SCHWENKSVILLE PA – The Oley Valley life and adventures of a pioneer woman in Pennsylvania Dutch history are subjects of the Wednesday (March 12, 2025) free Brown Bag Lunch talk in Pennsburg.
Anna Maria Jung (1744-1819), experts say, “is perhaps the most celebrated woman” in regional lore. Better known as “Mountain Mary,” legends of her life and deeds reportedly “embody the spirit of the region’s folk culture” two centuries after her death.
She will be the topic of the weekly Brown Bag discussion, from noon to 1 p.m., at the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, 105 Seminary St. Featured speaker and Pennsylvania German scholar Patrick Donmoyer will share her story.
Donmoyer is director of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, a research center and open air museum, at Kutztown University. Also an avid speaker of Pennsylvania Dutch, he has written several articles and four books on Pennsylvania Dutch folk culture. His research blends vernacular language, rural architecture, seasonal customs, and healing traditions.
Venerated as a Saint
Historians say Mountain Mary is venerated as a saint and immigrant folk hero. Her story allows the audience to explore her role as a leading female who defined the character of her society in early Pennsylvania.
The Brown Bag event is offered both in person at the Schwenkfelder, and virtually for those unable to attend. For either method register by calling 215-679-3103, or send an e-mail to info@schwenkfelder.org.
The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center serves as the regional history center for the Upper Perkiomen Valley. Admission to visit its exhibits or conduct research in its library also is free.
It is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. The center has a wheelchair available at no charge, inside the main entrance, for visitors’ comfort. Additionally, accessible parking for vehicles displaying appropriate permits is clearly marked at its parking lot by the entrance. All floors are accessible by elevator.
Photo of the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center by Travels With The Post
Photo of Mountain Mary statue provided by the Schwenkfelder
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