(Credit: Schwenkfelder Library)
Two chances to learn the history of cigar making in the Valley begins with free presentation on Sunday
While you cannot tell today, the Upper Perkiomen Valley was once the center of the “cigarmakers’ belt.” Learn about this chapter of history at a public lecture on Sunday, and in a new exhibit at the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center that opens the following week.
Larry Roeder will be speaking about “Cigar Making in Our Local Community” on Sunday at 2 p.m. This is an opportunity to learn about some of the local cigar factories, where they were, and what happened to them. This program is free, thanks to the Friends Local History Fund. Reservations must be made by the previous Friday, July 18, by emailing info@schwenkfelder.org or calling 215-679-3103.
Museum visitors may tour “A Good 5-Cent Cigar: Cigar Making in the Upper Perkiomen Valley,” beginning July 25, 2025 through March 2026. The exhibit will trace the development of the industry here, the labor force, and the good and bad of the people who owned the factories.
The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center at 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, is the regional history museum for the Upper Perkiomen Valley. It is open Tuesday through Sunday with free admission to visit exhibits or research in the library.
For more information on upcoming programs and exhibits, visit schwenkfelder.org.
