Borough of Prospect Park Celebrates 125 Years of History

PROSPECT PARK, Pa., May 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 

When: May 7, 2019

Where: Historic Masonic Temple Prospect Park, Home to Prospect Lodge No. 578 Free & Accepted Masons

     822 Lincoln Avenue
     Prospect Park, Pennsylvania 19076

When: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

The Borough of Prospect Park, located about 12 miles from downtown Philadelphia, is a community steeped in historical intrigue. It got its start on May 7, 1874, when 103 acres of land were "hereby incorporated into a Borough in conformity with the prayer of the petitioners that the corporate style and title thereof shall be "The Borough of Prospect Park" and the area was turned into a bedroom community, where residents would live and then travel to work in Philadelphia.

Even before its founding, the area, formerly called Moore, played a prominent role in some important parts of U.S. history. For one, Reverend Mark Watkinson, of the Prospect Hill Baptist Church, is credited with helping to initiate the printing of the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency.

One of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania is also located in Prospect Park: The Morton Homestead. This building, along with its 2.5 acres of land, was founded in 1654 by an immigrant from Finland as part of the New Sweden colony. This immigrant's great-grandson was John Morton (born in a cabin on this homestead) who was a delegate to the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. He was one of the signatories to the Continental Association and provided the swing vote that allowed Pennsylvania to vote in favor of the United States Declaration of Independence.

On May 7, residents and guests are welcome to attend the 125th Celebration of Prospect Park to learn more about the rich history of the borough in which they live. This event will be held at the Masonic Lodge located on Lincoln Avenue from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Historian Keith Lockhart will be conducting a visual presentation that is sure to delight and entertain history buffs of all ages.

On May 14, the Prospect Park Borough Council will hold their monthly meeting at the Morton Homestead.

About the Borough of Prospect Park:

Located in Delaware County, the Borough of Prospect Park is home to around 6,500 residents who enjoy its prime location with easy access to freeways, railways, and the Philadelphia International Airport. The borough occupies just under a square mile of land and is located near the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge where the East Coast Greenway trail travels through.

Media Contact: Patrick O'Connell: 610-532-1007

Email : [email protected]

Mayor: Jeff Harris  

Borough Council: Patrick O'Connell – President of Council | John J. Bradley, III

Diane Faison | Ralph P. Moore | Eric Schreiber | Mary Ann Shallet | Greg Sutphin

SOURCE Borough of Prospect Park

Related Links

https://prospectparkboro.com