11/19/25 Meeting
- Call to order:
- The Rutledge Ad Hoc Historical Committee was called to order at 6:32pm on 11/19/2025 at 212 Unity Terrace, Rutledge, PA 19070 (Rutledge’s Lower Hall).
- Roll call:
- Committee Members:
- Andrew D. Marques
- Alan McPherson
- Residents:
- Mike Karpyn
- Christine Gradel
- Caitlyn Mierau
- Committee Members:
- Approval of minutes:
- 10/8/25 minutes will be approved at the next meeting
- Project Updates:
- Sharing Historic Materials and General updates [5 minutes]
- Items including original (1) Stock for The Rutledge Mutual Land Improvement Association, (2) stock for the Philadelphia, Morton, and Swarthmore Street Railway Company, (3) stock for West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad Company, and (4) 1949 photograph of an early dual rotor helicopter developed in Morton.
- Mike Karpyn wishes a happy 162nd anniversary for the Gettysburg Address
- Review the banner design
- Christine Gradel recommends that we market ourselves as the “Rutledge Historical Committee” instead of the “Rutledge Ad Hoc Historical Committee.” The group present agrees unanimously.
- Oral History Project: Discussion on if this fits for our scope and who might be interested in leading it [5 minutes]
- Group decides unanimously that this project is in the scope of our committee, but we will focus on collecting information not presenting this upcoming 2026 year.
- Members interested:
- Andrew Marques
- Mike Karpyn
- Alan McPherson
- Discussion on questions:
- F2: Were you involved in borough community efforts – change this to Neighborhood to include non official offices.
- Section about conflict – Were there any community or conflicts (money, property, social issues) C.4 question
- Send an email: Who would be interested in being interviewed
- Have younger and older residents
- Look at the list of people who have received awards
- Nominate your neighbor
- In the next meeting we will discuss the criteria for who should be interviewed.
- Cast a wide net and see who we get for interviewing then set a criteria for doing
- In the submission for include a section stating “Tell us briefly why you think you would be a good subject”
- The oral history could be part of a historic booklet and pick out quotes to answer the question about where you went shopping or your experience.
- Draft Calendar for 2026 Including Event Speaker Series: Discussion on potential speakers and topics [10 minutes]
- Delaware County Historical Society speakers contacted and agreed to speak.
- We should do a presentation on architecture. Susan Stewart would be good for this. Heidi has an architecture background.
- Could discuss topics like Minerva Parker Nickles 1862-1949 First woman in the country to practice architecture independently.
- Workshop to debut our website and “Rutledge Civilian Historian” activity.
- Semiquincentennial Planning: Propose 1 week of Independence Day Activities leading up to the 7/4/2026 [15 minutes].
- Recap of Delco 250 office hours. It seems like we are ahead of other boroughs, but we have fewer resources than all other boroughs known to be preparing to celebrate (Prospect Park Borough, Media, Haverford, Springfield). We are the smallest borough, so we should continue to explore partnering with neighboring boroughs.
- Passing America250PA resolution.
- All in favor of asking the borough to do this.
- Rutledge Antiques Roadshow: Discuss timing and scope of this event [10 minutes].
- Due to time, this discussion will be held at our next meeting.
- Sharing Historic Materials and General updates [5 minutes]
- Announcements:
- Our next meeting will be Wednesday 12/17/2025
- Additional updates here
- Adjournment:
- The meeting adjourned at 7:38pm.