved his forge to Earl
Township because of the brief iron ore rush (Montgomery 1975, 92).
Unfortunately, the water-power in the township has never been strong enough
therefore the iron furnaces and forges were small in number (Montgomery 1975,
1017).
Oley Township made no objection to the formation of Earl
Township, though it had made such objections when other townships were erected
from its land. Earl Township had a reputation of harboring many "rough and
rowdies." Earl Township had more taverns than any other township in the county.
The territory was considered lawless by the majority of residents in Oley
Township. The mostly religious farmers of Oley Township did not want to be
associated with the residents of this frontier territory (Velazquez 1981, 7).
Despite the differences between the two townships, interaction
still existed between them, particularly in trading. There was an open market
exchange of goods with Oley Township trading its produce and cattle for Earl
Township's timber and stone that was used for the construction of many homes.
Eventually, Earl Township shed its image of a lawless territory and many of its
residents began to follow organized religion. Since no churches existed in Earl
Township, the residents would often travel to the Oley churches on Sundays
because they were the closest to their homes (Montgomery 1975, 1018).
Obviously, there seems to be a strong historical connection
between Earl Township and Oley Township. In fact, Earl Township was created out
of Oley Township. Interaction occurred between both townships in the matter of
trading and social activities. Still, to determine whether it is possible to
enlarge the Oley Township Historic District with the addition of Earl Township,
an analysis of the present-day activities and land features must be compared to
the strict guidelines of the National Trust of Historic Preservation.
There are three basic steps involved in creating a historic
district. The first of these is conducting a survey of historic buildings,
structures and sites within a chosen area, the second is development of the
historic district ordinance itself, and the third is the adoption of the
ordinance by the governing body of the municipality and the certification by the
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission or the National Register of
Historic Places as to the historic significance of the district (Berks County
Planning Commission 1982, 2).
To determine the significance of Earl Township as a rural
historic district, an analysis of the eleven characteristics of the rural
landscape according to the National Trust of Historic Places must be conducted.
These eleven characteristics can be classified into two components; processes
that were instrumental in shaping the land and physical components that are
evident in the land today. Processes include land uses and activities, patterns
of spatial organization, response to the natural environment, and cultural
traditions. Physical components include circulation networks, boundary
demarcations, vegetation related to land use, architectural structures,
clusters, archeological sites, and small-scale elements. Not all eleven
characteristics must be present for a place to be designated as a rural historic
district. Instead, interaction between a majority of the characteristics is
required (McClelland 1995).
Land uses are the major human forces that shape and organize
rural communities. Human activities associated with land use usually leave an
indelible imprint on the rural landscape. Earl Township was mostly a forging and
timber community during its colonial past. Today though the only reminders left
of Earl Township's past are the forges and mills that have been converted to
private dwellings. The last working saw mill left Earl Township in 1883 because
the land had been deforested and never reseeded (Montgomery 1975, 1017). With
the introduction of the railroad to the area around the turn of the century,
most residents began to commute to Boyertown and Pottstown for employment
(Velazquez 1981, 15). Unlike Oley Township where agriculture is still prominent,
Earl Township is now mostly residential with few industries related to its
historic past.
The organization of land on a large scale depends on the
relationship among major physical components, predominant landforms, and natural
features. Politics, economics, and technology, as well as the natural
environment, influence the organization of communities by determining settlement
patterns, proximity to markets, and the availability of transportation. The
organization of properties in Earl Township was random (Velazquez 1981, 7).
There was no set standard or pattern of property size, length, or arrangement.
The only spatial organization was the use of the French long-lot system around
the Manatawny Creek which ensured that every parcel had access to the waterway.
Major natural features such as mountains, prairies, rivers,
lakes, forests, and grasslands influence both the location and organization of
rural communities and their landscape. The climate of a region also has a great
influence on the building sites and construction materials. As stated
previously, the Manatawny Creek greatly influenced the economy of Earl Township.
Many forges and mills were located along the Manatawny Creek. Most farm
houses and homesteads in Earl Township were constructed from stone and rocks
that were mined in the nearby hills (Velazquez 1981, 7). Obviously, the natural
environment greatly influenced the economy of Earl Township.
