Our History

The area known as Long Swamp (Langen Schwamm) was settled as early as 1734 by Germans who came from the Oley Valley, French Huguenots who came from the Goshenhoppen area, and Swedes and others who came from “Magunschie” area. 

This low, swampy region, covered with sour grape vines and thickets, lay at the foot of the Brandywine Hills, a range of the South Mountains. This area, extending at least 10 miles from Bowers to Alburtis, is drained by Toad Creek (Krotte Krick), a tributary that eventually empties into the Little Lehigh Creek at its convergence point with the Swabia Creek in the Village of Lower Longswamp. The settlers in this long area were known as the people living in the “long swamp.”

The area was officially erected into a township within Berks County In 1761.
The township is comprised of several villages, most of which eventually had their own school/church, post office, and, most likely, a bar. Because we are guardians of the information about early schools as documented by William B. Herbein, former Berks County Superintendent of Schools, we focused on these schools and their villages to develop the flagship Village series of publications.  The township map, taken from the 1876 Historical Atlas of Berks County, identifies the location of the villages and some of their early residents. 

To learn more about the villages of Longswamp, please navigate to the drop-down menu under the History tab.