“Our Sixty-Fifth Year”
Historic Walking Tour of Garrett Hill
Sunday, September 23, 2012, at 2:00 p.m.(Rain date is September 30.)
Please join us for a walking tour of historic Garrett Hill starting at the 1780’s Radnor United Methodist Church at 930 Conestoga Road in Rosemont. Follow the former Indian trail, Conestoga Road, and hear about the neighborhood’s history, which began in 1682. Learn about the original residents and their lives, the Continental Army’s march from the Battle of Brandywine, General Cornwallis’ pillage of the James’ farm, and Jay Gould’s westward scheme for the P&W. Visit mansions and carriage houses that still exist today as well as the Garrett Avenue homes from the 1860’s. Refreshments will be served upon returning to the Church cemetery. Sponsored by the Radnor Historical Society, the Radnor United Methodist Church, the Bryn-Rose Civic Association, and the Garrett Hill Coalition.
Book Talk: Sally Bedell Smith, Author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch
Tuesday, October 9, 7:00 p.m., at the Winsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library.
RHS and the Radnor Memorial Library are thrilled to present best selling author of six biographies, Sally Bedell Smith. She will talk about her book, Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch. Her other books include biographies on the Kennedy White House, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Diana, Princess of Wales. A contributing editor at Vanity Fair since 1996, the author previously worked at Time magazine and The New York Times. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Watch a video of this event
George Boudreau on Independence Hall
Tuesday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. at the Winsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library.
RHS and the Radnor Memorial Library are cosponsoring this Pennsylvania Humanities Council Event. Our speaker, George Boudreau, is the author of Independence: A Guide to Historic Philadelphia, and a professor at Penn State. His talk will explore Independence Hall and the Square that surrounds it, including why the hall sits where it does, why it looks like it does, and how its creation reflects the culture and society of 18th century Philadelphia. (Rescheduled from October 16)
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Michael Metrinko on Afghanistan
Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 7:30 p.m., at the Winsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library.
With more than forty years of experience in the Islamic world, retired foreign service officer, Michael Metrinko, will speak about Afghanistan. Metrinko was a member of the Tehran Embassy staff taken hostage in 1979, and spent 14 months as a prisoner. After September 11, 2001, he returned to active service with assignments to Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan and has served as a senior advisor for the U.S. Embassy and NATO forces. Metrinko emerged as one of the central figures in Mark Bowden’s Guests of the Ayatollah, published in 2006. He was a Ministry Reform Advisor at the U.S. Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute at the United States Army War College until 2009 and is now an independent international affairs professional. This event is cosponsored by RHS and the Radnor Memorial Library. (Rescheduled from November 7 due to weather)
Excerpts From “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens Read by Bennett Hill
Sunday, December 30, 7:00 p.m. at the Finley House
Bennett Hill will read excerpts from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This is a traditional RHS event. Every other year, Bennett, a member of the RHS Board for over 30 years, an RHS guide, and a guide at Historic Waynesborough, reads an abridged version of this classic Christmas tale by the fire in the front parlor. Bennett retired from the Montgomery school after 35 years of teaching. He served as President of the RHS Board for ten years, and in his capacity as guide has led dozens of children’s groups at Finley House. He taught dramatics for many years at Montgomery and his church, and you can expect some drama in his reading of Dickens! Refreshments, including eggnog, will be served at the interval.
Greg Prichard: Train Stations of the Main Line
Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 7:30 p.m. at the Winsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library. (Snow date is Tuesday, January 15.)
Greg Prichard, RHS board member and Cornell University graduate with a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation, will talk about train stations of the Main Line which passes through the storied suburbs that make up the heart of Lower Merion, Radnor, Tredyffrin, and Easttown Townships. Main Line development began with the railroad as its commercial and social backbone, from the inns that depended on its patrons in the 1830s to the builders who clustered housing developments around train stations in the late 19th century. These stations, the subject of Prichard’s talk and slide show, were built as grand statements of corporate superiority, and evolved to become recognizable gateways to their communities. He will focus on the history of stations between Overbrook and Paoli, their architecture, and the successes of recent preservation efforts. This event is cosponsored by RHS and the Radnor Memorial Library.
Watch a video of this event
Sean Moir: The Revolutionary War in Our Area
Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 7:30 p.m., at the Winsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library. (Snow date is Tuesday, February 12.)
Sean Moir, a Tredyffrin Township resident, will present an animated map of local Revolutionary War troop movements, including Washington’s route after the Battle of Brandywine from Philadelphia through Radnor, which eventually led to the Paoli Massacre. The map will allow his audience to follow the British and American armies hour-by-hour. Moir combines his software and geographic information system skills with his personal interest in history, to create his groundbreaking animated battle maps. In addition to the military element, he places heavy emphasis on mapping the cultural landscape upon which the fighting and marching occurred. This event is cosponsored by RHS and the Radnor Memorial Library.
NEW: Author Event: Ed Rendell
Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 7:00 p.m. at Radnor Middle School.
Radnor Memorial Library and Radnor Historical Society are thrilled to present an author event with former Governor of Pennsylvania (2003-2011) and former Mayor of Philadelphia (1992-2000) Edward G. Rendell. After 34 years of public service, including 24 years as an elected official, Governor Rendell continues to pursue many of the same issues he was passionate about while serving. At the event, Governor Rendell will talk about his first book, A Nation of Wusses: How America’s Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great. In A Nation of Wusses, Rendell chronicles his storied political career with his trademark candor while making a strong statement about the state of American leadership. Books will be available for purchase.
Watch a video of this event
Annual Dinner at Woodcrest
Tuesday, March 12, 2013, Annual Dinner, 6:00 p.m. at Cabrini College, King of Prussia Road, Radnor.
The RHS annual dinner will be held this year at the recently renovated mansion of the former Woodcrest Estate, built in 1901 by Drexel son-in-law James W. Paul, Jr. and designed by famous architect Horace Trumbauer. Dr. Marie George, President of the College, will make some opening remarks. The principal speaker will be Michael Kathrens, author of American Splendor: The Residential Architecture of Horace Trumbauer, the revised edition of which was published in 2011. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages, including wine, will be served prior to the dinner. A separate mailing will provide more details, including the menu and reservation form, a few weeks before the dinner.
Annual Meeting at the Finley House
Sunday, May 19, 2013, RHS Annual Meeting at Finley House, 113 West Beech Tree Lane, Wayne.
Following a brief business meeting, RHS guides will offer guided tours of Finley house and its treasures. Refreshments, including wine, will be served.
Local Garden Tour
Friday, June 7, 2013, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nominal fee of $10 and reservation required.
Tour four unique gardens surrounding wonderful homes in Radnor and Tredyffrin Townships. The tour begins at the garden and greenhouses of Mrs. Dorrance Hamilton (only open from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.). on Strafford Avenue. Then visit the Victorian garden across the street at Traudi and Bob Thomason’s Wayne Bed & Breakfast Inn. The Thomason’s property features a 110 foot copper beech, thought to be the second largest in the state, wonderful outdoor spaces for sitting and relaxing, including a large pool and spa surrounded by gardens, and an inviting porch that wraps around the circa 1890 inn. Myrna and Paul Paluba will host at their creatively executed, multilevel garden with raised beds, water features, and a peace garden for contemplation. Maud Walker will host at her garden which is highlighted by an unusual collection of trees and shrubs, including a magnificent weeping beech, whimsical garden decorations, and a replica of an Irish garden shed. Directions to all of the gardens will be provided at the Hamilton property. Further information, including how to make reservations, will be sent to you in March. This event is cosponsored by RHS and the Radnor Conservancy.