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John Handschuh ABR SRES
Bucks County Real Estate
location_on Chalfont, PA — RE/MAX Legacy
RE/MAX International Inc.
PARE # RS208307
Get to Know John Handschuh ABR SRES

Bucks & Montgomery County Real Estate 

 

Over 20 years in Real Estate. As an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) and Senior Residential Specialist (SRES) with 45+ years of residence in the Bucks & Montgomery County area, John has assisted homeowners easily navigate the financial and lifestyle transitions that come with selling and relocating, and represented qualified buyers proficiently.

Horsham, Maple Glen, Lower Gwynedd, Warrington, Chalfont, New Britain, Doylestown Real Estate. Buying or selling property in today's real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. My goal as your local REALTOR® is to provide you with personalized real estate service for life. I go the distance inluding after the sale or purchase. Trust is key to a successful real estate transaction. You have to trust the agent you are working with.

He's accessible seven days a week to answer every question and to guide you with all aspects of the sale. Call, he answers the phone and goes up and beyond the your expectations.

With a custom marketing plan, John helps sellers set the right price to attract the right buyers and promotes their homes to an established local network and target market where the most likely buyers will be found. He shows homes to the best prospects and represents sellers and buyers ably during the offer and contract process.

Start-to-finish dependability
Listing and selling a home, or trying to find the right one, can prompt a million questions. John has the professionalism and skill sets to answer them all, and to facilitate the sale of a home without detours or undue delays.

Signed, sealed, delivered
A pleasant transaction, the price you want, the follow-through and results you expect from a REALTOR® whose word is his bond - that's what you get with John Handschuh. Call or e-mail him today to make your real estate experience easier.

The personal touch, with total professionalism...the difference that puts the deal together is John Handschuh

Serving Bucks And Montgomery County. Call John today to schedule a confidential appointment.

Check WWW.JOHNHANDSCUH.COM for local township information, school reports, current listings, search the MLS for current listings. Request Buyers Free Report or Sellers Free Report, mortgage calculator's & amortization schedules.

 

 "A HANDS ON APPROACH TO REAL ESTATE"


Horsham Real Estate 

 

 

Horsham Township History

 

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP TIME LINE

 

 

 

YEAR

 

9997 BC Lenni Lenape Indian upon forming their nation are believed to

have been the first inhabitants of Horsham. They did not pollute

the air, the land or the water in the 12,000 years of their presence.

 

The paleface cannot say the same.

 

1681 AD William Penn acquired Pennsylvania from King Charles II for a

L.16,000 debt settlement. This is equal to 1,600,000 1794 silver dollars for all of Pennsylvania. A developers dream.

1683 First residence in Horsham built by Thomas Palmer as a cabin near what is now Dresher Road.

 

1684 Horsham’s 17 sq. miles made available to purchasers. The original four purchasers were Samuel Carpenter, George Palmer, Joseph Fisher and

 

Mary Blunston. 5000 acres would sell for L.100. This is equal to $10,000 in 1794 silver dollars. ($100 = L.1)

1687 First published Holme’s Map of Horsham.

 

1708 First Horsham settler is reported to be a cabin by the creek. West of Blair Mill Road.

 

1709 William Lukens family was one of Horsham’s first Quaker settlers. Lukens Park on Dresher Road is now the home of the Horsham Rotary’s

 

1714 Horsham Friends Meeting was established. This is after holding weekly Quaker Meetings for Worship in each other’s farm homes. It was a long journey by horse and wagon, rain, shine, or snow, to attend Meeting for Worship at Abington Friends Meeting.

 

1714 Samuel Carpenter provided 50 acres of land to Horsham Friends Meeting to build a Meeting House, a graveyard, and a school. Any profit from crops grown on the property was to be used to educate children who needed a little tuition help.

1717 Horsham Township founded.

 

1717 Horsham Friends Meeting house was first built of logs.

 

1717 First wedding was held in the Horsham Friends Meeting House. The wedding was held without the services of a minister.

 

1718 America’s first woman governor was Hannah Penn in Pennsylvania for 14 years. This was after the 07-30-1718 death of William Penn, the Governor.

 

1718 Sir William Keith erects Keith House. He was the first Governor of Pennsylvania. The dwelling is being restored to its original farm house condition by the Horsham Preservation and Historical Association.

 

1722 Graeme Park was built by Sir William Keith.

 

1722 Easton Road was extended from Willow Grove through Horsham to Governor Keith’s house. This may have been the beginning of political pull in Horsham.

 

1724 Horsham Friends Meeting House was rebuilt of stone.

 

1732 Echenhofer farm house still stands. John Lukens was the builder of the first portion.

 

1734 Kenderdine Mill was the first of several mills built in Horsham.

 

1735 Horsham Road is laid out from the Meeting House to Montgomery Township.

 

1739 Horsham Friends School established, the first school in the Horsham area. Students paid 3 cents per ay for their education. There were no school taxes.

 

The 1739 date is on the stone wall.

 

1746 Penrose-Strawbridge farm house (now returning to a model 1800 working

 

1753 Novotny House had its beginning as a William Penn land grant to

 

Mary Blunston, to Dr. Yetta Deitch Novotny, then to the Cutler Group

 

With involvement by the Horsham Council, the Horsham Preservation And Historical Association and Curt Kaller.

 

1761 John Lukens was commissioned as the Surveyor-General for Pennsylvania.

 

1763 Horsham’s oldest frame outhouse (circa 1763), is a "one-holler" for those who want to be alone. It was moved from the Milford-Kunz Farm to Generations Farm in Prospectville.

 

1770 723 Norristown Road was an underground railroad station around 1860. Halbert E. Fillinger, MD, Montgomery County’s nationally recognized Forensic Medical Examiner was the last long term resident of the farm. Henry Hallowell was the builder.

 

1776 Declaration of Independence was signed.

 

1777 Liberty Bell passes through Horsham for safekeeping in Allentown during the Revolutionary War.

 

1779 Isaiah Lukens, a famous clock maker was born in Horsham.

 

1781 John Lukens was appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania as a surveyor, setting the boundary lines between Pennsylvania and Virginia.