Cultural traditions affect the ways that land is used,
occupied, and shaped. They determine the structure of communities by influencing
the buildings, location of roads, and land uses. Social customs also dictate the
crops planted or the livestock raised. Traditional building forms, methods of
construction, and stylistic finishes evolved in the work of local artisans. The
original inhabitants of Earl Township and the surrounding Oley Valley were
mostly English and German (Pendleton 1994, 10). A quick analysis of the
twenty-three historic buildings that are registered with the Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission shows that most of the architectural styles
range from Colonial German and English to Georgian. The remaining historic
buildings are classified under the generic term "Vernacular" which means that
their architecture is typical of the region.
Circulation networks are systems for transporting people,
goods, and raw materials from one place to another. They can range from
footpaths and livestock trails to roads, highways, and rivers. The Manatawny
Creek was used to transport small loads of timber. It could not transport large
amounts of goods and raw materials because of its relative shallowness. Often
times the Manatawny Creek was used to transport goods to the Schuylkill River in
neighboring Amity Township. The Old Philadelphia Pike was the major roadway
connecting the Oley Valley to Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the entire roadway
has been replaced with a modern, paved state Route 73 (Velazquez 1981, 15).
Boundary demarcations delineate areas of ownership and land
use. They may be manmade structures such as fences, walls and roadways or
physical land features such as rivers and hills. As previously stated, the
Manatawny Creek served as the boundary demarcation for many of the properties in
western Earl Township. Most properties were separated by rural roads such as the
Old Philadelphia Pike (Velazquez 1981, 15). Unfortunately, no records exist on
whether the properties were laid out first and then the roads were built or vice
versa. A third boundary demarcation are the Oley Hills which separate Earl
Township and Oley Township (Montgomery 1975, 1016).
Various types of vegetation bear a direct relationship to long
established patterns of land use. Vegetation may include crops, shrubs, and
trees. They may be indigenous, naturalized, or introduced species. Agriculture
was not as prevalent in Earl Township as it was in Oley Township, therefore
crops are in small numbers. A drive through present day Earl Township shows that
the most common crop is corn. Corn is not grown as mush as it is in neighboring
Amity and Oley Townships which contain excellent, level, agricultural soil and
more access to waterways such as the Manatawny Creek and the Monocacy Creek.
There are no trees or shrubs that are particular to Earl Township either. Most
trees are elms, cedars, or maples which, not only are they common in Earl
Township, but throughout the entire northeastern United States.
Various types of buildings, structures, and objects serve human
needs related to the occupation and use of the land. Their function,
construction material, date, and location often reflect the historic activities,
customs, and skills of the people who built them. Most of the historic buildings
in Earl Township were farm houses. Several mills and forges were located along
the Manatawny Creek but they have been either destroyed or converted into modern
residences.
The oldest building in Earl Township is the former Buller's
Tavern located on Long Lane and Sunset Hill Road (Figure
10). Built in 1750, Buller's Tavern was the heart of commerce and
communication for Earl Township. It was considered a public house to the
community meaning that it served multiple purposes. Buller's Tavern was the
first polling place in Earl Township and later served as a courthouse and post
office. The tavern has since been converted into a private residence (Velazquez
1981, 6).
The sites of historic activities and occupations may be marked
by archeological sites such as foundations, ruins, changes in vegetation, and
surface remains. They provide valuable information about the land use in the
past. Few archeological sites and ruins exist in Earl Township. Most of the
archeological sites exist near the Cleaver Milling Complex on Pheasant Land Road
and Spring Forge on Manatawny Road (Figure
11).
Small-scale elements such as foot bridges, fences, and
gravestones add to the historic setting of a rural landscape. They may be
permanent features such as water wells or seasonal features such as bales of
hay. Earl Township contains few small-scale elements with the most common being
the iron fences that surround several of the historic buildings. However, it is
not known how old these iron fences are or whether they were forged in the
nearby forges. Often times these iron fences have been painted over which
affects the historical integrity of the property.
This leads to the next step after analyzing the eleven
characteristics of a rural landscape. An assessment of the historical integrity
must be conducted. Historical integrity requires that the eleven characteristics
that shaped the land during the historic period be present today much in the
same way they were historically. Identifying changes and threats to the
historical integrity is an important factor in assessing the rural landscape.
Examples of threats to the historical integrity include the introduction of
non-historic land uses (quarries, landfills, sewage treatment plants, modern
housing subdivisions, etc...), construction of new buildings, and the
replacement of structures such as barns, bridges, and dams that were important
during the historical period of the rural landscape.
