Grant Funding Furthers Preservation of Unique Historic Resource
In 2024, the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission (PHMC) awarded East
Coventry Township a $25,000 Planning Grant to renovate one of the structures within Fricks Lock Village, a publicly and privately owned former Schuylkill Canal village listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The planning grant, matched with $10,000 in Township funding and $15,000 provided by Constellation Energy, allowed the Township to prepare architectural plans for the renovation of the Ellis Hoffman House, owned by East Coventry.
Fricks Lock Village is located at 500 Fricks Lock Road and is adjacent to the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT), which opened in 2022. The publicly owned section of the village serves as an SRT trailhead, and contains an ADA-accessible picnic pavilion, parking, bike racks and bike repair station, interpretive kiosk and a previously restored historic structure with restrooms.
The Township hired architect Daniel T. Campbell to prepare the architectural plans that are the first step in restoring the Ellis Hoffman House for future Township use. In 2026, PHMC awarded East Coventry Township a $97,399 Construction Grant toward building restoration. This project is anticipated to take place in 2027.
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