 

1784 Montgomery County was created by the Pennsylvania Assembly.

 

1784 John Lukens discovered the comet subsequently known as “Lukens" Comet”.

 

1794 Fist U.S. silver dollar acceptable in Horsham and elsewhere is minted. The dollar and cent United States money system was developed by Governeur Morris. He was a signed of the Declaration of Independence, writer of the Preamble to the Constitution, and, many generations back, a great grandfather of Prospectville’s Bertholf family.

Congress created the U.S. Mint in 1792.

 

1803 Horsham Friends Meeting House. The third and present day version was built on the east side of Easton Road.

 

1803 Babylon Private School became a public school.

 

1808 Horsham Library, Inc. was founded. The library was on the second floor of

 

Horsham Friends School.

 

1810 First Horsham Post Office established in the Horsham Friends Meeting House 07-06-1810 with Charles Palmer as Postmaster. The Post Office was discontinued in 1823.

 

1826 Post Office was reestablished in Horsham 01-09-1826 with Charles Palmer Jarrett as Postmaster.

 

1824 Founding of the Warren Company, a horse thief and crime deterrent association. The first police company law enforcers before the Penna. State Police were founded. They still met annually Justin case a horse should be stolen.

 

1827 Prospectville housed Pennsylvania’s only indoor ox mill powered by two oxen on the lower level of a three story stone dwelling on Limekiln Pike near McKean Road.

 

1828 Founding of the Upper Dublin Association for the recovery of stolen horses, detention of horse thieves and obtaining other stolen property. They still meet annually in Horsham.

 

1836 Shay School opened. Rebuilt in 1858 as Babylon School.

 

1858 Prospectville Post Office established. (Formerly Cash Town.)

 

1859* Horsham Underground Railroad station established as a rest and nourishment stop-over for runaway Negro slaves on their way north seeking freedom. The Kulp farmhouse was built about 1760 at 655 Norristown Road.

 

1860 Prospectville one room schoolhouse on Horsham Road. About 1933 it was converted to the Wayside Chapel for weddings and memorial services. (There is a difference between weddings and memorial services.)

 

1868 Prospectville Union Hall Association holds founding meeting. A group of public minded farmers made it a priority to build a public hall on Limekiln Pike near Horsham Road. The multi-purpose use of the hall was for religious meetings, Sabbath schools, debates, lectures, exhibitions of a moral, scientific and literary and news readings. It should be remembered that radio and Television had not been invented. Down through the years uses of the Union Hall have included The United Methodist Church of Prospectville, St. Matthews Episcopal Church, Boy Scout Troop 410, and Holy Word Lutheran Church.

 

1874 Horsham Library, Inc. is disbanded. Perhaps they envisioned that in a century or so technology might be invented and libraries might begin a downward slippery slope toward obsolescence.

 

1885 Ambler Medical Associates formed by Dr. Shelly to serve the medical needs of Horsham, Upper Dublin and Ambler.

 

1890 Horsham’s new Orthodox Friends Meeting House erected on Dresher Road at Saw Mill Lane.

 

1894 Trolley cars begin on Easton Road service through Horsham. The first ones were horse drawn.

 

1905 Horsham had 300 students. The five teachers were pair $25 to $50 per month.

 

1909 Horsham Toll Booth at Limekiln Turnpike and McKean Roads. To pass the wooden gate it cost 2 cents for a lone rider or 10 cents for carriages and wagons.

 

1913 Horsham Volunteer Fire Company founded. The Chief rode a big white horse.

 

1921 Pennsylvania Insurance Department and Insurance Company Act passed into law. The purpose was to protect consumers by stabilizing the insurance markets during the depression to control price-cutting and rate gouging.

 

1922 College Settlement Camp is formed in Horsham.

 

1923 First Boy Scout Troop established in Horsham.

 

1925 First Girl Scout Troop established in Horsham.

 

1926 Dorothea Hughes Simmons purchased three farms in Prospectville between Limekiln Pike and school House/Cedar Hill Road. The Arthur Bertholf family settled down on one farm with cows, chickens, corn, wheat and horses. Drought did not seem to be a problem with Bertholf. His great Grandmother a dozen generations back was Pocahontas. She lived in England at that time. So, his little Indian Rain Dance may have helped to bring own a little moisture when needed for farm crops.

 

1928 Autogiro was further developed at Pitcairn Air Field in Horsham by Harold Pitcairn.

 

1928 St. David’s Parrish Chapel on Horsham Road, then 1962 Mission Church to St. Joseph’s Parrish, then in 1963 St. Catherine Parrish, then 1965 St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church built in Horsham.

 

1929 Montgomery county’s first traffic light was at Limekiln Pike and Horsham Road. It functioned with only 3 light bulbs, top, middle and bottom. Now standard traffic lights have 12 bulbs.

 

1929 Harold Pitcairn began autogiro flights to Philadelphia and back for $5.00.

 

1929 Whitemarsh Memorial Park founded. In 1931 began functioning as a cemetery.

 

19331 Dorothea Hughes Simmons donated land for a new four-room public school with indoor plumbing and central heat on Limekiln Pike in Prospectville. Education and health were a passion with Simmons. She developed schools and hospitals in many parts of the world. Each year Simmons funded Greek, Turkish and Armenian students to attend colleges and universities in the United States. Many of the students would spend their summers at the Bertholf farm.

 

1931 Amelia Earhart is checked out to fly autogiros at Horsham’s Pitcairn Airfield.

 

1931 Prospectville had a population of about 300.

 

1932 Students walked across the fields from the old two-room Prospectville schoolhouse to the new state of the art four-room Simmons School with 3 teachers for 8 grades. Totally modern, with indoor plumbing and central heat. No more boys and girls outhouses, outside hand water pump and pot bellied stove for heat.

 

1933 Pennsylvania’s 35 mph state speed limit was increased to 45 mph. Horsham farmers were concerned about the carnage on the highways that would certainly occur with the increased speed.

 

1934 Eastern Airlines Mail Wings planes built by Pitcairn.

 

1934 Lowest local temperature of –11 degrees in recorded history on 02-09-34.

 

1934 Simmons three teacher school had no teachers on a day of extra heavy snow. Snow days had not been invented. Mr. Anderson, the janitor, huddled the students who arrived into one of the three classrooms and conducted class for the 1st to 8th grade students. No student left behind was an old Horsham School District concept.