New construction and incompatible land uses covering extensive
acreage such as residential subdivisions, modern mining, landfills, and highways
cause the greatest damage to historical integrity. Not only are they major
visual intrusions and interrupt the continuity of the rural landscape, but they
reshape the land, disturb subsurface remains, and introduce non-historic
characteristics (McClelland 1995). Earl Township has five major elements that
threaten the historical integrity of the rural landscape. These threats involve
resurfaced historic roads, reservoirs, recreational areas, modern industrial
pollution, and landfills (Figure
12).
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the major
roadway connecting the Oley Valley to Philadelphia was the Old Philadelphia
Pike. Portions of the roadway crossed through northern Earl Township. As travel
increased on the roadway and technologies advanced, the roadway was widened and
paved to become state Route 73. The Reading Pike, which connected Reading to
Boyertown, also suffered a similar fate and became state Route 562. The majority
of single-lane roads that divided the properties were also resurfaced and
widened to become minor local roads.
Altering the contours of the landscape can also affect its
historic integrity. Man-made features such as dams, canals, and reservoirs alter
the contours of the landscape along with changing the local vegetation growth
patterns. The Boyertown Reservoir, located on Powder Mill Road in eastern Earl
Township, has definitely altered the rural landscape. The creation of the
reservoir involved bulldozing, earth removal, and damming the Frecon Creek, a
tributary of the Ironstone Creek. The alteration changed the hydrology of the
area, displaced some of the vegetation, and destroyed several existing
structures.
Recreational areas and camps are another threat to historical
integrity. They are considered a threat even though a majority of recreational
areas attempt to maintain the natural environment and landscape intact. Camp
Manatawny, a Christian campground located on Camp Road in southwestern Earl
Township, is one such example (Figure
13). The campground contains a large wooden building, a playground, bathroom
facilities, sports fields, and a trailer lot. These facilities and structures
alter the landscape by introducing sewage, water, and electrical lines. Although
the campground is scenic, these added structures are modern elements. Therefore,
they are considered a threat to the historical integrity of the landscape.
Another example is the Earl Township Municipal Park located on Longview Lane.
Also known as the Harvey Mayer Sports Complex, the park contains several paved
paths, pavilions, playgrounds, and sports fields (Figure
14). The playground overlooks part of the Oley Valley and contains many
scenic views yet it is also considered a threat to historical integrity for the
reasons mentioned above.
The biggest threats to historical integrity involve those that
affect the environment through pollution and contamination. Modern industries
often strive to maintain adequate environmental standards. Unfortunately there
are several instances where a company unknowingly pollutes the local environment
which affects the health of the local population along with the livestock and
crops of local farms. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR), CryoChem, Inc. of Worman, Earl Township poses such risks to
the environment and threats to historical integrity.
CryoChem, Inc. is a metals fabrication facility composed of
several production, storage, and office buildings. According to a public health
assessment by ATSDR, the groundwater at the CryoChem, Inc. site is contaminated
with volatile organic compounds. Chloroethene, a commercial solvent containing
at least 93.5% 1,1,1-trichloroethene, was used to remove a dye that was applied
to welding connections. Excess solvent was placed in the shop drain system which
discharged into nearby surface waters that lead into the Manatawny Creek (ATSDR
1993).
Chloroethene, lead, and other contaminants represent a great
public health hazard. An assessment of the influence of these contaminants to
the local population has been inconclusive because the Pennsylvania Cancer
Registry only collects cancer data at the county level. A preliminary analysis
of the mortality rate and the cancer mortality rate in Earl Township between
1979 to 1989 indicated that the total deaths and cancer deaths were both
slightly higher than the expected number of deaths. Also, a commercial trout
hatchery southeast of the CryoChem, Inc. site reported lower total numbers of
trout (ATSDR 1998).
Both the cancer deaths and the trout hatchery have not been
conclusively connected to CryoChem, Inc. contaminants but a further study by the
ATSDR is currently in process. Even if there is no public health risk CryoChem,
Inc. and other industrial companies pose a threat to historical integrity since
they are modern intrusions into the rural landscape.
