$50K Grant Will Help Renovate Yardley's Black History Museum

YARDLEY, PA —The Gather Place, Yardley's Black History museum, is getting some help with its renovations.

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented Shirley Lee Corsey, the Gather Place's conservator and executive director, with a $50,000 check from the state to renovate the historic African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church located on South Canal Street.

Corsey, who was joined at Friday's check presentation by Borough Councilman David Appelbaum, said the grant will be used to repair the roof.

Built in 1877, the Gather Place is being restored and was reopened by Corsey, who has held numerous events over the past few months at the museum dedicated to African-American history.

“I’m a third-generation resident of Yardley Borough, so this is deeply personal to me,” Corsey said. “With the help of my family and neighbors, we have transformed this historic place into a space for all of Bucks County to engage with history and the people that shaped it."

The 146-year-old structure is the first African American woman-owned and operated American History Museum to open in Bucks County. The museum features first-person history lessons and live reenactments in addition to its permanent exhibits.

Corsey will hold a historical re-enactment about Harriet Tubman to celebrate Black History Month this weekend.

"Yardley is rich in history and rich in its diversity of people who live and have lived in the borough," Appelbaum said. "Thanks to Shirley Corsey for making history come alive and Sen. Steve Santisiero for helping making Shirley’s dream come true. It’s especially impactful that we celebrate this $50K grant during Black History Month as we preserve the story of Yardley’s African American history.

Yardley was a station for the Underground Railroad, an escape route for slaves, during the Civil War where one hiding place was the Continental Tavern, then known as the Continental Hotel.

The site was originally established as “The Colored Church” in 1817. The Gather Place Museum opened last September.

“The restoration of the Old A.M.E. Church is an important investment into the historical and community identity of Yardley Borough,” Santarsiero said. “For too long, accounts of women and people of color in the history of our community and Commonwealth have been missing. The Gather Place Museum brings these important stories to life in an inclusive and educational way.”

For more information about the Gather Place Museum, its mission, and community engagement opportunities, visit the Gather Place website.