 

1935 Pitcairn Autogiro flies to roof of 10th Street Post Office to carry airmail to Camden Airport. The autogiro can take off with just 10 feet of runway.

 

1935 The DeSoto and Chrysler Airflow, the ultimate in streamlined autos, make their appearance down Limekiln Pike, passing through Horsham.

 

1936 Whitemarsh Memorial Park’s 175-foot tower is erected. That’s 2,100 feet straight up.

 

1942 Naval Air Station established in Horsham.

 

1946 Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Museum of historical aircraft on Easton

 

Road in Horsham at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station.

 

1948 Horsham Ambulance Corps formed.

 

1950 Wayside clock on the mound in Prospectville displays the absolute correct time two times each day.

 

1950 Horsham and Hatboro Schools begin process to merge into one School District.

 

In 1963 the merger was completed. 95% of the school’s tax-exempt property is in Horsham. Not too smart.

 

1951 Horsham Police Department established with one officer.

 

1954 Horsham’s first housing development was Oak Terrace leading to the destruction of farms and much celebration by developers.

 

1958 Horsham Little League Baseball formed.

 

1958 The Bank of Old York Road becomes the first bank in Horsham.

 

1961 Horsham Township Parks established. In 2004 expanded to an 815 acre park complex with 8 miles of trails and playground centers.

 

1965 Horsham Rotary Club founded by Robert Birkbeck, Henry Bishop, Anton Buchert, Nelson R. Charles, Henry R. Cole, Harris Edelman, Arthur Eilinsfeld, M. Earle Felber, Joseph M. Frezza, Pliney Hartenstein, Harvey Heisman, G. Dobson Hinkle, George J. Mihalchick, Wayne Slater, William F. Sweigart, Ralph J. Thiers, William Thome, Jr., Louis C. Walther, Robert Young and William D. Zanhniser, with Ike Jarrett of The Rotary Club of Hatboro as a special advisor and friend.

 

1966 Fred Kohler and in 1968 Dick Worthington, two Democrats, are elected Horsham Supervisors to clean up the Township. No one could understand how Democrats could be elected in Horsham.

 

1966 Horsham Football League – HAWKS.

 

1967 m. Earle Felber, with the valuable help of H-H students designed and cast a Horsham Seal that can be viewed at the Horsham Firehouses and the Township Building. On the Seal, the Bible expresses the religious convictions of the early settlers. The plow expresses their energy, devoted largely to the land. Keith House was the home of Sir William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania. Felber is a founding member of the Horsham Rotary Club and the Horsham Chamber of Commerce. Also, Felber, an Architectural Consultant, built the required working model for the building of the Delaware River Bridge. The model now rests in the Smithsonian Institute. Felber also did architectural work in the White House and the Congressional Dining Room in Washington.

 

1974 Horsham Chamber of Commerce begins promotion of a Horsham Library. $100,000 was not available from the Horsham government to start up a library with the purchase of a large new property next to the Township Building.

 

1975 Horsham Lions Club founded.

 

1975 Horsham Police Helicopter is acquired with a landing pad next to the Police Station.

 

1975 Horsham Air Ambulance formed. The best in the East at that time.

 

1976 Horsham voters approve The Home Rule Charter.

 

1976 Horsham Day begins as a major annual event.

 

1978 Horsham Soccer League formed.

 

1978 Horsham’s Chris Gabriel is an original founded of the nation’s first Ronald McDonald House and Charities.

 

1982 The Quaker School at Horsham established to serve bright children who learn differently. Three or four students per teacher. An elementary and middle school for children who have a difficult time learning in the standard public school system. The School’s purpose is to prepare these children to be able to keep up with their class when they are “main-streamed” back to their public or private school, and be prepared to go college..

 

1984 The Millbrook Society founded in Horsham in the kitchen meetings of Mrs. Charles Harper Smith along with Margaret Strawbridge, Max Hankin, Jim Milford, Dave Shannon, Dave MacFarland and others.

 

1987 Horsham’s 1-mile walk/bike/jog trail built in Deep Meadow Park.

 

1988 Chunk of the Berlin Wall arrives in Horsham and is now resting on an office mantel, all because President Ronald Reagan forcefully said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

 

1988 Horsham Rotary invites the first woman to be a member. The club has not been the same since.

 

1990 Horsham Rotary Memorial Annual Bike-A-Thon and Walk-A-Thon, for those who do not like to pedal. Instigated by Frank Gerome with the College Settlement Camp. Funds benefit the Rotary Events and Youth Leadership Training Camp.

 

1990 Horsham Hall of Fame registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

1990 Challenger Division, Horsham Little League formed with funds from Horsham and

 

Hatboro Rotary Clubs and others. This Division of Little League provides a softball program for kids under age 21 who, for various reasons, cannot participate in the standard Little League program. The Team had a special time when they were invited to play in a game against an Ohio Challenger Team at the time of the Williamsport World Series in 2004. Horsham Rotary is a founder and major sponsor of the Challenger Division. The reward to Rotary is watching these young people have just about the best time of their lives with each other and playing ball.

 

1992 The old Simmons School was the first of 19 Blue Ribbon Schools in PA.

 

1996 Horsham family home-schools their children. Superb marks upon entering college.

 

1997 Horsham Preservation and Historical Association. “The Future of Horsham’s Past.”

 

1997 Horsham Township Seniors Club formed. They meet monthly.

 

1998 Horsham Independent Republicans win control of Horsham Council.

 

1998 Horsham’s annual Blue Light Program remembers and honors Montgomery County’s 26 law enforcement officers who died while on duty since August 13, 1917.

 

1999 Horsham Township Agricultural Security Advisory Committee formed.

 

1999 Mt. Horsham rises in Prospectville.

 

2000 Horsham Rotary Annual Golf Classic formed to raise charitable funds and to have a real friendly and fun time for all.

 

2000 Horsham Rotary’s 2000 Night/Italian Night, the fun and good time fundraiser with genuine Italian food.

 

2000 Horsham Rotary Foundation, Inc. founded as a 501c(3) tax-free Corp. to do good things like build Everybody’s Playground.

 

2001 Generations Farm in Prospectville is designated by Personal Ponies, Ltd. To breed and train miniature Shetland ponies as free pets and companions for donation to handicapped and terminally ill young people. When a pony is no longer needed it is returned to Personal Ponies, Ltd., a non-profit organization for reassignment to another needy young person. This is a nation wide program.

