THE ATHENÆUM OF PHILADELPHIA presents The SS United States: The Hidden History of America’s Enduring Flagship September 16 at 12:00 PM A virtual presentation by Susan Gibbs
A national nonprofit organization, the SS United States Conservancy leads the global effort to save and repurpose America’s Flagship, the SS United States. The Conservancy raises public awareness and financial resources for the historic vessel’s maintenance, restoration and ultimate reuse. Through its curatorial collections, educational outreach, and digital exhibitions, the Conservancy works to ensure that the fastest ocean liner ever to cross the Atlantic Ocean remains an inspiration for generations to come. For more information about the SS United States Conservancy, visit http://www.ssusc.org or the Conservancy’s Facebook page.
Susan Gibbs is the SS United States Conservancy’s President and co-founder. She is the granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, the SS United States’ designer, who directed plans for more than 60 percent of the nation’s wartime fleet during World War II and designed over 6,000 ships during the course of his career. She has given presentations throughout the country on the SS United States and maritime history, and she has appeared in multiple media outlets, including the NBC Nightly News, National Public Radio, CNN, CBS Sunday Morning, Agence France Press, Channel N24 (Germany), Fox & Friends, and Al-Jazeera America. She has also worked for over two decades in the philanthropic sector primarily on global women’s issues. She holds a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Brown University and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Link for Registration for this free, virtual presentation:
This link will allow to register directly from this announcement. Click on the highligted register box, fill in the requested information, and click the box to accept the terms. FINALLY, the zoom link for the program will be sent the day of the meeting.
Chapter members visited the site on Columbus Boulevard where AECOM has been doing final explorations of the site before development. The tour was hosted by AECOM, a company that does a lot of public outreach on their work. The site was first tested in 1987 by Carmen Weber, Philadelphia City Archaeologist back when the city had such a position. Her work exposed the wooden slip or ships way pictured above. The location became the first archaeological site to be listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.
There is much more information about the West Shipyard on the website of the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum. The site was first called the Hertz Lot because of an association with the national car rental company. The link is below.
July 15 – November 6, 2022 Now on view at The Met Fifth Avenue , 691–693 and 851–852
The renowned German artists Bernd and Hilla Becher (1931–2007; 1934–2015) changed the course of late twentieth-century photography. Working as a rare artist couple, they focused on a single subject: the disappearing industrial architecture of Western Europe and North America that fueled the modern era. Their seemingly objective style recalled nineteenth- and early twentieth-century precedents but also resonated with the serial approach of contemporary Minimalism and Conceptual art. Equally significant, it challenged the perceived gap between documentary and fine-art photography.
Tour of former Scheidt brewery complex & Von C Brewing Co. in Norristown
Tour is not limited to Chapter Members. All are welcome. Just register with contact information below.
DATE: Saturday, August 20, 2022 TIME: 10AM to noon ITINERARY: We will meet in the Stony Creek Office Center parking lot, 151 W. Marshall St., Norristown. After reviewing the old Adam Scheidt brewery complex we will take the driveway from the parking lot down to Markley St. to the current U-Haul Self Storage Center (former Scheidt bottling house). This is located across Markley St. from the SEPTA Elm St. Station. https://www.septa.org/stations/rail/elm.html
11AM Drive to Von C Brewing Co., 1210 Stanbridge St., Suite 300, Norristown for tour. https://voncbrewing.com/home 12 Noon – Tap Room opens. Cash Bar.
Background Information On this tour we will see remnants of the Adam Scheidt aka Valley Forge Brewery. The complex has been beautifully restored as the Stony Creek Office Center and is a shining example of brewery preservation.. There are two “ghost” sites on the tour. Norristown’s first brewery was established in 1830 at the southwest corner of Main and Markley Sts. and was ultimately the brewery of A.R.Cox. What became the Scheidt brewery got its start in 1866 and was a much smaller business. When Cox died, Scheidt purchased the brewery and ran it as Plant #2.
Norristown industry included the Wildman Mfg. Co. that produced knitting machines. Their Plant #1 was located in the block behind the Elm St. Station. In the 1940’s Wildman built their Plant #2 on Stanbridge St. and remained in business into the 1950’s. These buildings have been repurposed and one of them is occupied by Von C Brewing Co.
The Von Czoernig family was the last of Christian Schmidt’s descendants to own the Schmidt brewery in Philadelphia. Schmidt’s purchased the Scheidt brewery in 1954 and operated it as their Plant #2 for twenty years. The Von Czoernig’s had “beer in their blood” and decided to get back into brewing a short time ago. Fortunately they’ve made it easy on us by shortening the name to Von C Brewing Co.
