Earlier this month, the HCI-PSAR team held a symposium at the Mercer Museum in Doylestown (Bucks County, Pennsylvania). Focused on the Bucks County repositories that have participated in our project, the symposium provided an overview of where our project is now, described what's ahead for HCI-PSAR, looked at our project's findings from the 23 Bucks County repositories we surveyed, and also explored various possible next steps for repositories to take now that they have received our report.

In 1775, the American Revolutionary War began in the British colonies on the Atlantic Coast of North America. Eight years later, these colonies won their independence from Great Britain, forming the United States of America. Despite the end of the war, the idea of independence has endured and evolved, becoming part of the American psyche.

Settled by Europeans in the early 18^th century, the Borough of Downingtown (Chester County) was once located on the western frontier of Pennsylvania. In fact, the original name of Downingtown was Milltown because it was the last place you would see mills on your way West. Despite its initial remote location, Downingtown quickly became a hub of activity. Located on East Branch Brandywine Creek, mills prospered there in the 18^th century.