 

2001 Horsham joins Montgomery County Youth Aid Panel Program.

 

2003 Everybody’s Playground funded by Horsham Rotary Club. The most elaborate in

 

PA. This $400,000 facility sponsored by the Rotary and supported by many business and professional associations and companies includes many features for those special kids with differences, making it universally accessible to children of all abilities to play together and enjoy each other safely.

 

2003 After 2000 years, it might be said, a new star hovers over Horsham to be seen by those with an open heart, an open mind, and humanitarian vision. Horsham may well be the only unique community in the United States that really cares for kids with problems, with four non-profit programs.

 

2003 Pennypack Farm Educational Center founded at College Settlement Camp and Farm in Horsham.

 

2003 Horsham School teachers go on first strike in Horsham’s long and illustrious educational history. Students are scarred and permanently damaged. H-H’s winning football team is forced to forfeit a game and is declared losers by the League.

 

2003 An upside-down rainbow was photographed by John Ziegler at the dedication of Everybody’s Playground.

 

2004 Horsham Rotary Club is honored by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society for funding the $400,000. Everybody’s Playground. PRPS is an 1,800 member statewide non-profit society.

 

2004 History of Horsham Township book “The Future of Horsham’s Past”, published with many pictures and much information by Leon Clemmer and the Horsham Preservation and Historical Association.

 

2004 The new Horsham Township Library celebrates a grand opening with ribbon cutting by Council; Vice President Joanna M. Furia, Esq. And Council President William W. Whiteside III. 2500 people are already signed up as members and 35,000 items have been taken out. As a 501©3 organization, donations may be taken as Federal Income Tax deductions.

 

2004 Horsham Fire House replaced by a 21 st century version. The Horsham Rotary Club donated a bronzed statue of a fireman.

 

2004 Hatboro-Horsham Golf Team is the district champion over 50 teams.

 

2005 Horsham and the rest of the world can access in excess of 100,000 digitalized

Horsham Real Estate 

 www.johnhandschuh.com

Certifications

Resident of Eastern Montgomery County specializing in The Bucks Montgomery area,Horsham, Hatboro Lower Gwynedd, Ambler Upper Moreland,  North Wales Upper Dublin Montgomery Township & in Bucks County Warrington Warminster Chalfont New Britain Doylestown Warwick Ivyland 15 Plus years as a Licensed Pennsylvania  real estate agent  located  in  Maple Glen, Horsham Township PA.  Serving the unique real estate needs of both buyers and sellers.   I specialize in Montgomery and Bucks  counties and  surrounding  communities.  Residential and Commercial Real Estate. This website offers information, pictures of residential real estate homes, land for sale, and Pennsylvania real estate relocation resources. Horsham Hatboro Ambler Maple Glen Warrington Warminster Warwick Chalfont Lower Gwynedd Upper Dublin North Wales Montgomery township Lansdale Boro Bucks Montgomery Counties Search the MLS for your next home. Visit my web site www.johnhandschuh.com or send an email john@johnhandschuh.com to request a buyer's information packet, a sellers information packet, 14 questions to ask a realtor.  Mortgage payment calculator www.johnhandschuh.com/content/articles/monthlyplusamortization.html or a mortgage qualification calculator www.johnhandschuh.com/cgi-bin/calcs/qualify.cgi

Call today for a free consultation, time is of the essence. Mortgage rates are at record lows and lenders are willing to give loans. Bad credit I can help assist with corrections, mortgage pre-approvals. 215-651-2157 call John today

 

 

Horsham Township History

 

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP TIME LINE

 

 

 

YEAR

 

9997 BC Lenni Lenape Indian upon forming their nation are believed to

 

have been the first inhabitants of Horsham. They did not pollute

 

the air, the land or the water in the 12,000 years of their presence.

 

The paleface cannot say the same.

 

 

 

1681 AD William Penn acquired Pennsylvania from King Charles II for a

 

L.16,000 debt settlement. This is equal to 1,600,000 1794 silver

 

dollars for all of Pennsylvania. A developers dream.

 

1683 First residence in Horsham built by Thomas Palmer as a cabin near

 

what is now Dresher Road.

 

 

 

1684 Horsham’s 17 sq. miles made available to purchasers. The original

 

four purchasers were Samuel Carpenter, George Palmer, Joseph Fisher and

 

Mary Blunston. 5000 acres would sell for L.100. This is equal to $10,000 in 1794

 

silver dollars. ($100 = L.1)

 

 

 

1687 First published Holme’s Map of Horsham.

 

 

 

1708 First Horsham settler is reported to be a cabin by the creek. West of

 

Blair Mill Road.

 

 

 

1709 William Lukens family was one of Horsham’s first Quaker settlers.

 

Lukens Park on Dresher Road is now the home of the Horsham Rotary’s

 

 

 

1714 Horsham Friends Meeting was established. This is after holding weekly

 

Quaker Meetings for Worship in each other’s farm homes. It was a long

 

journey by horse and wagon, rain, shine, or snow, to attend Meeting for Worship

 

at Abington Friends Meeting.

 

 

 

1714 Samuel Carpenter provided 50 acres of land to Horsham Friends Meeting

 

to build a Meeting House, a graveyard, and a school. Any profit from crops grown

 

on the property was to be used to educate children who needed a little tuition

 

help.

 

1717 Horsham Township founded.

 

 

 

1717 Horsham Friends Meeting house was first built of logs.

 

 

 

1717 First wedding was held in the Horsham Friends Meeting House. The

 

wedding was held without the services of a minister.

 

 

 

1718 America’s first woman governor was Hannah Penn in Pennsylvania

 

for 14 years. This was after the 07-30-1718 death of William Penn,

 

the Governor.

 

 

 

1718 Sir William Keith erects Keith House. He was the first Governor of

 

Pennsylvania. The dwelling is being restored to its original farm house

 

condition by the Horsham Preservation and Historical Association.

 

 

 

1722 Graeme Park was built by Sir William Keith.

 

 

 

1722 Easton Road was extended from Willow Grove through Horsham to

 

Governor Keith’s house. This may have been the beginning of political pull in

 

Horsham.