Another major threat to the environment and the historical
integrity of a rural landscape are landfills. The Rolling Hills Landfill on
Shenkel Road in Earl Township is no different (Figure
15). As the population of Berks County increases, coupled with the fact that
there are only five landfills in the county, the size of the Rolling Hills
Landfill has increased to almost 250 acres. The Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (Pennsylvania DEP) just recently approved the proposed
expansion of the landfill with the condition that there is no increase in the
daily volume accepted by the landfill. The new expansion will increase the
landfill's disposal capacity for seventeen more years (Pennsylvania DEP 1998).
Many local residents have raised concerns about the approved
expansion of the landfill. Nearby Furnace Run, which accepts storm water from
the landfill, frequently floods. Local residents have had sediment accumulate in
their ponds due to the seepage from the Rolling Hills Landfill's sedimentation
collection basin. Although no harm was done to the local vegetation and wildlife
has been detected, residents still maintain a concern about the possibilities of
future environmental harm (Pennsylvania DEP 1998).
Although the extent of the environmental damage done by the
five examples is not known, they still possess a threat to the historical
integrity. Any structure or land use that did not exist during the historical
period alters the overall rural landscape. Large rural districts may be able to
absorb new development and still maintain their overall historical integrity,
provided that large-scale intrusions are concentrated in relatively few
locations and cover a proportionately small percentage of the overall area
(McClelland 1995).
Oley and Earl Township both share a common political and
economic history. They interacted through trading and commerce. Still though,
both townships exhibited a different character due primarily to their different
lands uses. Oley Township was mostly agricultural and the inhabitants were
serious, hard workers while Earl Township was mostly a mining and timber
community and the inhabitants possessed more of a wild, frontier attitude. The
difference in character, coupled with the various threats to historical
integrity, lead to the conclusion that the Oley Township Historic District
cannot be expanded with the inclusion of Earl Township.
Designation of a Historic Scenic Route
An alternative to the expansion of the Oley Township Historic
District is the designation of a historic scenic route that contains several of
the historic buildings registered with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
Commission. A historic scenic tour through the Oley Valley and the rest of the
Manatawny Creek watershed can provide a glimpse of the Oley Valley's past by
viewing the various land uses, farmlands, and buildings. The historic buildings,
along with the eleven historic villages, give a sense of the history of the area
during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The proposed historic scenic route will travel through the
eleven historic villages (Figure
16). The total estimated driving time is approximately thirty minutes. The
route will beign in Dryville, Rockland Township, travel through the hills and
valleys of the area, and finish in Colebrookdale, Douglass Township. Along the
way there will be several of the historic buildings that characterize the area.
Threats to the historical integrity of the historic scenic route will be
bypassed as much as possible in order to provide a better understanding of the
Oley Valley during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The historic scenic route begins in Dryville, Rockland Township
which is several miles south of the Borough of Lyons. Dryville is located amidst
the surrounding hills on the northern fringe of the Oley Valley. The
village is characterized mainly by several farm houses located along Fleetwood
Road (Figure
17). The Dryville Hotel, built in 1847, is in the center of Dryville on the
intersection of Fleetwood Road and Lyons Road. The hotel served as the local
public house for the village (Figure
18).
New Jerusalem, Rockland Township is the next destination on the
historic scenic route. Travel southward on Lyons Road for approximately two
minutes. There are several farm houses along the way which area not registered
with the the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission yet still provide a
sense of the area's history. New Jerusalem is also characterized by several
historic farm houses, most of which have been converted into modern residences
(Figure
19). The two most prominent historic buildings are the New Jerusalem Hotel
and the New Jerusalem United Church of Christ (Figure
20). The two buildings, both built in the early nineteenth century, indicate
the importance of religion and assembly for the residents during the historic
period.
The third stop on the historic scenic route is Lobachsville,
Pike Township. The route travels southward on Lobachsville Road through the
hills. The descent down the hils contains several magnificent views of the
northern Oley Valley. Several farm houses and corn fields are located along this
portion of the route. Corn is the most abundant crop grown in the Oley Valley.
Lobachsville is similar to the two previous historic villages. Several farm
houses are located in Lobachsville. The most noticeable historic building is St.
Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church which was built in 1837 (Figure
21). Again, the church indicates the importance of religion.
The fourth stop on the historic scenic route is Pikeville, Pike
Township. The route continues southward on Lobachsville Road. This portion of
the route contains several magnificent views of the Oley Valley as well. Many
farm houses and corn fields are visible throughout the landscape. Pikeville
contains many farm houses and homesteads. Several of the barns contain hex signs
(Figure
22). The hex signs are characteristic of the area and relate to its German
ancestry.
