04/16/2022
Brief History of Royersford
The borough of Royersford was originally a farming community that was located in the southeastern corner of Limerick Township in the early 1800s. Three notable farms, The Custer farm, the Berkstrasser farm and the Latshaw farm covered a large part of the land that would be incorporated as the official borough of Royersford in 1879.
The transition of Royersford from a farming community into an industrial town can be traced back to 1839 when the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad helped place Royersford on the map. The name plaque attached to the station by railroad workers that same year said "Royer's Ford". This was the first appearance of the name in a public setting. The name was derived from the Royer Brothers, Benjamin and David, of Spring City who operated a ford just across the river from the station. A one way trip across by flatbed boat was three cents. In 1840 a bridge was built connecting Royersford to Spring City.
Development was rapid as three major stove factories and two major glass factories sprung up along the tracks. Other businesses opening in the town included embroidery and knitting mills, bleach and dye works, brick manufacturing, a gas meter factory, stockings & shirt manufacturing, shafting parts, wagon makers, and assorted agricultural implements manufacturing.
The population stood at 2,607 people in 1900, and at 3,073 in 1910. Churches, schools, firehouses, lodges and stores kept pace with the growing industry as each year new structures entered the scene.
In 1955 Royersford and Spring City school districts were combined along with other areas into one main school district to be known as Spring-Ford.
Although it is more difficult to point to an exact departure of the industrial era, it has been a slow and steady decrease since the end of World War II. Industries and major manufacturing centers have closed along with other enterprises.
One definitive moment nearing the end of the transition would be the Granor Price Homes and the RiverWalk redevelopment project. It started in 2006 with the complete conversion of Royersford's once highly developed industrial area into a major residential area.
The population of Royersford was 4,752 as recorded in the 2010 census.
Most shopping and primary employment locations are to be found outside the borough. In recent years we have seen a rebirth of the town with many new restaurants and shops opening for business.