 

 

 

1724 Horsham Friends Meeting House was rebuilt of stone.

 

 

 

1732 Echenhofer farm house still stands. John Lukens was the builder of the

 

first portion.

 

 

 

1734

 

Kenderdine Mill was the first of several mills built in Horsham.

 

 

 

1735 Horsham Road is laid out from the Meeting House to Montgomery Township.

 

1739 Horsham Friends School established, the first school in the Horsham area.

 

Students paid 3 cents per ay for their education. There were no school taxes.

 

The 1739 date is on the stone wall.

 

1746 Penrose-Strawbridge farm house (now returning to a model 1800 working

 

1753 Novotny House had its beginning as a William Penn land grant to

 

Mary Blunston, to Dr. Yetta Deitch Novotny, then to the Cutler Group

 

With involvement by the Horsham Council, the Horsham Preservation

 

And Historical Association and Curt Kaller.

 

1761 John Lukens was commissioned as the Surveyor-General for Pennsylvania.

 

1763 Horsham’s oldest frame outhouse (circa 1763), is a "one-holler" for those who

 

want to be alone. It was moved from the Milford-Kunz Farm to Generations Farm

 

in Prospectville.

 

1770 723 Norristown Road was an underground railroad station around 1860. Halbert

 

E. Fillinger, MD, Montgomery County’s nationally recognized Forensic Medical

 

Examiner was the last long term resident of the farm. Henry Hallowell was the

 

builder.

 

1776 Declaration of Independence was signed.

 

1777 Liberty Bell passes through Horsham for safekeeping in Allentown during the

 

Revolutionary War.

 

1779 Isaiah Lukens, a famous clock maker was born in Horsham.

 

1781 John Lukens was appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania as a surveyor,

 

setting the boundary lines between Pennsylvania and Virginia.

 

1784 Montgomery County was created by the Pennsylvania Assembly.

 

1784 John Lukens discovered the comet subsequently known as “Lukens" Comet”.

 

1794 Fist U.S. silver dollar acceptable in Horsham and elsewhere is minted. The dollar

 

and cent United States money system was developed by Governeur Morris. He

 

was a signed of the Declaration of Independence, writer of the Preamble to the

 

Constitution, and, many generations back, a great grandfather of Prospectville’s

 

Bertholf family. Congress created the U.S. Mint in 1792.

 

1803 Horsham Friends Meeting House. The third and present day version was built on

 

the east side of Easton Road.

 

1803 Babylon Private School became a public school.

 

1808 Horsham Library, Inc. was founded. The library was on the second floor of

 

Horsham Friends School.

 

1810 First Horsham Post Office established in the Horsham Friends Meeting House

 

07-06-1810 with Charles Palmer as Postmaster. The Post Office was

 

discontinued in 1823.

 

1826 Post Office was reestablished in Horsham 01-09-1826 with Charles Palmer

 

Jarrett as Postmaster.

 

1824 Founding of the Warren Company, a horse thief and crime deterrent association.

 

The first police company law enforcers before the Penna. State Police were

 

founded. They still met annually Justin case a horse should be stolen.

 

1827 Prospectville housed Pennsylvania’s only indoor ox mill powered by two oxen on

 

the lower level of a three story stone dwelling on Limekiln Pike near McKean

 

Road.

 

1828 Founding of the Upper Dublin Association for the recovery of stolen horses,

 

detention of horse thieves and obtaining other stolen property.

 

They still meet annually in Horsham.

 

1836 Shay School opened. Rebuilt in 1858as Babylon School.

 

1858 Prospectville Post Office established. (Formerly Cash Town.)

 

1859* Horsham Underground Railroad station established as a rest and nourishment

 

stop-over for runaway Negro slaves on their way north seeking freedom. The

 

Kulp farmhouse was built about 1760 at 655 Norristown Road.

 

1860 Prospectville one room schoolhouse on Horsham Road. About 1933 it was

 

converted to the Wayside Chapel for weddings and memorial services. (There is

 

a difference between weddings and memorial services.)

 

1868 Prospectville Union Hall Association holds founding meeting. A group of public

 

minded farmers made it a priority to build a public hall on Limekiln Pike near

 

Horsham Road. The multi-purpose use of the hall was for religious meetings,

 

Sabbath schools, debates, lectures, exhibitions of a moral, scientific and literary

 

and news readings. It should be remembered that radio and Television had not

 

been invented. Down through the years uses of the Union Hall have included The

 

United Methodist Church of Prospectville, St. Matthews Episcopal Church, Boy

 

Scout Troop 410, and Holy Word Lutheran Church.

 

1874 Horsham Library, Inc. is disbanded. Perhaps they envisioned that in a century or

 

so technology might be invented and libraries might begin a downward slippery

 

slope toward obsolescence.

 

1885 Ambler Medical Associates formed by Dr. Shelly to serve the medical needs of

 

Horsham, Upper Dublin and Ambler.

 

1890 Horsham’s new Orthodox Friends Meeting House erected on Dresher Road at

 

Saw Mill Lane.

 

1894 Trolley cars begin on Easton Road service through Horsham. The first ones were

 

horse drawn.

 

1905 Horsham had 300 students. The five teachers were pair $25 to $50 per month.

 

1909 Horsham Toll Booth at Limekiln Turnpike and McKean Roads. To pass the

 

wooden gate it cost 2 cents for a lone rider or 10 cents for carriages and wagons.

 

1913 Horsham Volunteer Fire Company founded. The Chief rode a big white horse.

 

1921 Pennsylvania Insurance Department and Insurance Company Act passed into

 

law. The purpose was to protect consumers by stabilizing the insurance markets

 

during the depression to control price-cutting and rate gouging.

 

1922 College Settlement Camp is formed in Horsham.

 

1923 First Boy Scout Troop established in Horsham.

 

1925 First Girl Scout Troop established in Horsham.

 

1926 Dorothea Hughes Simmons purchased three farms in Prospectville between

 

Limekiln Pike and school House/Cedar Hill Road. The Arthur Bertholf family

 

settled down on one farm with cows, chickens, corn, wheat and horses. Drought

 

did not seem to be a problem with Bertholf. His great Grandmother a dozen

 

generations back was Pocahontas. She lived in England at that time. So, his little

 

Indian Rain Dance may have helped to bring own a little moisture when needed

 

for farm crops.

