Hi. I'm Linda. And I've lived in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, all my life. I grew up on North Reading Avenue, attended Boyertown Elementary School, moved to Third Street in junior high school, graduated Boyertown Area Senior High School (BASH) in 1989, and left for college.

After 4 years at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (birthplace of actor Jimmy Stewart in western PA), I came back home with a journalism degree and started working for the Boyertown Area Times. It was a great learning experience, but after 5 years and getting married I moved on and took a job in King of Prussia.

Now I live on Philadelphia Avenue, and I'm raising my kids in Boyertown. My oldest now attends Boyertown Elementary School.

So, why this blog?

Things change. One summer we went on vacation, and as we were driving home I commented to my husband, "I wonder what's different?" He laughed. "Nothing's different," he said. Then we drove through Gilbertsville and I saw they had painted McDonald's!! I mean, in the 20 years since it had been there, I think they had rennovated McDonald's once. Now instead of brick walls they were painted a bright, glossy red and white.

Ok, not an earth-shattering alteration. But, like I had already known, things change. Whether you're away from home for a week, a month, a year or a decade, things do change. Constantly. Subtly. Abruptly. Surprisingly.

Boyertown is a small town. We have our weekly newspaper, but do we have a voice of the people? Or, perhaps a better question would be do we have a voice of the town?

It doesn't matter to me if I'm talking to just myself, a few friends, or a group; I'll be that voice. At least, a voice. Obviously I can't speak for everyone here, since we all have different experiences and different backgrounds. But, one little voice is perhaps better than silence.

I'll share photos I take on walks around town, and maybe some old photos I find. I'll share history I know and stories I've heard. And hopefully it will inspire others to share their stories, about Boyertown, and about their hometowns.

Life's a voyage that's homeward bound.
Herman MelvilleUS novelist & sailor (1819 - 1891)