Graterford, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Graterford is in Perkiomen Township
, Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
.
Founded in 1756 by Jacob Kreator, a textile weaver, Graterford was originally named Grater's Ford until abbreviated to Graterford by the postal service in the mid 1950s. A state penitentiary
is located there which was originally a prison farm.
Located along the Perkiomen Creek
, Graterford was a vital summer resort community during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Baptisms were held on a small island in the middle of the Perkiomen. A non-denominational church is located there. Railroad service to Philadelphia was provided until 1955. A post office operated there until the early 1960s. At various times, principal enterprises have included a general store, hardware store, delicatessen, bakery, auto service stations, hair salons, an antique furniture dealer, three hotels and resort lodging. Primarily an agricultural area through the mid-20th century, it is located 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It is at the center of Perkiomen Township, of which it is a part. The Perkiomen Valley School District High School is also located here. Scenic appeal is provided by the Perkiomen Creek and two tributaries, Lodal Creek and Landis Run. The Graterford name continues to fade as newer residents adopt the nearby Collegeville
name, whose postal zip code Graterford shares. Other places of interest are the Perkiomen Trail
and Graterford Ball Field.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
State Correctional Institution - Graterford
is in nearby Skippack Township.
Perkiomen Township, Pennsylvania
Perkiomen Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 9,139, which represents a 28.8% increase from the 2000 total of 7,093 residents. Governmentally, it is a township of the second class, governed by a board of...
, Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Founded in 1756 by Jacob Kreator, a textile weaver, Graterford was originally named Grater's Ford until abbreviated to Graterford by the postal service in the mid 1950s. A state penitentiary
State Correctional Institution - Graterford
The Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Graterford, also known variously as SCI Graterford , Eastern Correctional Institution, Graterford Prison, Graterford Penitentiary, and the Graterford Prison Farm, is a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections prison located in Skippack Township,...
is located there which was originally a prison farm.
Located along the Perkiomen Creek
Perkiomen Creek
Perkiomen Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in Berks, Lehigh and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania in the United States.Perkiomen Creek begins in Hereford Township, Berks County, initially flows eastward into Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County, and turns southward to reenter...
, Graterford was a vital summer resort community during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Baptisms were held on a small island in the middle of the Perkiomen. A non-denominational church is located there. Railroad service to Philadelphia was provided until 1955. A post office operated there until the early 1960s. At various times, principal enterprises have included a general store, hardware store, delicatessen, bakery, auto service stations, hair salons, an antique furniture dealer, three hotels and resort lodging. Primarily an agricultural area through the mid-20th century, it is located 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It is at the center of Perkiomen Township, of which it is a part. The Perkiomen Valley School District High School is also located here. Scenic appeal is provided by the Perkiomen Creek and two tributaries, Lodal Creek and Landis Run. The Graterford name continues to fade as newer residents adopt the nearby Collegeville
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Collegeville is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia on the Perkiomen Creek. Collegeville was incorporated in 1896. It is the seat of Ursinus College, opened in 1869...
name, whose postal zip code Graterford shares. Other places of interest are the Perkiomen Trail
Perkiomen Trail
The Perkiomen Trail is a long multi-use rail trail in Pennsylvania.It begins at the junction with the Schuylkill River Trail near Valley Forge NHP and ends in Green Lane Park. It follows the Perkiomen Creek and connects Lower Perkiomen Valley Park, Central Perkiomen Valley Park, and Green Lane Park...
and Graterford Ball Field.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is the Pennsylvania state agency that is responsible for the confinement, care and rehabilitation of approximately 51,000 inmates at state correctional facilities funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
State Correctional Institution - Graterford
State Correctional Institution - Graterford
The Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Graterford, also known variously as SCI Graterford , Eastern Correctional Institution, Graterford Prison, Graterford Penitentiary, and the Graterford Prison Farm, is a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections prison located in Skippack Township,...
is in nearby Skippack Township.