 

1928 Autogiro was further developed at Pitcairn Air Field in Horsham by Harold

 

Pitcairn.

 

1928 St. David’s Parrish Chapel on Horsham Road, then 1962 Mission Church to St.

 

Joseph’s Parrish, then in 1963 St. Catherine Parrish, then 1965 St. Catherine of

 

Siena Catholic Church built in Horsham.

 

1929 Montgomery county’s first traffic light was at Limekiln Pike and Horsham Road. It

 

functioned with only 3 light bulbs, top, middle and bottom. Now standard traffic

 

lights have 12 bulbs.

 

1929 Harold Pitcairn began autogiro flights to Philadelphia and back for $5.00.

 

1929 Whitemarsh Memorial Park founded. In 1931 began functioning as a cemetery.

 

19331 Dorothea Hughes Simmons donated land for a new four-room public school with

 

indoor plumbing and central heat on Limekiln Pike in Prospectville. Education

 

and health were a passion with Simmons. She developed schools and hospitals

 

in many parts of the world. Each year Simmons funded Greek, Turkish and

 

Armenian students to attend colleges and universities in the United States. Many

 

of the students would spend their summers at the Bertholf farm.

 

1931 Amelia Earhart is checked out to fly autogiros at Horsham’s Pitcairn Airfield.

 

1931 Prospectville had a population of about 300.

 

1932 Students walked across the fields from the old two-room Prospectville

 

schoolhouse to the new state of the art four-room Simmons School with 3

 

teachers for 8 grades. Totally modern, with indoor plumbing and central heat. No

 

more boys and girls outhouses, outside hand water pump and pot bellied stove

 

for heat.

 

1933 Pennsylvania’s 35 mph state speed limit was increased to 45 mph. Horsham

 

farmers were concerned about the carnage on the highways that would certainly

 

occur with the increased speed.

 

1934 Eastern Airlines Mail Wings planes built by Pitcairn.

 

1934 Lowest local temperature of –11 degrees in recorded history on 02-09-34.

 

1934 Simmons three teacher school had no teachers on a day of extra heavy snow.

 

Snow days had not been invented. Mr. Anderson, the janitor, huddled the

 

students who arrived into one of the three classrooms and conducted class for

 

the 1

 

st to 8th grade students. No student left behind was an old Horsham School

 

District concept.

 

1935 Pitcairn Autogiro flies to roof of 10

 

th Street Post Office to carry airmail to Camden

 

Airport. The autogiro can take off with just 10 feet of runway.

 

1935 The DeSoto and Chrysler Airflow, the ultimate in streamlined autos, make their

 

appearance down Limekiln Pike, passing through Horsham.

 

1936 Whitemarsh Memorial Park’s 175-foot tower is erected. That’s 2,100 feet straight

 

up.

 

1942 Naval Air Station established in Horsham.

 

1946 Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Museum of historical aircraft on Easton

 

Road in Horsham at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station.

 

1948 Horsham Ambulance Corps formed.

 

1950 Wayside clock on the mound in Prospectville displays the absolute correct time

 

two times each day.

 

1950 Horsham and Hatboro Schools begin process to merge into one School District.

 

In 1963 the merger was completed. 95% of the school’s tax-exempt property is in

 

Horsham. Not too smart.

 

1951 Horsham Police Department established with one officer.

 

1954 Horsham’s first housing development was Oak Terrace leading to the destruction

 

of farms and much celebration by developers.

 

1958 Horsham Little League Baseball formed.

 

1958 The Bank of Old York Road becomes the first bank in Horsham.

 

1961 Horsham Township Parks established. In 2004 expanded to an 815 acre park

 

complex with 8 miles of trails and playground centers.

 

1965 Horsham Rotary Club founded by Robert Birkbeck, Henry Bishop, Anton Buchert,

 

Nelson R. Charles, Henry R. Cole, Harris Edelman, Arthur Eilinsfeld, M. Earle

 

Felber, Joseph M. Frezza, Pliney Hartenstein, Harvey Heisman, G. Dobson

 

Hinkle, George J. Mihalchick, Wayne Slater, William F. Sweigart, Ralph J. Thiers,

 

William Thome, Jr., Louis C. Walther, Robert Young and William D. Zanhniser,

 

with Ike Jarrett of The Rotary Club of Hatboro as a special advisor and friend.

 

1966 Fred Kohler and in 1968 Dick Worthington, two Democrats, are elected Horsham

 

Supervisors to clean up the Township. No one could understand how Democrats

 

could be elected in Horsham.

 

1966 Horsham Football League – HAWKS.

 

1967 m. Earle Felber, with the valuable help of H-H students designed and cast a

 

Horsham Seal that can be viewed at the Horsham Firehouses and the Township

 

Building. On the Seal, the Bible expresses the religious convictions of the early

 

settlers. The plow expresses their energy, devoted largely to the land. Keith

 

House was the home of Sir William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania. Felber is a

 

founding member of the Horsham Rotary Club and the Horsham Chamber of

 

Commerce. Also, Felber, an Architectural Consultant, built the required working

 

model for the building of the Delaware River Bridge. The model now rests in the

 

Smithsonian Institute. Felber also did architectural work in the White House and

 

the Congressional Dining Room in Washington.

 

1974 Horsham Chamber of Commerce begins promotion of a Horsham Library.

 

$100,000 was not available from the Horsham government to start up a library

 

with the purchase of a large new property next to the Township Building.

 

1975 Horsham Lions Club founded.

 

1975 Horsham Police Helicopter is acquired with a landing pad next to the Police

 

Station.

 

1975 Horsham Air Ambulance formed. The best in the East at that time.

 

1976 Horsham voters approve The Home Rule Charter.

 

1976 Horsham Day begins as a major annual event.

 

1978 Horsham Soccer League formed.

 

1978 Horsham’s Chris Gabriel is an original founded of the nation’s first Ronald

 

McDonald House and Charities.

 

1981 proved.

 

1982 The Quaker School at Horsham established to serve bright children who learn

 

differently. Three or four students per teacher. An elementary and middle school

 

for children who have a difficult time learning in the standard public school

 

system. The School’s purpose is to prepare these children to be able to keep up

 

with their class when they are “main-streamed” back to their public or private

 

school, and be prepared to go college..

