Attend meetings of Oley's Historic Architectural Review Board, 3rd Thursdays, 7:30pm. Also, attend Township Supervisor Meetings, 2nd Mondays, 7:30pm. and Planning Commission Meetings 1st Mondays at 7:30pm, at the Oley Township Municipal Building, 1 Rose Virginia Road, Oley, PA 19547 tel: 610-987-3423 fax: 610-987-9010

• The Oley Township National Register of Historic Places Historic District and
The Oley Township PA Historic District (under 1961 PA Act 167) are
TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. (Yes it’s confusing!)

• FEDERAL: Our National Register Listing is a great honor, as recognized by President Reagan, but
CAN NOT protect our historical buildings.

• STATE: Expansion of our PA Historic District (under PA Act 167), with our existing zoning law
CAN prevent destruction of historic buildings.

• Oley Township already has one PA Historic District under the Oley Township Historic Preservation Ordinance (Oley Ordinance #230). The Spangsville Historic District has been operating with very good success since 1992.

• Since 1961, 73 municipalities in Pennsylvania (10 cities, 29 townships, & 34 boroughs) protecting more than 98 historic districts have been established under the PA Historic District Act.

• PA Historic Districts can help to preserve and enhance property values--many of Pennsylvania’s finest neighborhoods have adopted Historical Architectural Review Boards (HARBS) including New Hope, Gettysburg, Charming Forge, Chadds Ford, Brandywine, Kennett Square, West Chester, Bloomsburg, Carlisle, Kimberton, Coventryville, Society Hill and Rittenhouse in Philadelphia.

In March of 1983 the entire Township of Oley was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This represents a first-of-its-kind designation, due to its inclusion of a large amount of land to provide the proper context for the total collection of rural historic buildings. Oley’s 15,000 acres comprise one of the largest historic districts in the country.

Oley Township has achieved this honor because of the overall integrity of its historic resources. Within its sheltering hills are the buildings and landscape features that depict a panorama of rural development from the time of settlement to present day. Oley has the distinction of being the only entire township in Pennsylvania listed in the National Register of historic Places. The district encompasses most of the Oley Valley, a rural farming landscape, remarkably preserved, with the village of Oley at its center.

Settlement of the area began early in the 18th century, and much of the built environment of the valley predates 1860. Especially significant are the district’s uniquely preserved and concentrated early buildings that reflect continental European building traditions of the 17th and 18th centuries. Distinctive steeply-pitch roofs, some still covered with clay tiles, and outstanding decorative wood carving are among the preserved architectural features of Oley houses and farm buildings that have attracted visiting scholars on Pennsylvania German architecture to this valley since the early 20th century.

Oley has the distinction of being the only entire township in Pennsylvania listed in the National Register of historic Places. The district encompasses most of the Oley Valley, a rural farming landscape, remarkably preserved, with the village of Oley at its center. Settlement of the area began early in the 18 th century, and much of the built environment of the valley predates 1860. Especially significant are the district's uniquely preserved and concentrated early buildings that reflect continental European building traditions of the 17 th and 18 th centuries. Distinctive steeply-pitch roofs, some still covered with clay tiles, and outstanding decorative wood carving are among the preserved architectural features of Oley houses and farm buildings that have attracted visiting scholars on Pennsylvania German architecture to this valley since the early 20 th century.

The district, which was listed in the National Register in 1983, has very limited local preservation protection. While increasing subdivision within the district is compromising its open rural character, surrounding development, as well as quarrying operations, exert traffic pressure and produce visual impacts on the landscape. A recently proposed replacement of a covered bridge within the district is yet another example of changes effecting a cumulative erosion of the district's character.

Links

www.historicdistricts.com
www.PreservationPA.org
http://www.historicdistricts.com/pa/berks/districts.html
http://www.preservationpa.org/Risk95.htm

Preservation is most effective in communities that have historic preservation programs managed at the local government level. Community preservation options available to municipalities in Pennsylvania include designating historic districts under local ordinance as authorized by the 1961 PA Local Historic District Act (Act 167) as well as using provisions of the Municipal Planning Code (Act 67 & 68, Article 6, Section 603-8-7-G-2 and Section 604) that authorizes municipalities to use zoning for protection and preservation purposes.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission - Bureau for Historic Preservation administers the Pennsylvania 1961 Historic District Act (Act 167). 

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Bureau for Historic Preservation
 http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bhp

More Sources of Information