Oley Valley
| Oley Valley, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
| Region | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Berks |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 |
The Oley Valley is a valley 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Reading, Pennsylvania, United States of America. It covers all of Oley, Pike, Ruscombmanor, Alsace and part of Exeter Township. The valley is drained by Manatawny and Pine Creeks, and is a part of the Schuylkill River system. At the center of the valley is the village of Oley. The village has a strong historical heritage. In March 1983, the entire Township of Oley was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Before European settlers arrived the valley was home to a tribe of Delaware (Lenni-Lenape). In fact it was the Native Americans that gave Oley its name. In Lenape Olink means kettle, which is roughly the shape of the valley, which was an important meeting place for Native Americans. The Sacred Oak, which is located about one mile (1.6 km) from Main Street is a more-than-500-year-old Oak tree at which the Lenape made treaties and settled differences.
The first European settlers arrived in the Oley Valley in the early 1700s. When they arrived they found prosperous Lenape villages and fields of corn. The settlers and the Native Americans existed peacefully for many years with some of the Indians converting to Christianity. However, when the French and Indian War began relations between the settlers and the Lenape became strained. One day it was reported that a nearby farmer had been killed by Indians and the entire town gathered in the largest house. That night sentries were posted and all men with their muskets were positioned at small firing ports cut in the building's wall. The next morning a man was seen walking down the road, at first perceived to be an Indian it turned out to be the farmer who had supposedly been murdered. The farmer had no knowledge of his supposed death and informed the townspeople that in the middle of the night all the Lenape had disappeared from the Oley Valley. It is believed that Native Americans of the Valley left to fight in the war although it is still a mystery since none of them ever returned. The Indians' dwellings were left standing and undisturbed for many years until the last house collapsed in 1856.
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