 

1984 The Millbrook Society founded in Horsham in the kitchen meetings of Mrs.

 

Charles Harper Smith along with Margaret Strawbridge, Max Hankin, Jim Milford,

 

Dave Shannon, Dave MacFarland and others.

 

1987 Horsham’s 1-mile walk/bike/jog trail built in Deep Meadow Park.

 

1988 Chunk of the Berlin Wall arrives in Horsham and is now resting on an office

 

mantel, all because President Ronald Reagan forcefully said, “Mr. Gorbachev,

 

tear down this wall!”

 

1988 Horsham Rotary invites the first woman to be a member. The club has not been

 

the same since.

 

1990 Horsham Rotary Memorial Annual Bike-A-Thon and Walk-A-Thon, for those who

 

do not like to pedal. Instigated by Frank Gerome with the College Settlement

 

Camp. Funds benefit the Rotary Events and Youth Leadership Training Camp.

 

1990 Horsham Hall of Fame registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

1990 Challenger Division, Horsham Little League formed with funds from Horsham and

 

Hatboro Rotary Clubs and others. This Division of Little League provides a

 

softball program for kids under age 21 who, for various reasons, cannot

 

participate in the standard Little League program. The Team had a special time

 

when they were invited to play in a game against an Ohio Challenger Team at

 

the time of the Williamsport World Series in 2004. Horsham Rotary is a founder

 

and major sponsor of the Challenger Division. The reward to Rotary is watching

 

these young people have just about the best time of their lives with each other

 

and playing ball.

 

1992 The old Simmons School was the first of 19 Blue Ribbon Schools in PA.

 

1996 Horsham family home-schools their children. Superb marks upon entering

 

college.

 

1997 Horsham Preservation and Historical Association. “The Future of Horsham’s

 

Past.”

 

1997 Horsham Township Seniors Club formed. They meet monthly.

 

1998 Horsham Independent Republicans win control of Horsham Council.

 

1998 Horsham’s annual Blue Light Program remembers and honors Montgomery

 

County’s 26 law enforcement officers who died while on duty since August 13,

 

1917.

 

1999 Horsham Township Agricultural Security Advisory Committee formed.

 

1999 Mt. Horsham rises in Prospectville.

 

2000 Horsham Rotary Annual Golf Classic formed to raise charitable funds and to

 

have a real friendly and fun time for all.

 

2000 Horsham Rotary’s 2000 Night/Italian Night, the fun and good time fundraiser with

 

genuine Italian food.

 

2000 Horsham Rotary Foundation, Inc. founded as a 501c(3) tax-free Corp. to do good

 

things like build Everybody’s Playground.

 

2001 Generations Farm in Prospectville is designated by Personal Ponies, Ltd. To

 

breed and train miniature Shetland ponies as free pets and companions for

 

donation to handicapped and terminally ill young people. When a pony is no

 

longer needed it is returned to Personal Ponies, Ltd., a non-profit organization for

 

reassignment to another needy young person. This is a nation wide program.

 

2001 Horsham joins Montgomery County Youth Aid Panel Program.

 

2003 Everybody’s Playground funded by Horsham Rotary Club. The most elaborate in

 

PA. This $400,000 facility sponsored by the Rotary and supported by many

 

business and professional associations and companies includes many features

 

for those special kids with differences, making it universally accessible to children

 

of all abilities to play together and enjoy each other safely.

 

2003 After 2000 years, it might be said, a new star hovers over Horsham to be seen by

 

those with an open heart, an open mind, and humanitarian vision. Horsham may

 

well be the only unique community in the United States that really cares for kids

 

with problems, with four non-profit programs.

 

2003 Pennypack Farm Educational Center founded at College Settlement Camp and

 

Farm in Horsham.

 

2003 Horsham School teachers go on first strike in Horsham’s long and illustrious

 

educational history. Students are scarred and permanently damaged. H-H’s

 

winning football team is forced to forfeit a game and is declared losers by the

 

League.

 

2003 An upside-down rainbow was photographed by John Ziegler at the dedication of

 

Everybody’s Playground.

 

2004 Horsham Rotary Club is honored by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park

 

Society for funding the $400,000. Everybody’s Playground. PRPS is an 1,800

 

member statewide non-profit society.

 

2004 History of Horsham Township book “The Future of Horsham’s Past”, published

 

with many pictures and much information by Leon Clemmer and the Horsham

 

Preservation and Historical Association.

 

2004 The new Horsham Township Library celebrates a grand opening with ribbon

 

cutting by Council; Vice President Joanna M. Furia, Esq. And Council President

 

William W. Whiteside III. 2500 people are already signed up as members and

 

35,000 items have been taken out. As a 501©3 organization, donations may be

 

taken as Federal Income Tax deductions.

 

2004 Horsham Fire House replaced by a 21

 

st century version. The Horsham Rotary

 

Club donated a bronzed statue of a fireman.

 

2004 Hatboro-Horsham Golf Team is the district champion over 50 teams.

 

2005 Horsham and the rest of the world can access in excess of 100,000 digitalized

 

books on the Internet at this time. Additional books are added daily. Goggle. The

 

1900 Wisconsin Historical Society with one of the largest American History

 

archives, along with other university libraries is going digital for the WWW to see

 

and research.

 

    John Handschuh Accredited buyers representative, Seniors Real Estate Specialists® RE/MAX Action Realty Maple Glen, Pa. 19002 office 215-358-1100 direct 215-358-1108 visit www.johnhandschuh.com for current listings and additional information john@johnhandschuh.com email questions, requests for information   Click on the link below and subscribe to my free e-newsletter. Tons of great information http://hstrial-homeactions.intuitwebsites.com/johnhand.html

 

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RE/MAX Presidents Club

ABR, SRES

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Providing my clients with the right information to assist them in their real estate transactions.

