Norristown has a long historic background. The settlement was established with a few homes and businesses in the late 1700s and was incorporated as a borough in 1830. It one of the oldest towns in Pennsylvania. Located on the Schuylkill River, Norristown was named a Central Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It still features 19th- and 20th-century structures, both homes and industrial buildings. Most of the original 1784 Town of Norris is included in the old business and government center, whose focal point is the Montgomery County Courthouse. The past and present vitality of the borough's core is indicated by the variety of buildings in this part of the District: the County jail, the YMCA, the mid-19th-century Odd Fellows Hall, three historic 19th-century churches, and a number of old commercial buildings, just to name a few.
One of Norristown's main modern attractions is the Elmwood Park Zoo, located on Harding Boulevard. The zoo is clean, safe, and a manageable size to take in for an afternoon. Visitors can get close to the animals most of which are North American species. The otter exhibit is a particular favorite with children. In June 2010, the zoo opened a walk-through butterfly exhibit where butterflies fly about freely and land on one's clothes.
