Almont, Pennsylvania

How did Almont, Pennsylvania get it’s name? This page provides a brief history about the naming of Almont, Pennsylvania.

Village in central southwestern West Rockhill Township on Ridge Road (Route 386) about a mile west of Sellersville. Its early name was Schlichter, from the family of that name. Enos Schlichter donated the ground for the first church building in 1826. When the post office was established, March 14, 1868, Jacob M. Schlichter became the first postmaster and the office was named Schlichter. At that time the place had, according to Hershey’s Directory of Bucks County, “a hotel, store, several shops and about eight or ten dwellings.” Later the post office name was changed to Almont, but the reason for the change is not definitely known, nor is the source of the name clearly explained. Another locality bearing the same name is Almont Township in Lapeer County, Michigan. A village in the same township and county is named Almont and there is also an Almont Station in Clinton County, Iowa. The post office has been discontinued and mail is now received by Sellersville rural delivery. Almont and vicinity were settled quite early, mainly by Pennsylvania Germans. Getman, Beotel, Nase and Zellner are pioneer names. The old graveyard, a landmark of the neighborhood, was probably in use as early as 175o and occupies land donated for burial purposes by George Getman. The oldest legible tombstone bears date of 1764. Tradition says a number of the unlettered stones mark the graves of Indians. Three religious denominations, Lutheran, Reformed and Mennonite, were represented in the community quite early, but dates of organization of the congregations are not known. On the part of the Lutherans the first pastors were supplied from the Old Goshenhoppen parish, and in early days services were held in private houses in winter and under trees in the oak groves in summer and later in a school house, built probably before 1800. The three denominations united in 1826 to build a stone church, 36 by 44 feet, at a cost of $1,800. A second and larger building was finished in 1882. The Mennonites released their rights in this building in 1885. On the evening of March 29, 1928, a bolt of lightning damaged the building to the extent of about $5,000. At the time the repairs were made, two wings were added. The fine tall spire, destroyed by the bolt, was replaced by a lower tower. With an attractively finished and furnished auditorium and beautiful mural paintings adorning its chancel, it is now classed with the most attractive smaller churches of the county. In olden days Almont was an important political center. It was listed for at least one mass meeting or pole raising in every Presidential election and a German language speaker was usually billed to attract the Pennsylvania German voters.

Source

MacReynolds, George. Place Names in Bucks County Pennsylvania, 2nd Edition. Doylestown, PA: The Bucks County Historical Society, 1955.

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