The Limerick Community
What’s Happening in Downtown Limerick? Check out
Spring Ford Chamber.
Since 1874, Ambler Savings Bank is proud to be a Hometown Financial Center serving Montgomery County.
We are pleased to partner with the Limerick Community providing financial products and services with
our Hometown approach.
A Brief History of Limerick
The
early inhabitants of this land of rolling, wooded hills that is now Limerick
Township were the Lenni-Lenape Indians of the Delaware tribe. When William
Penn came to this area in 1682 to look over a large tract of land that he
was granted by King Charles II, Penn, being a fair man, purchased this tract
from the Indians, thereby winning their trust and respect.
Among the first settlers of Limerick was the Brooke family from Yorkshire,
England. In the summer of 1699, the ship Britannica docked in Elsinborough,
New Jersey. The ship’s intended docking site was in Pennsylvania, but was
diverted after a disastrous voyage from England. Among the few survivors
were John Brooke, Frances Cockshaw and two of their six children, James
and Matthew. John Brooke had purchased 750 acres from William Penn previous
to their journey; unfortunately he would die shortly after his arrival in
America. The land he had purchased was left to James and Matthew and is a
portion today known as Limerick, Pennsylvania.
Other early inhabitants were the Evans, the Kendalls and the Ickes. A
petition to form “Lymmerick Township” was filed in Philadelphia in March
of 1726, and the original document is in City Hall, Philadelphia. It was
filed by eleven inhabitants including John Kendall, Owen Evans, Jonathan
Brooke, William Evans the 2nd, and Henerich Piettes.
Ridge Pike, previously know as Manatawny Road, was built in 1718. The
second major road linked Limerick Square to Faulkner’s Swamp and is now
known as Swamp Pike. By the mid 1800’s there were only eight one-room
schools in Limerick Township. Today there are four major schools in the
township, as well as two fire companies, an airport and numerous churches.
Election Districts were set up as early as 1785, but it wasn't until 1825 that
Limerick Township was made a separate district and elections took place
within the township.
Limerick’s first law enforcement was a constable hired in 1767. Organized
police protection actually began in 1961 when Township Supervisors adopted
an ordinance regulating hunting within the Township. Special part-time
police were appointed to enforce the ordinance.
The Limerick Fire Company was organized in 1921 and chartered as a volunteer
fire company in 1927. The company serves Limerick Township along with the
Linfield Fire Company.
In 1968, the Philadelphia Electric Company selected a site within the township
for construction of two nuclear power generating units occupying 85 acres of land.
Construction commenced, and PECO began commercial operation in 1986. After years of
keeping records in individual homes, a municipal building was erected in 1973, with
a ceremony and dedication in 1974. In 1986, a publicly-owned sewage collection
system was built.
Then it all happened, in 1985 the Pottstown Expressway, better known as Route 422,
was opened and commercial growth skyrocketed. Route 422 linked Philadelphia and King
of Prussia with the Limerick area, resulting in residential development, new schools,
and more commercial establishments.
In more recent times, Limerick is regarded as one of the fastest growing
communities in Pennsylvania. Limerick plays host to numerous new
developments, golf courses, exceptional school districts and is
conveniently located on the Route 422 corridor which gives easy access to
other areas such as Philadelphia, King of Prussia, Reading, Pottstown and
Collegeville.
Thank You for your Loyalty, Trust and Business!
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