The photos today center around the Montgomery Township area and Vilsmeier Road, which intersects with Route 309, near the Five Points intersection.

The photos and information were submitted by Fred Vilsmeier and he relates:

“Fred Vilsmeier purchased approximately 64 acres from Mr. and Mrs. William Broeske in November 1942. The property included a farmhouse, barn and some other structures. The farmhouse where Vilsmeier lived was across Cowpath Road from the old Montgomeryville Police Station, where a bank and Lowes are now located.

“Mr. Vilsmeier lived at the farm with his wife, Elizabeth, and his two children, Walter and Claire.

“Sometime in 1949, Vilsmeier gained approval from the township to build Vilsmeier Road and develop the land. Soon after the road opening, Vilsmeier began selling the home lots to individuals and to Sanford Ulmer, a builder, who would go on to build many of the homes on Vilsmeier and connected roads.



“A relative of Mr. Vilsmeier still lives on the road to this day.

“Mr. Vilsmeier, an early aviator of the Philadelphia region, had his good friend Ed Bruzas land a small plane on Vilsmeier Road the day it opened.”

Great history! And, as you can see, one photo shows the Five Points area, with Route 202 going off to the upper right of the photo, and Route 309 stretching along the left-hand side.

In the other photo, which appeared in the Souderton Independent on Aug. 25, 1949, shows the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Vilsmeier Road.

Caption information notes: “Assemblyman Howard F. Boorse, Lansdale, cuts the ribbon across the new shortcut between Lasndale and the Montgomeryville section, The road, a mile in length, from Lansdale Avenue to Bethlehem Pike, was presented to the township by Fred Vilsmeier, who is developing the section. Pictured, from left to right, are township Supervisor Chauncey Knapp, Claire Vilsmeier, Mrs. Vilsmeier, Boorse, Mr. Vilsmeier, Mrs. Arthur Thomas (back row), Shirley Kratz and Walter Vilsmeier (back row).