Through thin ice

This plaque is on the eastern side of the Wissahickon, just north of Kitchen's Lane Bridge.

In 1722 Johannes Gumre and Peter Becker, leaders in the Germantown Baptist community, made a pilgrimage to Pennsylvania to find and reunite about 20 families who had arrived on this continent together in 1719 but had become separated. Their successful reunion as celebrated by a creek-side service where six new members, including three former Hermits of the Ridge, were baptized. The group had walker first through Germantown to a member's house to take their noon meal together and then along an Indian trail (probably where Carpenter's Lane is now) to the creek arriving very close to sunset. Elder Peter Becker led each candidate separately into the water through thin ice. The solemn rite ended after sundown.
-- Sarah West, Rediscovering the Wissahickon