TOUR ORGANIZER & LEADER: Rich Wagner has been researching Pennsylvania brewing history since 1980. In 1990 he brewed at Pennsbury Manor using reproductions of seventeenth century equipment. Two years later he worked with a cooper to make his own system and has taken it on the road to demonstrate the brewing process of antiquity at historical sites and festivals.
In 1994 he earned a diploma in brewing technology from the Siebel Institute in Chicago and worked in Philadelphia craft breweries over a seven-year period. Since his retirement as a high school science teacher, he has devoted his time to writing and speaking. He has given tours of breweries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Lehigh Valley and South-Central Pennsylvania and published guidebooks to go with each tour and is the author of “Philadelphia Beer, the Heady History of Brewing in the Cradle of Liberty” (The History Press, 2012).
REGISTRATION or QUESTIONS: E-mail or call Reese Davis at reesepdavis@gmail.com or 610-692-4456
Our tour guide has assembled an array of information relating to locations on our tour.
BACKROUND INFORMATION, IMAGES
Here are some links for additional information on the Adam Scheidt Brewing Co. The Flickr Albums give people on the tour the ability to connect with information, historic maps and images of the brewery complex. Of course, they can be viewed any time, even for those who don’t take the tour, or to conduct their own self-guided tour.
This Collection contains 5 Albums that correspond with our tour.
Album: A.R. Cox Brewery is a “ghost site” and location of a brewery which was purchased by Scheidt.
Album: Adam Scheidt Brewery Complex, including Bottling House on Markley St.
Album: Wildman Mfg. Co. Plant #1 “ghost site” in the blocks behind the Elm St. Station Wildman manufactured knitting machines.
Album: Wildman Mfg. Co. Plant #2 on Stanbridge St. is the property which has been subdivided and repurposed, a portion of which houses the Von C Brewing Co.
Rich Wagner has been researching Pennsylvania brewing history since 1980. In 1990 he brewed at Pennsbury Manor using reproductions of seventeenth century equipment. Two years later he worked with a cooper to make his own system and has taken it on the road to demonstrate the brewing process of antiquity at historical sites and festivals.
In 1994 he earned a diploma in brewing technology from the Siebel Institute in Chicago and worked in Philadelphia craft breweries over a seven-year period. Since his retirement as a high school science teacher, he has devoted his time to writing and speaking. He has given tours of breweries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Lehigh Valley and South-Central Pennsylvania and published guidebooks to go with each tour and is the author of “Philadelphia Beer, the Heady History of Brewing in the Cradle of Liberty” (The History Press, 2012)
An Oliver Evans chapter member become aware of this auction which features some model railroad paraphernalia and thought some of our railroaders might be interested.
The link features images of the items available in the photo gallery and also in the lot listings. The auction site recommends checking back as they will be adding more photos of the uncatalogued items.
ON-SITE ESTATE AUCTION Saturday, August 13th starting at 10AM
Location: 502 Fairmont Dr., Chester Springs, PA 19425
Preview on Friday, August 12th from 1PM to 6:30PM and Day of Sale from 8AM to Sale Time
Auction features a wide variety of items from a clean well-maintained home. Some of the highlights include:
1951 Packard Patrician 4-Door Sedan
John Deere D130 Tractor
Antiques & Collectibles incl. original WW1 posters, Political Pins, James Madison & James Monroe signed document, local Maps, Sterling Silver set (over 100-ounces)
Jewelry w/ Gold and Sterling
Model Train Collection w/ many layout accessories
Furniture incl. Leather Sofa & Chairs, Dining Room Tables & Chairs, Theater Room Sofa, Recliners, Book Shelves, Modern TV Stands, Sportcraft regulation size Ping Pong Table
Electronics incl. High-Quality Polk-Audio Speakers, flat-screen TVs, Receivers, DVD players & more
Large Selection of Tools
Office Equipment incl. electronics & desk
Large Selection of Household Goods, Clothing, and much more!
Call us at 610-942-2367 with any questions or to place absentee bids. Day of Sale Phone # – (610)-476-6965
***In-Person, Absentee, and Phone bidders will pay a 13% Buyer’s Premium reduced to 10% if paying by check or cash. Internet Bidders will pay an 18% Buyer’s Premium regardless of form of payment.
PA AU-002163-L – PA AU-002766-L AuctionZip ID: 1651
OLIVER EVANS CHAPTER 
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