Negotiations for my clients with other agents

Buyer Representation

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Testimonials
Michelle
05/08/2012
Dear John, I've written this recommendation of your work to share with other LinkedIn users. Details of the Recommendation: "John is an expert realtor, he has been in the business for over 20 years, he adds an added extra value in that he is a contractor, and he can look at a property see potential problems and also has vision to create better space. He is honest and extremely knowlegable in the Real Estate & Construction industry. He is committed to his clients, hes always available day or eveing. He has high integrity and great values, he goes the extra mile for all, if you are looking to buy or sell John is the Realtor you want working for you!" Service Category: Real Estate Agent Year first hired: 1994 (hired more than once) Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity Michelle
Deann
07/27/2007
Dear John, I just wanted to give you a little note to let you know how much I appreciate everything you did for me on my real estate journey. In hindsight, I realize that I did not always want to hear/acknowledge your advice in the moment. But, I see how it all comes together in the big picture in the end. I truly appreciate how you were not out to just make the sale and you took the time to show me many homes and answer many questions. Your patience, hard work and knowledge is very much appreciated. Thank you Deann
Maureen
08/05/2005
Dear John I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know what a pleasure it was doing business with you. You managed to streamline both the buying and selling process, from start to finish and your expertise in negotiating proved to be a vital asset in this transaction. We certainly wouldn't be where we are today without you, we love our new home it is exactly what we were looking for!! As you know we have bought and sold several homes and never before have we felt like someone was actually watching out for our best interests. Your professional approach and attention to detail got the job done. We truly appreciate how accessible you made yourself, both during and after business hours. It was evident that money wasn't your motivating factor, instead your focus was always on what we needed. You have restored our faith in realtors!! I will be passing your name and number on to family and friends who will benefit from your years of experience. We wish you continued success and we know you'll go far in this business, you offer a rare service, personal attention. Thank you for taking care of us! Sincerely, Maureen and Mark
Nick
07/12/2005
John, Nick and I can't thank you enough for everything you did to help us find our home. We have been very busy painting, installing new rugs, and moving in. It is really coming a long. We could not have done this without you ! We are so excited to finally start our lives together and you helped finding our perfect place. Thanks for everything Lauren and Nick
Carmine
04/13/2005
As first time home buyers, John Handschuh was a blessing. Recommended to us by a co-worker, we could not have hoped for any better service. Or first meeting was scheduled very quickly. No need to wait. John worked around our schedule. We expected our initial meeting to be a quick get to know you session. I expected for John to ask what our interests were and want to get to work showing houses as soon as possible. Well, as first timers, there was a lot we did not know. He made us feel very comfortable while explaining everything from commonly used terms, to what his responsibilities were, to the intricacies of the agreement of sale. Now that we have purchased our home and these things seem so simple, I can only imagine how tedious this must have been to John. But the funny thing is, he actually seemed to enjoy educating us. Mr. Handschuh never made us feel rushed; just completely comfortable all the time. When we went to look at houses (again on our schedule), we were so prepared for what to expect, that we only needed to go looking once. We bought the fourth house we walked into and could not be happier. Now, we have to credit John for that as well. This is why: Prior to going out, my wife and I decided that our first time looking was for information gathering purposes only. When we told that to John at the beginning of the trip, he took it in stride. Then came the fourth house. We loved it, but we felt, it is only our first day...no way are we buying it. It is hard to describe how we came to buy the house. John only made points...as if he was sitting on a fence with us (with absolutely no care what the decision was) pointing out both positives and negatives. He made the decision to bid on that house so clear! But the thing was we never felt pushed or forced into making the bid. We truly felt that it was our decision. Looking back, had we not made that bid, we would still be upset about it. Then came the negotiation part... We made what we believe was (and still believe was) a very good offer. We went over all details before making the offer and it fit perfectly. What no one can predict is who you will be negotiating with. Sparing the details, negotiations took a while. At no point was John pushy. He gave opinions when asked and was awesome at keeping us on point. Buying a home is in part an emotional decision. John excels at understanding that, while still maintaining the ability to say what needs to be said. I know, if not for him on that day, we would never have been able get the deal done. And the funny thing is, we got the deal that we wanted in the end anyway. Leading up to the settlement process we didn't really have to do a thing. He made sure things got done that we didn't even know needed to be done. He kept us in the loop at all times; we made all the decisions, but John did all the leg work. It almost felt like we were taking advantage of him. Settlement went as well as could be expected considering the person we were buying the home from. John made sure that things kept moving along professionally and the perception was clearly that he was the man holding the cards. The seller's realtor pretty much did whatever John asked/recommended. Had this been the end of our partnership with John Handschuh, we would have been 100% satisfied. No Questions Asked. This was not the end of our dealings. After owning the home for 2 weeks, we discovered an issue that could not have been found during the inspection process. Again sparing details, it was well hidden by the seller and we were fortunate enough to find it when we did. Not knowing where to begin, we called John just to ask for a bit of advice. John jumped at the chance to help us again. Our dealings were done, he had been paid (and deservedly so I may add), and had nothing left to "gain" from us. But that is what makes John Handschuh so good at this. He is just a natural, genuine, "likes to help", person. Long story short, the problem is corrected. He knew exactly what to do. It took about 2 weeks to get the problem solved, but would have taken much longer without John. He checked up every single day to see where we stood, and even made a lot of calls on our behalf. Again...this was after we bought our home. So is summary, here is the advice we have for anyone considering John Handschuh: Take everything he says at face value. There are no hidden meanings with this guy. When he says that he will do something, don't give it another thought. He will do it. When he says is cell phone is never off...it is never off. He never said how honest he was, how great his integrity was, or how good he was at this... He never had too. It was always apparent. If you are looking for someone to agree with everything you say and tell you how great you are all the time, John is not for you. That personality type was who represented the person we bought the house from. Trust me; you want John representing you in that situation, not the other way around. Simply put, we could not have asked for a better person to help us. I should say "better realtor", but John Handschuh is so much more then that. Carmine
Amy
10/21/2004
Dear John, Well where should we begin. First, Thanks you so much for making our home buying experience a pleasure ! We never thought the whole process could be so easy. Second, thank you ever so much for the wonderful bottle of Nocello. We toasted our new home with the lovely gift this evening. It goes down way too easy. You really were a great pleasure to deal with and wish you the best of luck in the future with all of your new clients. Give Art a hello from us. Fondly Amy & Chris
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Bucks and Montgomery County Real Estate "A Hands on Approach to Real Estate" assisting Buyers and Sellers reach their Real Estate goals. 20 plus years in Real Estate call John today 215-651-2157