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Graterford is an unincorporated community in Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Founded in 1756 by Jacob Kreator, a textile weaver, Graterford was originally named Grater's Ford until abbreviated to Graterford by the postal service in the mid-1950s. A state penitentiary is located there, which was originally a prison farm.

Located along the Perkiomen Creek, Graterford was a vital summer resort community during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Baptisms were held on a small island in the middle of the Perkiomen. A non-denominational church is located there. Railroad service to Philadelphia was provided until 1955. A post office operated there until the early 1960s. At various times, principal enterprises have included a general store, hardware store, delicatessen, bakery, auto service stations, hair salons, an antique furniture dealer, three hotels and resort lodging. Primarily an agricultural area through the mid-20th century, it is located 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It is at the center of Perkiomen Township, of which it is a part. The Perkiomen Valley School District High School is also located here. Scenic appeal is provided by the Perkiomen Creek and two tributaries, Lodal Creek and Landis Run. The Graterford name continues to fade as newer residents adopt the nearby Collegeville name, whose postal zip code Graterford shares. Other places of interest are the Perkiomen Trail and Central Perkiomen Valley Park.

Graterford is a community separate from Collegeville. There has been an increase in population in the last 10 years as farmers have sold land to companies who build houses.

Education

Perkiomen Township is a part of the Perkiomen Valley School District. All residents are zoned to Perkiomen Valley High School.

Government and infrastructure

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections State Correctional Institution - Graterford was in nearby Skippack Township. It closed in July 2018 and was replaced by State Correctional Institution – Phoenix.

References

1. "Maps." Perkiomen Township, Pennsylvania. Retrieved on October 9, 2018.
2. "Zoning Map." Skippack Township, Montgomery County. Retrieved on May 29, 2010.
3. "SCI Graterford." Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Retrieved on May 29, 2010.
4. "Moving from Graterford to Phoenix." Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Retrieved on September 26, 2018.

v t e Municipalities and communities of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
County seat: Norristown
Boroughs	Ambler Bridgeport Bryn Athyn Collegeville Conshohocken East Greenville Green Lane Hatboro Hatfield Jenkintown Lansdale Narberth Norristown North Wales Pennsburg Pottstown Red Hill Rockledge Royersford Schwenksville Souderton Telford‡ Trappe West Conshohocken
Townships	Abington Cheltenham Douglass East Norriton Franconia Hatfield Horsham Limerick Lower Frederick Lower Gwynedd Lower Merion Lower Moreland Lower Pottsgrove Lower Providence Lower Salford Marlborough Montgomery New Hanover Perkiomen Plymouth Salford Skippack Springfield Towamencin Upper Dublin Upper Frederick Upper Gwynedd Upper Hanover Upper Merion Upper Moreland Upper Pottsgrove Upper Providence Upper Salford West Norriton West Pottsgrove Whitemarsh Whitpain Worcester
CDPs	Arcadia University Ardmore‡ Audubon Bala Cynwyd Blue Bell Bryn Mawr‡ Cheltenham Village Eagleville Elkins Park Evansburg Flourtown Fort Washington Gilbertsville Glenside Halfway House Harleysville Haverford College‡ Horsham King of Prussia Kulpsville Maple Glen McKinley Melrose Park Merion Station Mont Clare Montgomeryville Oak Lane Oaks Oreland Penn Wynne Plymouth Meeting Pottsgrove Rosemont‡ Roslyn Sanatoga Skippack Spring House Spring Mount Stowe Swedeland Swedesburg Trooper Villanova‡ Willow Grove Woxall Wyncote Wyndmoor Wynnewood
Other communities	Abington Ambler Arcola Ardsley Ashmead Village Barren Hill Belmont Hills Bethayres Camp Hill Cedarbrook Cedars Center Point Center Square Chapel‡ Colmar Congo Creamery Crestmont Dresher Earlington Edge Hill Erdenheim Eureka‡ Fairview Village Fitzwatertown Franconia Frederick Fulmor Geryville‡ Gladwyne Graterford Gulph Mills Gwynedd Gwynedd Valley Haverford‡ Hollywood Huntingdon Valley Jarrettown Lafayette Hill La Mott Laverock Layfield Lederach Line Lexington‡ Linfield Mainland Meadowbrook Mingo Miquon Montgomery Square New Hanover Square Noble North Hills Obelisk Palm Penn Valley Perkiomenville Port Indian Port Kennedy Port Providence Prospectville Rahns Roychester Rydal Salford Salfordville Sassamansville Spring Mill Sumneytown Three Tuns Tylersport Unionville‡ West Point Worcester Yerkes Zieglerville
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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40°13′32″N 75°27′17″W / 40.22556°N 75.45472°W / 40.22556; -75.45472

• Populated places established in 1756
• Unincorporated communities in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
• Unincorporated communities in Pennsylvania