Graterford, Pennsylvania

Graterford is in Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1756 by Jacob Kreator, a textile weaver, Graterford was originally named Grater's Ford until abbreviated to Graterford by the postal service in the mid-1950s. A state penitentiary is located there which was originally a prison farm.

Located along the Perkiomen Creek, Graterford was a vital summer resort community during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Baptisms were held on a small island in the middle of the Perkiomen. A non-denominational church is located there. Railroad service to Philadelphia was provided until 1955. A post office operated there until the early 1960s. At various times, principal enterprises have included a general store, hardware store, delicatessen, bakery, auto service stations, hair salons, an antique furniture dealer, three hotels and resort lodging. Primarily an agricultural area through the mid-20th century, it is located 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It is at the center of Perkiomen Township, of which it is a part. The Perkiomen Valley School District High School is also located here. Scenic appeal is provided by the Perkiomen Creek and two tributaries, Lodal Creek and Landis Run. The Graterford name continues to fade as newer residents adopt the nearby Collegeville name, whose postal zip code Graterford shares. Other places of interest are the Perkiomen Trail and Graterford Ball Field.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections State Correctional Institution - Graterford is in nearby Skippack Township.^[1][2]

References

Municipalities and communities of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
County seat: Norristown
Boroughs	Ambler Bridgeport Bryn Athyn Collegeville Conshohocken East Greenville Green Lane Hatboro Hatfield Jenkintown Lansdale Narberth Norristown North Wales Pennsburg Pottstown Red Hill Rockledge Royersford Schwenksville Souderton Telford‡ Trappe West Conshohocken
Townships	Abington Cheltenham Douglass East Norriton Franconia Hatfield Horsham Limerick Lower Frederick Lower Gwynedd Lower Merion Lower Moreland Lower Pottsgrove Lower Providence Lower Salford Marlborough Montgomery New Hanover Perkiomen Plymouth Salford Skippack Springfield Towamencin Upper Dublin Upper Frederick Upper Gwynedd Upper Hanover Upper Merion Upper Moreland Upper Pottsgrove Upper Providence Upper Salford West Norriton West Pottsgrove Whitemarsh Whitpain Worcester
CDPs	Arcadia University Ardmore‡ Audubon Blue Bell Bryn Mawr Eagleville Evansburg Flourtown Fort Washington Gilbertsville Glenside Halfway House Harleysville Haverford College‡ Horsham King of Prussia Kulpsville Maple Glen Montgomeryville Oreland Penn Wynne Plymouth Meeting Pottsgrove Sanatoga Skippack Spring House Spring Mount Stowe Trooper Willow Grove Woxall Wyncote Wyndmoor
Unincorporated communities	Arcola Ardsley Ashmead Village Bala Cynwyd Barren Hill Belmont Hills Bethayres Camp Hill Cedarbrook Cedars Center Point Center Square Chapel‡ Colmar Congo Creamery Crestmont Cheltenham Dresher Earlington Edge Hill Elkins Park Erdenheim Eureka‡ Fairview Village Fitzwatertown Franconia Frederick Fulmor Geryville‡ Gladwyne Graterford Gulph Mills Gwynedd Gwynedd Valley Haverford‡ Hollywood Huntingdon Valley Jarrettown Lafayette Hill La Mott Laverock Layfield Lederach Line Lexington‡ Linfield Mainland Meadowbrook Melrose Park Merion Mingo Miquon Mont Clare Montgomery Square New Hanover Square Noble North Hills Oaks Obelisk Palm Penn Valley Perkiomenville Port Indian Port Kennedy Port Providence Prospectville Rahns Rosemont‡ Roslyn Roychester Rydal Salford Salfordville Sassamansville Spring Mill Sumneytown Swedeland Three Tuns Tylersport Unionville‡ Villanova‡ Wayne‡ West Point Worcester Wynnewood‡ Yerkes Zieglersville
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Coordinates: 40°13′32″N 75°27′17″W / 40.22556°N 75.45472°W / 40.22556; -75.45472