Special edition December 2025
Holly Bros. ‘handkäse’ once a Souderton staple
Editor’s note: The historical society earlier this year was contacted by a writer from Lancaster Farming, a weekly agricultural newspaper based in Ephrata, Lancaster County, looking for information on Holly Bros. Hand Cheese — a Souderton landmark in earlier decades. The society was able to provide information on the business and participate in the placing of a historical marker in September.
We thought our readers would enjoy the resulting article, which was published in October. So here is a holiday special edition of our Gazette, with thanks to Lancaster Farming for permission to reprint the piece written by its correspondent Sue Bowman.
Sept. 13 was a red-letter day in Souderton, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: A ceremony at the borough’s Holly’s Hill Park unveiled a new 3-by-4-foot interpretive sign commemorating the Holly brothers and their cheese factory, which once stood on the site.
Souderton Borough had only been incorporated for five years in 1887 when an enterprising pair of brothers named Charles and Theodore Holly moved their cheese-making operation into the rural village of about 600 residents. Their German immigrant father, Adam, had brought his recipe for “Handkäse” — literally “hand cheese” — when he came to America in the early 1870s.
Holly Bros. wrapped their cheeses in various papers, then shipped them in wooden boxes, each weighing 8 or 9 pounds. (Courtesy of Theodore Smith)
The Holly brothers apparently were attracted to their Souderton property because it had formerly served as Adolf Erdin’s cheese factory. The Hollys’ hand cheese differed from other cheeses because it was made using sour milk purchased from nearby dairy farms. It took its name from the cheese being formed by hand.
Sold under the name of Holly Bros. Hand Cheese, their unique product grew in popularity until, by 1912, they were producing 1,200 to 1,500 boxes of cheese per week. Each wooden box held 8 to 9 pounds of cheese, with some shipped to cities as distant as St. Louis and New York. Around that time, they also began producing cream cheese in their factory.
Initially, the Holly brothers had lived together in a home attached to the cheese factory at Wile Avenue and Diamond Street. Charles continued living there after they built a double house on Green Street in 1898 for Theodore. Theodore would go on to purchase a Main Street mansion designed by Milton B. Bean for his family. It remains standing.
In 1911, Charles Holly had an elegant Queen Anne-style home for his family designed by Bean and built on Wile Avenue beside the cheese factory. This imposing 3,700-square-foot house had 12 rooms, of which six were bedrooms. It featured an eye-catching corner tower, wraparound porch and ground-level arched windows. It became known as Holly House.
Unfortunately, Theodore and Charles Holly died in 1927 and 1931, respectively. The cheesemaking business they founded went into decline sometime after the Great Depression, and the company subsequently closed around 1940.
Souderton Borough later purchased the former Holly site and demolished Holly House in 1997 to make way for a permanently preserved municipal park. The nearly four-acre site, named Holly’s Hill Park in remembrance of its earlier owners, is described by Souderton Borough’s website as having passive open space with paved walking paths, benches and a great view, “a fabulous place to take a peaceful stroll.”
Among the descendants of Charles Holly are members of the Clowney family. Charles Holly’s granddaughter, Joanne Weiss, married Montgomery County dairy farmer Tom Clowney before the couple moved their dairy operation to Adams County.
The historical sign was dedicated in September in Holly’s Hill Park.
Since it’s likely that many who use Holly’s Hill Park facilities are unaware of the park name’s significance, the Clowney family decided to highlight its history via the recently installed sign. The attractive sign is two-sided, with each panel including photographic images and narrative. One panel is titled “Holly Bros. Hand Cheese Souderton Legacy,” while the other reads, “Holly House, Symbol of Success.”
More than 60 folks attended the sign dedication event, including more than 25 Holly family descendants, some coming from as far away as Virginia. Those present at Holly’s Hill Park on that sunny Saturday morning participated in a countdown for the sign’s unveiling.
Tom Clowney, 93 — the widower of Charles Holly’s granddaughter, Joanne — offered a prayer of blessing for the sign and also spoke at the ceremony.
In his remarks, Clowney explained, “in the early 1900s Souderton was made up of people of the Mennonite faith, with a little bit of Lutherans and Reformed faiths. The Hollys were known as the German Catholics in Souderton but had a good relationship with their Mennonite brothers.”
Clowney said Rev. John Ruth, a Mennonite minister who wrote a book about the history of Souderton, “spoke highly of Charles Holly, saying he was a very generous man. He would loan money to people and never charged them interest. Sometimes the people he loaned money to never paid him back. It is only fitting and proper we honor (him).”
Clowney also thanked all the Holly family relatives who helped fund the cost of the sign. He mentioned his grandson, Scott Clowney, “for all his time and expertise in putting this historic sign together.”
Scott, an architect in Washington, and the great-great-grandson of Charles Holly, served as emcee for the event. Scott told those assembled that it is hoped the new sign “inspires future park visitors to rediscover this local history.” He added, “And here we are … reflecting on the past to inform the present for the benefit of future generations. Call it divine guidance or ancestral intervention, thanks to Charles (Holly), who was born 171 years ago this month in 1854.”
Scott also thanked Souderton Mayor Daniel Yocum, Borough Manager Sara Jarrett-Eaton, borough council and members of Souderton’s public works crew for their respective roles in approving and installing the new sign at the park.
Scott Clowney acknowledged the 22 donations, all from Holly family members, that helped fund the sign and added that donations exceeded project costs. In keeping with the noted generosity of Charles Holly, those remaining funds have been donated to Souderton Borough for additional plantings in Holly’s Hill Park and to the Souderton-Telford Historical Society in appreciation of assistance from members Cory and Ron Alderfer, for providing information and materials about the Holly business and family.
A table at the sign dedication displayed old Holly family photos and newspaper clippings, as well as a vintage Holly Bros. wooden cheese box and cheese wrappers. With so many Holly descendants present, the sign dedication turned into a family reunion of sorts, with relatives gathering later at a nearby restaurant to socialize.
Holly’s hand cheese may be gone forever, but its fame and the determination of the family who brought it to Souderton will now be better understood by those who peruse the sign as they enjoy the restful grounds of Holly’s Hill Park.
Lancaster Farming, with a circulation of over 50,000, is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2025. Some of its highlighted articles may be seen on its website.
Sue Bowman is the owner of a working 106-acre preserved farm in Lebanon County where she and her husband raise beef cattle. She has been writing her weekly Rural Ramblings column and selected articles for Lancaster Farming since 2008. Sue especially enjoys writing about history-related subjects.
*******
The Souderton-Telford Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of our towns, businesses, and residents. Follow us on Facebook (@SoudertonTelfordHistory) and enjoy posts about local history. Do you have old photographs we can scan for our collection? Or a story to share about growing up in the Souderton-Telford area? We would love to hear from you!
Email to newsletter@soudertontelfordhistory.org.
The Souderton-Telford Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your contribution helps to collect, preserve, and share the history of our towns. Use the DONATE button on our Facebook page. Or mail tax-
deductible donations to:
Souderton-Telford Historical Society
127 E. Broad St.
Souderton, PA 18964
Have you visited the new website of the Souderton-Telford Historical Society? (soudertontelfordhistory.org) You can find our newsletter archive tagged and filed for easy reading. We thank pixelMIGHT for donating its services.