The next stop is Shanesville, Earl Township. The historic route
leaves the valley and reenters the hills. The route travels eastward on Hill
Church Road, southward on Dotterer Hill Road, and eastward on state Route 73.
The historic scenic route bypasses most of state Route 73 since it contains
several modern structures that are considered a threat to the historical
integrity of the route. Shanesville contains several more farm houses that have
been converted into residences or small businesses (Figure
23). The village also contains a large orchard where local fruits and
vegetables are sold. The Shanesville Hotel, located on state Route 73, was also
a public house.
The next stop on the historic scenic
route is Woodchoppertown, Earl Township. The route travels on Longview
Road onto Woodchoppertown Road. The route from Shanesville to Woodchoppertown
can be considered the most scenic portion of the historic scenic route in the
sense that there are few modern intrusions that can be considered a threat to
the historical integrity. The few modern houses that are being built along this
portion of the historic scenic route are constructed with the local historical
architecture in consideration. Several of the homes are being built in a log
cabin design. Woodchoppertown is the smallest historic village on the route,
mainly consisting of only a few farm houses. The majority of the buildings in
the village are constructed of stone that was most likely mined from the
surrounding hills.
The historic scenic route begins the descent from the Oley
Hills towards Amityville, Amity Township. Travel southward on Woodchoppertown
Road back onto Longview Lane and continue southward across the Manatawny Creek
and state Route 562 onto Old Airport Road. The route contains several historic
buildings most noticeably being the former Cleaver Milling Complex along the
Manatawny Creek. Amityville is the largest village on the historic scenic route.
Many historic buildings are scattered throughout the village such as the
Amityville Hotel, the Amityville Post Office, and St. Paul's United Church of
Christ (Figure
24). St. Paul's United Church of Christ is an excellent example of a
cluster. The church contains the main church, a smaller church, and a graveyard
with many old gravestones.
The next stop on the historic route is Greshville, Douglass
Township. Travel northward on Blacksmith Road then eastward on state Route 562.
Although state Route 562 is considered a threat to the historical integrity
because of the intrusion of modern elements, the historic scenic route takes
this path because there are many historic buildings that are visible from state
Route 562. The historic scenic route crosses the Manatawny Creek again. Many
farm houses and corn fields are visible throughout the valley. Greshville
contains several historic buildings including the Gresh Homestead and the Gresh
Store. Both are stone vernacular structures built in the early nineteenth
century. The village was named after Jacob Gresh, a farmer who settled near the
present site of the village around 1810.
The historic scenic route continues southward on Poplar Road to
Gablesville, Colebrookedale Township. The short drives travels through the
flat terrain of the eastern limits of the Oley Valley. More corn fields
are visible along the route. Gablesville is another small village that
contains several farm houses. The most noticeable historic building is the
former Gablesville Ice House which was built in 1825. The Gablesville Ice
House is a small stone structure which served as the local trading goods
store. The building has since been converted into a modern residence.
The historic scenic route bypasses the Borough of Boyertown and
arrives at Morysville, Colebrookdale Township. The short drive travels
southward on Water Street for approximately two minutes to arrive at the
penultimate stop on the route. Morysville is a village that is typical of
the Oley Valley. It contains several farm houses that are common
throughout the area. The Mory Homestead, the only historic building in
Morysville, is a large Georgian-style complex built in 1800. The homestead
contains a farm house, a barn, and several wooden structures.
The final destination on the historic scenic route is
Colebrookdale, Douglass Township. The route travels a short distance
southward on Colebrookdale Avenue. Several historic buildings and farm
houses are located along this portion of the route. Again, the village
contains several farm houses.
Although the historic scenic route contains several modern buildings, the overall integrity has been maintained. The route provides a brief glimpse of the history of the Oley Valley and eastern Berks County by passing through the various farmlands and mountains. The sense that the land was used for mining, forging, timber, and agricultural uses is conveyed by the historic farm houses, forges, and mills. The influence of the Manatawny Creek is also evident by the location of those farm houses, forges, and mills on or near its banks. Overall, the historic scenic route accomplishes its intended purpose of providing a sense of the history of the Oley Valley.