Bradlees department store in Five Points in 1987.

Some readers asked for a look back at the Five Points intersection and mall. Below is some historical information.

Five Points in June 1975.
Knapp Farm – Montgomery Township Historical Society

“Here is an aerial photograph of the corner and most of the strip 309/202 taken in the early 1970s. Quite a transformation has taken place in just 30 years. On the left you can see a small corner of the old Montgomeryville airport where North Wales Road now runs.

“On the other side of 309/202 and in the upper right corner of the photo is a large, expansive plaza that would become Montgomery Mall in a few years. This was also the beginning of the end for Lansdale’s status as the region’s commercial center.”

The photo was taken in 1975 and shows how much open land was still available at that time. Doylestown Pike (Route 202) can be seen in the foreground.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook

“We’ve published a series of aerial photographs taken from the Five Points intersection in Montgomeryville – most of them in color – but this black and white beauty gives us a remarkable view to the south, all the way to North Wales in the distance.

The photo was taken in 1975 and shows how much open land was available at that time. Doylestown Pike (Route 202) is in the foreground, but look toward the center of the photo where you can clearly see North Wales Road. Follow it from left to right and note – no shopping center, no housing developments on Knapp Road, no Sandy Brook Plaza – and if you continue to the right you will see Pennbrook Junior High School standing at an angle.”

Five Points intersection in the mid-1970s, looking north toward Doylestown along old Route 202 (Doylestown Pike). Route 309 is visible in the foreground.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook “We took aerial photos of the Five Points intersection in Montgomeryville from several different directions. Here is a shot looking north toward Doylestown along old Route 202 (Doylestown Pike). Route 309 is visible in the foreground.”

Weis Markets at Five Points in 1986.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook

“Back then, the Five Points mall in Montgomeryville looked very different than it does today. Today, BJ’s and Lowe’s anchor the sprawling complex, but in 1986, Weis Markets was one of the largest stores. It closed after a few years, while its sister market at Valley Forge Road and Sumneytown Pike in Upper Gwynedd seems to be doing quite well.”

Bradlees department store in Five Points in 1987.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook

Five Points Shopping Center in 1987.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook “You don’t always have to go back far to find dramatic changes in North Penn Valley. Here’s a look at the original Five Points Plaza in Montgomeryville in 1987, when it was a conventional shopping center with Bradlees, Builders Square and a Weis Market as anchor stores. Now it consists of two large supermarkets – Lowe’s Home Center and BJ’s Wholesale Club – as well as a small group of specialty stores and countless parking spaces that are never filled.”

An aerial photograph of the corner and most of strip 309/202 from the early 1970s.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook June 1975: The Five Points intersection in Montgomeryville, looking south along Bethlehem Pike (Rt. 309). The ever-popular Montgomeryville Mart is visible in the upper left corner. The community’s commercial boom had just begun.

The interior of the Walker Inn, which stood on the south side of the Five Points intersection in Montgomeryville, ca. 1900.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook

“Imagine how much today’s tavern owners would pay for such an elaborate bar. What would it cost to recreate it in 2024?

You can see the interior of the Walker Inn, which stood on the south side of the Five Points intersection in Montgomeryville, in front of the Pho Today location.

The Walker Inn was an important stop on the Bethlehem Pike because of its location. Unfortunately, it was so close to the road that as traffic increased, the intersection had to be widened and the old hotel demolished. The photo is probably from the early 20th century.”