Perkasie's Christmas HousePerkasie’s “Christmas House” with its extensive lighting display and unique handmade items is a local favorite during the holiday season. Located on busy Fifth Street, the display is enjoyed by many who drive by each day. For some, an up-close visit that includes a few photos has become an annual tradition. The house, located at 308 N. Fifth Street, is home to Ken and Lois Heitz who moved to Perkasie in 1996. In the past the house was part of the Freed Glass Company located next door. Many design features of this house, attributed to Lansdale architect Milton Bean, help to make it magical when decorated for Christmas. The Heitz’s both enjoy Christmas and spend many hours decorating the interior and exterior of their home. Having worked many years in retail, including 20 years as the Doylestown BonTon manager, Ken is experienced in display design and placement. A display highlight is the yellow carousel that was inspired by the Perkasie Menlo Park Carousel. The 12-foot-tall display with 12- wooden horses was drawn by Lois, then cut out and painted by Ken. Other custom display items include six, 8-foot-tall double candy canes, two, 8-foot-tall nutcrackers and a 10-foot tall “Believe” sign. The red “Season’s Greetings” sign was once hung over the main entrance of Hess’s Department Store in Doylestown. This store later became BonTon. In 2023 Ken and Lois announced this would be the last year for their Christmas display in Perkasie. They will be giving the display to their son Andrew who will continue the tradition at his home in Alabama. There is only a short time left before the Heitz’s display is dismantled and moved. Take time during this busy holiday season to stop for a final look and maybe get a photo on the swing. Thanks to Lois and Ken for providing great Perkasie Christmas memories for all of these years. Images : RDoll, Perkasie Historical Society Archives.
Rdoll
0 Comments
|
After the Sweet shop closed, local contractor, John Mayes occupied the site as an office for his paving business. Later the building was the office of the Lee Stover Insurance Agency. Hair salons, Images and Dragonflies were located here prior to 2020. Currently, Pridmore Floral Design provides wedding floral designs from this 500 West Market Street address. RDoll |
Goldberg Brothers
Quality Store
As teenagers, Harry and Samuel Goldberg left Lithuania for America and arrived at Ellis Island in 1905 with instructions to meet a certain contact in Philadelphia who would provide them with a place to stay and whatever they needed. Upon reaching Philadelphia, they were given a few articles of clothing, a meal and encouragement to keep moving outside the city where the cost of living was more affordable.
They settled in Perkasie, Bucks County where most folks spoke Pennsylvania Dutch- a local dialect of German. Though they spoke no English at the time, their Yiddish skills were sufficient to allow interaction in the community. They found cut-and-sew work in a local clothing factory paying $1.35 a week. When the brothers learned their foreman who had worked there for 30 years but was earning only $1.55, they decided this was not the career path they wanted to take and began planning to go into business for themselves.
Within a year or two, Isaac would join his brothers in Perkasie. In 1911 they would open their first retail establishment, Goldberg Brothers Quality Store.
The store was located at Sixth and Arch Streets on the site of the current Grandview Service Center. The Goldbergs catered to their working-class customers and purchased a horse and wagon to make home deliveries of the clothing and material goods they sold.
Samuel married and looking for larger markets to sell goods, left the partnership in 1914, moved to Philadelphia and eventually founded Goldberg Marine… a major retailer of boating supplies. Isaac also married, moved to Philadelphia and started I. Goldberg Army Navy. By 1915 the Goldberg’s Perkasie store closed and Harry moved to Souderton… eventually opening H. A. Goldberg’s Clothing Co. on East Broad Street. His business thrived into the mid-1960s when the business finally succumbed to the competitive pressures generated by area shopping centers and malls.
Story & photos contributed by Alan Weisberg, son of Jeanne Goldberg Weisberg and grandson of Harry & Anna Goldberg.
Ten Cent Shine
On March 30th, 2023, Perkasie lost a local legend with the passing of Robert “Bob” Benner, at the age of 101. Bob was always good for a story from days past. The following is one of his memories he shared of life in Perkasie in a simpler time.
I had a shoeshine stand at my father’s restaurant, the Colonial Café. The restaurant was located at 7th and Arch Streets in the building that is now apartments. I inherited the business from my older brothers, Clyde, Leroy, and Woodrow. I had a two-seater stand outside the restaurant in the summer and a one - seater inside during winter. Many of Perkasie’s businessman patronized the restaurant and needed their shoes shined.
I would use brushes to apply the shoe polish paste and a cloth to shine the shoes. The charge would be 10 cents for a shine or 25 cents for black and white shine. One particular businessman would always want his black and white shoes shined. I hated this job because it was difficult to keep the black shoe polish off the white leather.
Bob went on to become a star athlete at Sellersville - Perkasie High School, serve in the Coast Guard during WW II, serve on Perkasie Borough Council and volunteer for various organizations.
