OLEY TOWNSHIP

Oley Township




The Lenni Lenape Indians lived in this area prior to the 1700's. It was then called, "Olink".

In 1700-1740, German, French, English and Swedish cultures came to this area and built stone cabins, springhouses, roads and family burial grounds.

1740-1780, steep-roofed houses and barns with arched opening were built. The Quaker, Moravian, Universalist, Lutheran and Reformed Churches were established.

1780-1820, Georgian manor houses, water-powered mills, forges and furnaces flourished.

1820-1860, Retired farmers and shopkeepers built houses of brick. Villages were established in Oley, Pleasentville, Limekiln and Yellow House.

1860-1900, Victorian houses are being built.

The following pictures are of structures on the Historical Register of Oley Township.

This page would not be possible without the talents of these two wonderful people, Michelle Lynch and Jean Dillon. I gave them a challenge, to locate the places on the map and take pictures. Berks County is too large for my crew and I to cover so I beckoned for outside help.

Michelle lives in Exeter Township and is a Trustee of the Berks County Historical Society. She and I have never met but have become good email friends.

Jean Dillon, as it turns out, lives around the corner from me here in Reading, only to meet for the first time in person when she became the author of the Brecht Family page on my site.

Their first day out together, they found 18 of these historic places.

My heart-felt thanks go out to these fine woman. I proudly dub them my newest members of Genphotos:Berks County.

If anyone is interested in photographing the remaing sites, please email me. I will supply you with the map and info.

The number of the picture corresponds to the numbers on the map.



Historic Oley Map



DeTurk Marker



Picture taken by Justine Walter

#1- Deturk Cabin-1767



Sign



Deturk house at Settlement. The site dates to 1712, not the house.





#2- Capt. Daniel Hunter Homestead



#3- Hunter Kemp Inn 1740, rear view.



Out building at Hunter Kemp Inn.



Hunter Burial Ground



The stone reads:HUNTER BURIAL GROUND

(100 YARDS S.W. FROM HERE)

COLONEL DANIEL HUNTER

BORN APRIL 8, 1742-DIED FEBRUARY 3, 1783 OLEY TOWNSHIP, BERKS COUNTY, PA.

COLONEL FIRST BATTATION EASTERN SECTION OF BERKS COUNTY

REPRESENTATIVE PROVINGIAL CONFERENCE JUNE 18, 1776

PAYMASTER OF THE MILITIA, 1776 AND 1777

COMMANDED REGIMENT OF MILITIA FROM OLEY AND VICINITY, REVOLUTIONARY SERVICE AT TRENTON, N.J. AND BRANDYWINE, PA.

MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PA., 1777, 81 AND 82.

1925 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF BERKS COUNTY 20

Picture taken by Justine Walter



#4-Bertolet Kerst Mill- 1841





#5- House at Bertolet Mill- 1772



Bertolet Settlement Cabin- 1735



Bertolet Bake House





#6- Samuel Guilden Settlement- 1722







#7- Jacob Kaufman Farmstead- 1832



Kaufman Settlement House- 1766





Tenant House at Kaufman Farmstead





Out building









Kaufman Spring House





#9- Oley Church- UCC



#9- Friedens Lutheran Church



#9- Oley Cemetery





#10- Griesemer Mill- 1847



Griesemer House



#10- Griesemer Covered Bridge





#11- Frederick Spang Manison- 1808



Out building





#12- Lesher House- 1750



#12- Oley Forge- 1744





#14- Nicholas Hunter- 1805






#15- Oley Turnpike Tollhouse- 1862





#16- Griesemerville Hotel- 1860



Remains at the hotel.



#17- Peter Griesimer House- 1782



Outbuilding





#38- John Knabb Mansion- 1806





#40- Sunday School in the Village of Limekiln





#41- Hans Schneider Home- 1767, Susanna Cox killed her baby in this house.



Stone Bridge



Line gif

#82 Abraham Breil House 1820



The house is now known as Hidden Hollow Farm.

� 2000 All pictures taken by Michelle Lynch and Jean Dillon unless stated otherwise.