Historical Society of Montgomery County asks Norristown council for help preserving Montgomery Cemetery and archives

Dr. David Young, executive director of the Historical Society of Montgomery County, used his council presentation to outline the society’s long history—founded in 1881—and the scope of its collections. He traced local historical connections to Valley Forge and the Underground Railroad and emphasized the society’s countywide role despite common perceptions that it is only a Norristown organization.

Young asked councilors to advocate for the society’s work, to consider helping with preservation of Montgomery Cemetery on Hartranft Avenue (he said the cemetery includes about 350 Civil War veterans and roughly 6,000 burials), and to help address vandalism and overgrowth on adjacent uninhabited parcels. He said the society spends about $40,000 a year to maintain the cemetery and that recent water incursion on Nov. 13 damaged archives that staff are working to dry and salvage.

Young also noted the society’s collections include unique items—early newspapers, family files and a Christopher Sauer Bible from 1763—and invited council members to visit the archives and help publicize a planned Norristown history trail in 2026.

What happens next: the society requested council advocacy and assistance with code enforcement and programming; councilors thanked Young and asked follow‑up questions off the dais about potential collaborations and site assistance.

Sources: presentation by Dr. David Young to Norristown Borough Council; public comments and council acknowledgements.