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No one was more important to the town known as Falls of Schuylkill (now East Falls) than John Dobson, one of the two Dobson brothers who created the immense Dobson textile mills, which employed thousands of “Fallsers” from the mid-nineteenth century into the 1920s. Many of the homes in which today’s Fallsers now live, and local storefront shops, were built by John Dobson, who became a major landowner in our area.

On this tour, guides Steven J. Peitzman and Nancy Pontone will relate the life of Dobson, from childhood mill worker in Oldham, England, to young immigrant to America and volunteer captain during the Civil War, and finally, to wealthy manufacturer, real estate magnate, and builder. We will see structures he built along Ridge Avenue and Westmoreland Street, remnants of the once sprawling Dobson Mills, a surviving building from his former estate, and more. Participants will also learn about some of the architectural styles found in East Falls.

$10 for current EFHS Members
$15 for all others

No pre-registration needed. Meet at 10:00 AM sharp at southeast corner of Ridge and Midvale Avenues (by LeBus).

The tour goes on unless the morning brings heavy rain.