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In 1999 Dan ventured into new territory with his
"Tracks of the Past" print. His hometown of Kempton was
celebrating its 125th anniversary. Dan painted downtown Kempton the way
it looked in 1920 with the steam train and horse drawn wagons. This print was so popular Dan did a follow up historical print entitled "Trexler Station" which is a small town near Kempton.
The tiny village of Kempton in Albany Township, Berks
County, Pennsylvania is painted as it appeared in the early twentieth
century. Kempton was built in 1874 on a parcel of land which was part of
an original Penn land grant. The town sprang up as the result of the
Schuylkill and Lehigh Railroad building a single track to serve the
area. Kempton prospered and became one of the most important shipping
centers on the line. The train was used to import feed, grain,
automobiles, farm machinery, horses and other commodities. The largest
export from the area was potatoes. For many years, students from Kempton
and Albany Township rode the train to Slatington High School in Lehigh
County to pursue a secondary education. In 1962, the year freight
service was discontinued, a scenic line was established which became
known as the W.K.&S. Railroad: Wanamaker, Kempton and Southern, Inc. |
