A bedroom community to both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, Bethel Township is one of the fastest-growing communities in Pennsylvania. Bethel Township was home to historic garnet mines established by Herman Behr & Co. of New York to make sandpaper. The mineral produced in the mines gave the region its name of Garnet Valley. The area also contains Booth's Corner, a historic farmers' market more than 70 years old. The market is well known regionally and is affectionately referred to by the locals as "The Sale." Bethel Township has been home to several residents who have gone on to lead illustrious careers, such as Union army general Powell Foulk Clayton and early rock-and-roll star Bill Haley of "Rock Around the Clock" fame.
Elizabeth McCarrick is vice-chairman of the Bethel Township Preservation Society, editor of the society's Journal, and a 25-year township resident. Faith McCarrick-Diskin holds a degree in history from Franklin and Marshall College and has a master's degree in museum education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Dr. Mead Shaffer, a local retired veterinarian, is past chair and one of the founders of the Bethel Township Preservation Society.