Rest in Peace Bob.
Rest in Peace Bob.
RDoll
Keeping them Clean
During the post World War II era, many families were able to purchase new cars. Auto manufacturers redesigned and improved their models annually and encouraged consumers to buy the latest design. To keep these large, chrome laden cars looking their best, you could wash them at home, or take them to a service station. All of the Perkasie stations provided car wash services that employed many local teenagers.
Bob Dunlap and Roger Wenhold remember washing cars at Slotter and Wenhold Texaco located at Third and Walnut Streets. The right side bay was for washing cars and the left side was for oil change and lubrication. There were water hoses that hung down from the ceiling and a large drain in the floors. A wringer washing machine was used to wring out the wet chamois that were used to dry cars. Bob remembers sometimes washing twenty-five cars on a good Saturday.
On Seventh Street the former Gulf station, at the time owned by Frank Okomski, also offered car washing. Current owner, Ed Myers noted that the current middle bay at one time was used to wash cars. Ed has saved a can found in his service station that once contained Gulf car wash detergent. Some of his customers have commented that they worked washing cars there as a teenager and may have been the one that originally opened the detergent can.
Jim Strohm worked as a teen washing car for Wayne Steeley at his service station service station at Fifth and Buttonwood Streets. Later, when Jim became owner of Grandview Service Station, he remembers replacing drains in the left side bay floor that were once used when washing cars.
After the Sof-Spra Car Wash opened in 1965 on Ninth Street, the demand for washing cars at service stations decreased and eventually became a thing of the past.
After the Sof-Spra Car Wash opened in 1965 on Ninth Street, the demand for washing cars at service stations decreased and eventually became a thing of the past.
RDoll
The Perkasie Doylestown
Auto Bus
Cindy Maher shared a photo of her grandfather, Frederick alongside the Perkasie-Doylestown Auto Bus. Frederick was the driver of the bus and is seen with a woman believed to be his second cousin Dorothy Holtzman Sprague. Dorothy was the second wife of bus owner/operator C.L. Sprague.
Cindy’s aunt, Julia Holzerman likes to tell the following family story. Frederick Holzerman, who was from Coopersburg, met his wife Leila Rosenberger, a Perkasie resident, while driving the bus. It was love at first sight as Frederick and Leila married in December, 1921.
Cindy Maher shared a photo of her grandfather, Frederick alongside the Perkasie-Doylestown Auto Bus. Frederick was the driver of the bus and is seen with a woman believed to be his second cousin Dorothy Holtzman Sprague. Dorothy was the second wife of bus owner/operator C.L. Sprague.
Cindy’s aunt, Julia Holzerman likes to tell the following family story. Frederick Holzerman, who was from Coopersburg, met his wife Leila Rosenberger, a Perkasie resident, while driving the bus. It was love at first sight as Frederick and Leila married in December, 1921.
The auto bus owner/operator, C.L. Sprague, lived for a time in Perkasie. He was a long-time motorman for Lehigh Valley Transit on the Liberty Bell Route. He started the auto bus service around 1921 providing direct and quick transportation between Perkasie, Doylestown and towns in between. The bus service was discontinued in 1930.
RDoll
Working on the Railroad
Many who have attended Perkasie Tree Lighting have fond memories of visiting the electric plant building to see the nostalgic train display. The trains have been displayed there for 24 years thanks to Perkasie resident Doug Kramer who wants to share his lifelong passion for trains with his community.
A small model display in the carousel building was a big success prompting Perkasie Borough to offer space in the electric department building on North 7th Street. This large building where electricity was once generated allowed Doug to continually expand his railroad to the current number of 20 modules. The modules, fitted together, depict towns, farms, homes, and railroad yards. There is even a Perkasie module that includes Perkasie station and freight house. Each year additional locomotives and railroad cars are purchased, and additional buildings added.
A ritual takes place at Doug’s house on the first Wednesday of December. Volunteers and members of Perkasie Electric Department carry the track modules from the basement and transport them to the Electric Department building. Care must be taken not to damage the miniature trees and scenery on many of the boards. The modules are then assembled, cleaned, and wired. Buildings locomotives and cars are finally added.
After the display, everything must be disassembled, transported, and packed away at Doug’s house. The 2022 display was Doug’s 24th display and in a few weeks, on Christmas Eve he will turn 80. We all look forward to seeing next year’s model display, which has become a Perkasie Tree Lighting tradition.
Thank you, Doug, and all who help in continuing this tradition.
See the layout being built!
Building Doug Kramer's Railroad Perkasie 2020
See the layout being built!
Building Doug Kramer's Railroad Perkasie 2020
RDoll
Memories of Perkasie
Sharing interesting connections between Perkasie's people, places and events.
Rick and Louise Doll
Navigation Hint: The postings can be viewed by date, by topic category, or in reverse chronological order (most recent posting first)