Upper Milford
Historical Society
Community
Each year the Upper Milford Historical Society invites the community to share in special presentations of local interest. Past presentations have included a study of Pennsylvania Barns and Native American artifacts with an emphasis on jasper mining.
Jasper Park
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Upper Milford Township was the site of extensive jasper mining by the Lenni Lenape people. Jasper from our area was traded along the east coast and has been found as far west as Ohio.
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Jasper was a favorite raw material for fashioning arrow heads and knife blades. It was comparatively easy to use and held an edge well.
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The original Lenape statue, funded by the Vera Cruz Community Association, stood at the entrance to Jasper Park in Vera Cruz from 1992-2008. It represents a Lenape Chief Lappawinza of the original area inhabitants. Weather has taken its toll on the white pine wood and the statue had to be removed. It has been restored by the Historical Society and now stands in the front hallway of the Township building.
Erected in 2011, the Lenape statue pictured above was also funded by the Vera Cruz Community Association. It is carved from red cedar and is authentic to Lenape style attire.
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Township Building Display
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One of the goals of the Upper Milford Historical Society is to share the township's history. The locked display cabinet is located outside the large meeting room in the Township building. It was restored by Upper Milford Historical Society members and contains a changing display of items of historical interest either from our archives or on loan from township residents.
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The society is grateful to community residents who have generously shared historical items for this display, as well as the newer ones inside the archives. You are invited to come and see them for yourself!
Honoring Local History
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Upper Milford Historical Society meetings are held the last Thursday of every month, except for November and December, in the Upper Milford Township Building at 7:00 PM. After a short business meeting, guest speakers and other programs highlight subjects of local or historical interest. Programs have covered War Stories, Barn & Land Preservation, Barn Stars, Lenni Lenape life today and more. There are also programs of a more general historical interest. In addition, Upper Milford Township collects and archives items of historical interest and preserves them for the future.
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Members are encouraged to visit the Society's archives which are open for one hour before every meeting. New in 2023: Open Houses are held every third Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm for visitors to explore the archives and discuss history of the area with our members.
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