[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14697]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE 275TH ANNIVERSARY OF WORCESTER TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY 
                          COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM GERLACH

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2008

  Mr. GERLACH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a southeastern 
Pennsylvania municipality celebrating its 275th anniversary.
  Worcester Township, Montgomery County, was established in 1733 by 22 
landowners on roughly 10,000 acres originally part of the land grant 
given to William Penn by King Charles II of England.
  English, Dutch, German and Welsh immigrants, many seeking religious 
freedom, settled the Township, which was a mostly wooded wilderness at 
its inception. Eventually, the Township was transformed into a farming 
community that came to be known as a breadbasket for nearby Norristown 
and Philadelphia.
  Worcester also played a role in the founding of our nation. General 
George Washington's troops camped at the Peter Wentz Farmstead before 
and after the Battle of Germantown. And the cemetery across from Bethel 
Hill Church serves as the final resting place for patriots who gave 
their lives in the pursuit of liberty.
  While the population has grown to nearly 8,000 residents today, the 
Township remains committed to preserving acres of scenic farmlands and 
open space.
  Residents will mark the Township's 275th anniversary on Saturday, 
July 12, 2008 during a Community Day celebration in Heebner Park.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in 
congratulating the Worcester Township on its historic anniversary.

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