Lower Makefield Historical Society

09/27/2026

Train enthusiasts and local history buffs, this one's for you!

At 6:05 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, September 2, 1900, a train holding 875 men, women, and children pulled out of Union Station in South Bethlehem, Pa. On board, excitement about the cool ocean breezes awaiting them in Atlantic City, N.J., was palpable as they sped along the tracks.

They would never meet their destination.

Historian Larry Stevens will reveal the true story of "The Hatfield Horror: The Story of the Great Hatfield Train Wreck of 1900" in a free event hosted by the Lower Makefield Historical Society on Sunday, October 4. This presentation, open to the public, will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Makefield Township Community Center, 1550 Oxford Valley Road, in Yardley, Pa.

In the dense fog, the shore-bound locomotive was unable to brake in time for a train stopped at the Hatfield Station in nearby Montgomery County, where farmers loaded their milk into a freight car headed for Philadelphia. Seventeen people were killed, including a father and daughter, a young woman to be married upon her return, and William C. Blackburn, the proprietor of the Ambler Inn in Ambler, Pa., a prominent local businessman.

Larry Stevens, founder and president of the Hatfield Museum and History Society, will detail the full story of the Hatfield Horror from the early morning hours that day through the aftermath of the criminal trials that followed.

Learn more about this and other upcoming events at https://www.lowermakefieldhistory.org/events/

11/10/2024

Join us today at 2 p.m. to hear author and historian Larry Kidder discuss the nature and mechanics of Washington's crossing of the Delaware, and how it is reflected in Emanuel Leutze’s iconic 1851 painting. This event is free and open to the public. No ticket is required! We'll see you later at the Lower Makefield Community Center.

Author and historian Larry Kidder will discuss these almost daily crossings and their relationship to the one that helped swing the momentum of the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Trenton in a special presentation hosted by the Lower Makefield Historical Society on Sunday, November 10 , from 2-

10/23/2024

Join us on Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m. when author and historian Larry Kidder will discuss the nature and mechanics of George Washington's heroic crossing of the Delaware in December 1776, and how it is represented in Emanuel Leutze's iconic 1851 painting. This event, at the Lower Makefield Community Center, is free and open to the public. No ticket is required for entry. See more:

Author and historian Larry Kidder will discuss these almost daily crossings and their relationship to the one that helped swing the momentum of the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Trenton in a special presentation hosted by the Lower Makefield Historical Society on Sunday, November 10 , from 2-

09/20/2024

Tomorrow is Yardley Harvest Day! Be sure to stop at our tent in the parking lot behind the Yardley Community Center. Kids can decorate a craft pumpkin with stickers and markers. Adults can learn more about the Lower Makefield Historical Society and becoming a member. We'll see you there!