Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center facts for kids

Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center

Location	Pennsburg, Pennsylvania
Incorporated	1946
Director	Beth A. Twiss Houting
www.schwenkfelder.org	www.schwenkfelder.org

The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center is a special place in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. It's like a big treasure chest! Here, they keep and share old books, important papers, and cool objects. These items tell the story of the Schwenkfelders and other people from southeastern Pennsylvania. It's a not-for-profit group, which means it's run for the public good, not to make money.

A Look Back: The Center's Story

The collection at the Heritage Center started small. It was first gathered in a private home in Hereford Township, Pennsylvania. In 1890, it officially became the "Schwenkfelder Historical Library."

Two years later, in 1892, the collection moved. It found a new home at the Perkiomen Seminary in Pennsburg, PA. Today, this school is known as The Perkiomen School. The first items collected were writings by Kaspar Schwenkfeld von Ossig (1489–1561). He was a spiritual leader from a long time ago.

The collection grew bigger and bigger. It was moved to the upper floor of the Carnegie library on the Perkiomen School campus. In 1947, the Schwenkfelder Library became its own separate educational group. Then, in 1951, the books and papers moved into a brand new building next to the school.

Expanding the Center

In 2001, the Schwenkfelder Historical Library got even bigger. It was expanded to hold all its books, old papers, and museum items. Over the years, several directors have helped the center grow. Andrew S. Berky was the first full-time director, starting in 1951.

A Historic Barn Finds a New Home

A special part of the Heritage Center is an old barn. Vernon Seipt, whose family is connected to the Schwenkfelders, gave his family's barn to the center. This barn was built way back in the 1820s!

From 2018 to 2020, the barn was carefully moved and rebuilt. A team of experts took the barn apart, labeled each piece, and moved them. Then, they put the barn back together at the Heritage Center. This amazing project won an award for saving community history.

What You Can Explore: The Collections

The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center has many interesting things. The collection officially began in 1885. It started with an effort to gather all the writings of Caspar Schwenckfeld von Ossig. These writings were later put into a huge 19-volume set called the Corpus Schwenckfeldianorum. This project took many years, from 1907 to 1961.

After 1913, when the collection was in the Carnegie Library, it really started to expand. In 1919, a huge amount of research material, about 12 tons, was shipped from Germany! Most items were given as gifts. However, the Library also bought some items from the large collection of Pennsylvania Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker in the 1920s.

Unique Art and Objects

Today, the center's collection focuses on Schwenkfelder history. It also covers the Goshenhoppen and Perkiomen Valley areas of Pennsylvania. It is especially known for its collection of Schwenkfelder Fraktur.

The museum has many artifacts and objects. These items tell the story of Caspar Schwenckfeld von Ossig and how the Schwenkfelders came to America. They also show what life was like for them in southeastern Pennsylvania. You can see old furniture, household art, and folk art paintings. There are also farm tools, quilts, and other textiles. The collection even includes an herbarium, which is a collection of dried plants.

The famous Schwenkfelder Fraktur collection includes many beautiful pieces. These are colorful, hand-drawn or hand-written documents. You can find bookplates, religious texts, special designs called Labyrinths, certificates, and handwritten books.

Important Papers and Records

Besides the Corpus project, the library and archive have many other important papers. These include records from local churches and cemeteries. There are also old German and English newspapers, property deeds, and family histories. You can also find the H. Winslow Fegley photograph collection and old Pennsylvania German prints and manuscripts.

See also

• Kaspar Schwenkfeld von Ossig
• Schwenkfelder Church