Many of you no doubt have been doing plenty of shopping lately for the holidays, including grocery shopping.

The photos today remind us of earlier days when grocery stores were much smaller, found throughout our towns and were, well, a bit more basic.


The three photos today were donated by a local resident who said she knew nothing about the photos, but had found them when she was cleaning out a relative’s home.

Thanks to Dick Shearer of the Lansdale Historical Society, we are able to share some information about this store.

According to Shearer, the photos are of the L.D. Moyer Meat and Grocery Market, which was located behind 18 E. Third St., Lansdale.

It faced the back of what is now the U.S. Gas Station on North Broad Street, site of the former Broad Street School.

The photos are probably from the mid-1930s, according to Shearer.



The store was one of a dozen mom-and-pop stores in Lansdale at that time and the building is still standing.

As you can see in the photos, the employees take time out to pose for a picture; one case featured some “undressed” fowl; and the interior was as neat as a pin.

From the camera of Nelson Stoudt, grocer and amateur cinematographer, today we bring you some scenes of Lansdale and Montgomeryville at Christmas and during the winter.

Stoudt owned a small grocery store and gas station at the northeast corner of the Five Points intersection in Montgomeryville back in the late 1930's. When he was not busy tending his shop, he recorded the local scene with a movie camera, and turned the footage into a series of newsreels.

Today we bring you some night scenes of downtown Lansdale, and although cameras were not as good with low-light shooting as they are today, you can still see some of the lights, the Lansdale Christmas tree and the marquis of the Lansdale Theater.

After that you will see some winter weather in Montgomerville, including shots of snow plows at Five Points, which was a much small intersection (though no less confusing) back then.

Finally you will see some color footage of kids enjoying the snow in Montgomeryville.

The year 1997 marked quite a difference in the Christmas holiday season for this area.

For 38 consecutive years prior to 1997, what was then the North Penn Hospital Auxiliary presented the Christmas Caravan, when area residences and churches were selected to brightly deck the halls and open their doors to the community.

It was a fundraiser for the hospital auxiliary and, at one time, attendance was as high as 1,500 people.


In 1996, it was reported that fewer than 400 people toured the homes, and so the Caravan ended that year.

In the photos we feature today, the year was 1976 and it was reported that more than 1,300 area residents had visited the two historical houses, one historical church and three private homes on the tour.

That year the featured stops were the Peter Wentz Farmstead in Worcester; Kre-Belle Farms owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rothenberger in Worcester; St. Luke’s United Church of Christ in North Wales; the home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Baldino in North Wales; the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Guzewicz in North Wales; and the Jenkins Homestead in Lansdale.


The Caravan netted the auxiliary more than $5,000 that year, according to Reporter accounts.


In these photos, we see a scene from St. Luke’s UCC, with Jon Leight, Mrs. Louis Baldino at left and Mrs. William Lemmon, who was the Caravan chairwoman.

The other photo features Thelma Lee Rothenberger, as she relaxed in her home’s decorated library.

People love to see kids at the old schools in our area, and today we feature another Lansdale school.

Kenneth R. Walker of Sellersville submitted this photo of the old Broad Street School of Lansdale — well, actually it’s a bunch of kids posing outside the school.

Walker noted that he attended the school during the fifth and sixth grades, during the mid-1940s.

One photo includes the entire class when he attended; the other is “just the boys.”


In that photo, Walker noted, “I’m in the back row, second from right. On my left is Fred Schmidt. Front row on right is Henry Rouch. To the left of him is “Peanut” Cliver.

“I know Bruce Hemmerle is in there somewhere, and a Cook, a Woodward, and there was a boy that lived on Third Street and I think his dad drove a taxi, but I can’t think of his name!”

Perhaps someone out there looking at these photos will recognize a few familiar faces.

Walker also noted that he lived on Hancock Street, Lansdale, “in a big house down a long lane. It is now a park and trail area.”

There’s no question the past year has been a financial challenge for many businesses across the nation.

Whenever the economy turns south, it usually spells disaster for merchants and companies that haven’t prepared for difficult times.

But many did; they were the survivors and they will be subject of the Lansdale Historical Society’s Dec. 8 Community Program.

“Staying Power: Businesses That Withstood the Test of Time” will focus on the dozens of North Penn area firms that survived for at least half a century.


Some are still going strong; others eventually succumbed to financial problems or simply went out of business because their products or services were no longer used by the public.

Dick Shearer, president of the Lansdale Historical Society, provided today’s picture, a late 1880s photos of the Oberholtzer and Freed farm equipment business on Susquehanna Avenue that was the predecessor of today’s Honda dealership.


Shearer noted that he picked this photo because Freed’s was moving to its new location in Montgomeryville on Dec. 4.

Freed and Oberholtzer lasted until 1902, Shearer said, when Freed bought controlling interest — and they’ve been in business since then.

This latest move is only their second in all those years, Shearer said.

An extensive list of area companies that meet the 50-year benchmark was prepared by historical society members this year.

However, the list is far from complete, Shearer said, and members of the audience will be encouraged to suggest other businesses that may have been overlooked.

The program will be narrated by Shearer and, as usual, will include a video presentation by Steve Moyer.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lansdale Parks and Recreation Building, Seventh Street and Lansdale Avenue. There is no admission charge but donations are appreciated.