ABOUT THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION

Established
The Upper Dublin Historical Commission was established in 2006 by the Upper Dublin Board of Commissioners, under Ordinance #1175. Visit the documents web page to download the ordinance and the associated resource inventory referred to in the ordinance.

Meetings
Meetings take place the fourth Monday of each month, at 7:00 pm, at the Township Building. Meeting minutes are posted each month after approval at the next meeting.

Historic Preservation
Visit the Historic Preservation web page for more information about historic preservation in Upper Dublin and links to helpful web sites including preservation briefs provided by the National Park Service.

Guide to Researching the History of Upper Dublin Properties
The Historical Commission has compiled a guide to researching Upper Dublin properties. Download the guide.

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CONTACT THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION

The Commission welcomes and encourages your suggestions for possible programming as well as your thoughts, ideas, or concerns about history and architecture and its role in our community. Please write to us at the Township address or send the Historical Commission an email.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Upper Dublin Historical Commission seeks to foster awareness and appreciation of our community’s history, encourage the preservation of local resources, and offer information and assistance to residents and owners of commercial and residential properties.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE NEWS

Update from Harrisburg - House Bill HB 42
Legislation to provide incentives for the rehabilitation of historic properties in Pennsylvania passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 193-2 in June 2009. Montgomery County Rep. Thomas P. Murt (R) urged passage of the bill stating “Pennsylvania's historic homes and neighborhoods are an important legacy of our Commonwealth, and we certainly should be encouraging the preservation of these properties. By providing incentives to buyers and sellers of historic homes and homes in historic neighborhoods, HB 42 will help preserve Pennsylvania's heritage in residential and commercial sectors.”

On July 14, 2009 the bill was referred to the Senate committee on Community, Economic and Recreational Development.

Contact your state senator to support the Historic Preservation Incentive Program! (To find your senator and easy contact info on the State Legislature web site and enter your zip code in the upper right hand corner). Urge your state senator to pass HB 42 that will provide grants of up to $15,000 for rehabilitation of historic residential buildings, state tax credits of up to $500,000 for rehabilitation of historic commercial properties and priority funding to properties located in Main Street and Elm Street areas, enterprise zones and historic districts. Read HB42.

HISTORIC SITE SURVEYS

Surveys were conducted to select residents' top ten historic sites in October of 2008 and October of 2009.

Download the survey results and images.

• Historic Site Survey Results 2009
• Historic Site Survey Results 2008

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COMMISSION MEMBERS

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Meet the Historical Commission

Jeffery Bucher
Jeff is a licensed general contractor in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware with 25 years experience in commercial/retail and residential construction. During these years he has actively preserved and renovated residential properties and has converted others into retail space preventing demolition. Jeff’s educational background includes Construction Management, Architectural Design and Code Enforcement. In his free time Jeff enjoys hunting, fishing, golf, travel, and genealogy. Originally from Souderton, Jeff has resided in Upper Dublin since 1993.

Vincent J. Gorman
Vince sought membership on the HC as a result of his background and education. His Ph.D. in History has lead him to appreciate the historical aspects of our world, including antique structures. He and his wife have restored four antique houses, two in Upper Dublin, including his current home. He has served as an administrator at three universities, including Fordham U in New York as dean in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He has also taught history at a number of higher education institutions. Since leaving academe he has been involved in real estate and retail, now owning a local store. Vince promises to be a passionate preservationist for Upper Dublin Township.

Glenn A. Griffin, MAI
Glenn is a real estate professional with over 30 years of experience. He holds the MAI designation of the Appraisal Institute, is a certified general appraiser in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and is a Pennsylvania real estate broker. He has been employed by several local and regional firms, and served as a regional vice president of a national appraisal and consulting firm with offices in major cities throughout the United States. His work encompasses commercial real estate with significant experience in complex office and retail properties, special-use properties, hotels, and large industrial properties. In 2003 he founded Griffin Consulting Services Inc. which provides appraisal and valuation consulting services to banks and financial institutions, corporations, municipalities, and private clients. Glenn has been a resident of Upper Dublin Township since 1991 and resides in the Dresher area.

Janet McLemore
Jan has been a resident of Upper Dublin Township since 1993. Raised in Michigan, Jan has also lived in Iowa, Texas and Virginia, and travels to the Czech Republic, where she has extended family. She has developed a deep appreciation for the beauty of historic structures and lands, and for the human histories connected with them. Jan was greatly moved by the destruction of the historic town square in her mother’s hometown, in which 500-year old structures were bulldozed by local authorities to make way for new concrete-block buildings. Jan thinks it is vital to balance individual rights with community and business needs, while maintaining a long term, historic perspective. Jan’s educational background includes a BS degree in Microbiology and in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Michigan, and an MBA degree from the University of Virginia. Professionally, she has worked in the Philadelphia area for 20 years, with responsibilities in strategic planning and industrial marketing and development. She has been an active volunteer with the Upper Dublin School District, Boy Scouts of America, and her church. In her leisure time Jan enjoys collecting, restoring and trading in antiques and singing in her church’s choir. In her work with the Upper Dublin Historical Commission she has a personal interest in educational programs to expand appreciation of local history, and in identifying and developing methods by which threatened historic structures may be saved.

Jill K. Shafer, RA, NCARB, PMP
Jill has been an Upper Dublin Township resident for nearly 25 years and in the 1990’s served on the Upper Dublin Planning Advisory Board. As a registered architect and professional project manager, Jill has experience in design, construction and management of various building types, including historic structures. For 22 years in the private sector, Jill worked on a wide range of projects from Philadelphia’s Brewerytown renovations to corporate headquarters design and construction. As a federal government employee for the last 16 years, Jill has spent much of her time managing multi-million dollar design and construction projects for the U.S. Courthouse Program with projects in Tennessee, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

Wendy Weber
Wendy moved to Upper Dublin Township 28 years ago into a house built by her father; a residential home builder who began his career in Upper Dublin in 1958. Wendy has many childhood memories of rural Upper Dublin Township including the purchase of her first horse from Bill Bennet at the Jarrettown Inn barn. She is stimulated by the history of the area, and enjoys collecting period antique furniture and local artwork. Wendy’s most recent employment as project manager of a 55-acre farm in Worcester Township has furthered her knowledge in construction. She was involved in the three-year project of designing and restoring the circa 1890 Victorian house and large stone bank barn. Currently, she is working with Township officials for conditional use of property, land conservation easements, and open space dedication. Wendy has been a licensed real estate agent since 2004.

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