by Kyle Bailey
I have been to Boyertown precisely three times, but during a recent site visit in preparation for Pennsylvania’s Premier Revitalization Conference, I literally saw the community in a new light.
My previous visits were devoted to Building a Better Boyertown’s Keystone Community designation. Often these visits occurred in the evening and resulted in returning home at night, not getting the chance to fully experience everything the community has to offer. Luckily, for me and conference attendees alike, Boyertown will be one of the host communities for the upcoming conference with a walking tour and special excursion. The walking tour features elements of the local history including the Rhodes Opera House and Twin Turrets Inn, but two community assets in particular are sure to be highlights of the whole conference.
Located on the relatively quiet South Walnut Street just a few blocks from Boyertown’s primary business corridor, the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles’ outdoor appearance is deceiving. While physical improvements are underway, the museum still looks very much like a factory for the former Boyertown Auto Body Works factory. What it lacks in curb appeal, however, it more than makes up for with the displays inside. Think beyond Ford’s Model T, the museum features dozens of early model vehicles and focuses on those built in Pennsylvania. If cars and trucks do not interest you, the museum also hosts a collection of bicycles, carriages, and other transportation memorabilia.
Pennsylvania Downtown Center staff also had the opportunity to visit and tour the Colebrookdale Railroad. Conference participants will soon have the opportunity to not only tour the railroad and accompanying train cars, but to actually experience the train in motion on an excursion to Pottstown with food, drink, and more. The train cars are being meticulously restored and the attention to detail is impressive. Even the railyard itself is undergoing improvements with winding brick pathways and cast-iron gateways, giving the appearance of an Edwardian style garden. The atmosphere created by the dedicated staff and volunteers feels like you are walking into the past and will serve as an excellent opening night for the upcoming conference.
Learning about the rich transportation related history of Boyertown and Pennsylvania was a pleasure, and I highly encourage readers and conference attendees to make time for the walking tour of Boyertown and Colebrookdale Railroad excursion on Sunday, September 12th. For information about registering, please visit our website or reach out to a Pennsylvania Downtown Staff member for details.