For more than a century, Norristown was known as the shopping capital of Montgomery County. Located 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia along the Schuylkill River, Norristown developed a Main Street shopping district in the early 1800s that still serves the community today. Many of the well-known retail and industrial outlets of the area are featured here, including Chatlin's Department Store, John's Bargain Store, Scheidt's Brewery, Marcy's Water Ice, and Zummo's Hardware Store. Through rare historic photographs, Norristown recounts the borough's humble beginnings and documents the strength of the community.

Jack and Brian Coll, local historians and authors of Conshohocken, also part of the Then & Now series, have been researching the rare photographs in Norristown for more than a year. Brian is an accomplished photographer and author. Jack has published hundreds of articles on area history and has written and produced a documentary film covering 100 years of football in Conshohocken.