Seniors Go Exploring in Conshohocken

By now you know, this senior loves to go exploring in cities with names like Conshohocken. It caught my eye this AM in the news. A train crashed into a parked car and it made news headlines.

The borough of Conshohocken, “Conshy” to the locals, is a former mill-town and now, thanks to a thriving tech industry, has become known as “Silicon Valley Forge.”

The borough is 1.03 square miles in area and is home to over 7,800 people. Located about 15 miles from Center City Philadelphia, the borough represents one of America’s most successful transformations from a mill town to a modern center of office and hotel services and water front residential living.

The Lenape Indians called this area “Pleasant Valley”. In 1880 the place was given its present name, having been previously known as Masterson’s Ford, and two years later a bridge was constructed across the Schuylkill at this point.  Its sister community of West Conshohocken is located just across the Schuylkill River.

 Seniors Learn Interesting History

The settlement of Conshohocken dates back to the days of William Penn, who purchased the land in this section from the Indians in 1683.

 So what attracts senior visitors to Conshohocken? One fun attraction would be the Edwards-Freeman Nut Company where a visit can take you back to the penny-candy stores of your childhood. Remember those?

The Conshohocken Brewing Company invites senior visitors to their Tap Room for some sampling. Several top-rated restaurants like Stone Rose, Blackfish and Fayette Street Grille provide great cuisine for the locals and visitors alike.

According to TripAdvisor, don’t miss Flanigan’s Boathouse and The Old Guard House Inn.  I discovered over 15 colleges that ring around the borough.

A Borough On The Move

Not long ago officials broke ground for a new Conshohocken borough office and police station, so it is “a borough on the move.” Facebook  has lots to say about Conshohocken that includes a link on the Rick Sutcliffe Park. Sutcliffe, nicknamed “The Red Baron” for his red hair and beard, is a former major league baseball pitcher.

In 1940, a New York Times columnist noted lightheartedly that “Some of the residents of Conshy are concerned because Kitty Foyle’s father, in Christopher Morley’s novel “Kitty Foyle” , uses the name of their town as a swear word. Others saw it as good advertisement.

Bring some walking boots and take a hike with folks who find the Schuylkill River Trail a prime hiking trail experience.  Plan to spend a few days just exploring. -jeb