Friends of the Bucks County Historical Society
The Friends of the Bucks County Historical Society (BCHS) is a group of community members with a shared interest in history, culture, and the arts. Formerly known as the Women’s Committee, the group was founded on May 11, 1967, as a volunteer auxiliary group with a commitment and dedication to support the mission of the Mercer Museum and Library & Fonthill Castle. The group officially changed its name to the Friends of the Bucks County Historical Society to better reflect its growing membership.
The Friends of BCHS provide educational programs four times a year at no charge to the public. Presentations have focused on topics of local and national interest, as well as many visits from first-person interpreters. Beyond programs, the Friends of BCHS have sponsored a variety of fundraising events over the years, including bus trips, masquerade balls, card parties, tavern nights, musical performances and more.
For additional information or to join the Friends of the BCHS, call Marjan Shirzad, Chief Operations Officer, at (215) 345-0210 ext. 114.
2022 Upcoming Programs
Friends of BCHS Program Series:
True Crime in Bucks County
Monday, May 16th, 2022
Two sessions:
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Putman Learning Center – Mercer Museum (84 S. Pine St. Doylestown, PA)
Free – Advanced Registration Required (All donations support future programs)
Delve into archival and museum objects that tell the fascinating stories of true crime in Bucks County as told by Annie Halliday, Bucks County Historical Society Library and Archives Manager. Discover the history of the 1831 Mina-Chapman murder case, the 1893 Rightly murders, and other surprise treasures from the collections and archives, including clues from investigations, images of suspects, stories of attempted jail breaks, and more!
Seating is limited per session and pre-registration is required.
Register for the 11:00 a.m. session of True Crime in Bucks County
Register for the 1:00 p.m. session of True Crime in Bucks County
6th Annual Kite Day
Time slots from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Fonthill Castle (525 East Court St, Doylestown, PA)
$10 per family – includes 1 kite
$15 per family – includes 2 kites
$20 per family – includes 3 kites
* Please Note: You can search for additional dates and times by clicking “Other Dates” and “Other Times” within the ticketing platform.
Previous Programs:
Friends of BCHS Quarterly Meeting – March 15, 2021
Virtual Lecture: The Private Henry Mercer
This multimedia presentation by BCHS Vice President of Collections and Interpretation Cory Amsler touches on some of the lesser-known aspects of Henry Mercer’s daily life at Fonthill Castle – his intimate and personal relationships, his interactions with household staff, his political and social positions, and his private concerns and passions.
