The First Lady of Harcum College, Margi Tucker DeTemple, will present a free public lecture on Thursday, April 7 that explores the architectural and historic connections between Harcum College and the residents and developers who shaped the town of Bryn Mawr, beginning in the late 19th century.  

The multi-media event, called “The Harcum Mile 1869-1969: The Places and People Who Lived There,” will be held in the Strauss Family Rotunda of the Trout Library on the Bryn Mawr Campus of Harcum College and begins at 4 PM.  

During the height of the pandemic, DeTemple, wife of longtime college President Jon Jay DeTemple, immersed herself in learning more about the Victorian architecture of the president’s residence.  

Working with the college archivist, Roxanne Sutton, and other references, her exploration expanded into a two-year project to document all the Victorian buildings that are and were located on Harcum’s campus, historically referred to as “The Harcum Mile.”

“Learning about the president’s house involved discovery and sleuthing and was a great diversion from the isolation of the pandemic. My curiosity led to a larger journey about Harcum’s campus and the town of Bryn Mawr,” DeTemple said. “I was born, raised, and educated in Bryn Mawr. Now that I live along the Harcum Mile, this journey has brought me full-circle and helped me know more about my birthplace and the town’s history.”  

Her presentation begins with the birth of Bryn Mawr, originally Humphreysville, interweaving the influences of Pennsylvania Railroad representatives Joseph Lesley and William Hassel Wilson and famed area architect Addison Hutton, some of whose signature commissions stand today.

Her presentation includes images of campus buildings that were once part of the Harcum landscape, some of which have since been razed to create larger structures to accommodate the college’s growth. 

The event is in-person, and light refreshments will be served. Masks are optional, but vaccination is required.  

While there is no charge for the event, registration is requested.