The Freedom Valley Chronicles:
Highfield Farms
A Look Back On A Fourth Of July Tradition

July 4, 2018

The Fourth of July has been celebrated in a variety of ways through the years in the Freedom Valley.

A neighborhood parade was a tradition in Highfield Farms in Plymouth Township.  This neighborhood is located between Jolly Road and Walton Road.  The Greater Plymouth Community Center is adjacent to Highfield Farms.

In November of 1961, Colonial-style houses in Highfield Farms were being sold – brand new – for $19,500.00.  For that price, you got four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms.  Split-level houses – with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms – were only $18,100.00. 

Houses in Highfield Farms could be purchased for either an $800.00 or a $900.00 down payment in 1962.

At that time, telephone numbers in the area were advertised with two letters and five numbers;  no area code needed.  The postal address at that time was “Norristown, Pennsylvania”.

In 1977, a house with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms was for sale in Highfield Farms for $57,500.00.  In 2018, real estate industry websites value houses in this neighborhood at about 6 to 8 times that 1977 sale price.

In July of 1961, a news article detailing Highfield Farms (though more likely an advertisement appearing as a news article) in The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that “the homes are just 12 minutes driving time to the industrial park area at Valley Forge [the King of Prussia Industrial Park].”  The commute is now slightly – just slightly – longer in length.  (Sarcasm included.)

For years, residents of Highfield Farms celebrated Independence Day with a parade of neighborhood children.

Three scouts and the Harmonville Fire Company led off the parade in 1969, as seen in the top photo.

Here are a few additional photos from the parade in 1969.

Music was played for parade participants from a car.

Parents and neighbors walked alongside parade participants.

Boys and girls decked their bicycles with small American flags.

Some of the bicycles had red, white, and blue bunting in their wheels.

Children on bicycles and tricycles traveled through Highfield Farms.

Children celebrated Independence Day through the neighborhood parade.

Uncle Sam was an active participant in the parade.

At least three of the children noted the guy taking photos.

Children and their parents traveled by houses displaying the American flag.

Some children traveled the parade route on tricycles.

Uncle Sam was decked out in red, white, and blue in this black and white photo.

One of the tykes got a helpful hand in the parade.

Parents and neighbors are seen in this photo watching the children in the parade.

Refreshments were available to the neighborhood children on the Fourth of July.

Mrs. Theresa Hyer sang the Star Spangled Banner at the parades in Highfield Farms. 
This photo shows Ms. Hyer singing at the Greater Plymouth Community Center in 2003.

“The Highfield Farms Parade lined up at 15 Colton Drive because the Gillespie family that lived there had a flag pole on their front lawn,” stated Mrs. Betty Kowalchuk.  As of 2018, she and her husband have lived in Highfield Farms for 52 years.  “We said the Pledge of Allegiance and Mrs. Theresa Hyer sang the National Anthem. We also had a clergy representative to say a pray before the parade got on its way. We also invited the Plymouth Township Commissioners to attend.”

“It started out small,” explained Mrs. Kowalchuk.  “We gave out drinks and flags the first year.  One year we had pony rides on Longview Circle.  As the years went on we moved to Highfield School's field.  There, we had hotdogs, drinks, peanut scramble, sack races and, of course, the famous tug-of-war between the Harmonville firemen and the neighborhood residents. It was a wonderful memory to create for our children and for ourselves.”

Mr. Ray Kowalchuk, husband of Betty, took film of a number of the annual parades in Highfield Farms.  The films have been converted into videos.  You can view one of the videos by clicking here, and you can view a second video by clicking here.

Credits:

The photographs of Highfield Farms are courtesy of Mr. L. J. Hyer. 
The photos were taken by his father, Mr. J. L. Hyer, 1969.

The photograph of Ms. Theresa Hyer is courtesy of Ms. Terry Hyer-Mitchell, 2003.

The videos are courtesy of Mr. Ray Kowalchuk, 1974 to 1982.

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Contact Richard McDonough at freedomvalleychronicles@gmail.com.

© 2018 Richard McDonough