Royersford and Spring City will receive a visit from state preservation experts next week, as the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) — a division of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission — conducts a hands-on survey of historic properties.
The survey was discussed earlier this month by Royersford Councilor Ryan Conroy, who also serves as president of the Spring-Ford Area Historical Society (SFAHS), during a borough council meeting.
The state's SHPO selected Royersford and Spring City for the April 29 event, bringing approximately 35 staff members to document properties along Main Street using a newly developed mobile app. According to Conroy, the visit was not requested by the borough; state officials reached out directly to SFAHS.
The day will begin at the Historical Society around 9:30 a.m., where participants will gather before heading out on foot. Conroy and Dave Willauer, treasurer of SFAHS, plan to guide the group along Main Street in Royersford, stopping at historically relevant buildings and properties, before heading into Spring City.
Potential sites include buildings near the railroad tracks, early pre-Civil War structures, the train station building, and the Buckwalter Stove Company — a former international manufacturer with deep roots in the borough’s industrial past.
While the survey will serve as a training exercise for SHPO staff using the app, the information collected is expected to have long-term value. Once complete, the public will be able to access the app to explore the history of individual properties.
The visit also prompted discussion about something Royersford has never had: a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker — the blue roadside signs that recognize sites of statewide significance. Conroy noted that the Buckwalter Stove Company, given its international reach, could be a strong candidate.
Marker applications are reviewed by a statewide board, and approval standards are high, but the timing of the survey could provide an opportunity to make a case.
Residents who notice groups photographing buildings in downtown Royersford and Spring City on Wednesday, April 29, need not be alarmed — it is part of the survey.
This article was generated with AI assistance. All content was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by John McGuire.
