In the fall of 1991, Dr. Harry Silcox suggested to John Altomari that he write a history of his neighborhood with the eventual aim of publishing the history as part of a larger Northeast Philadelphia history.   John got interested and brought the idea before a Wissinoming senior citizens group.  The idea was well received, and in September of the same year, the first members signed up: Ann Peltz, Margaret Barth, Edna Altomari, Al Irvine, Del Irvine, Alberta Chase, Dorothy Weideman, Ed Fink, Mildred Hughes, and George Schulle. 

Early meetings were held at the Hope Lutheran Church, but because of a need for an evening meeting place, meetings were held at the Wissinoming Methodist Church beginning in 1992.  Other early members were Elsie Barnes, Marie McHeran, Walt Stock, Elsie Hipple, John Boggs, Naomi Mellar, Alice Rapp, Regina Aitken, John Aitken, Marge Grayson, Henry Collins, Joanne O'Brien, and Michael Gaynor.

John and other Society members represented Wissinoming at the meetings of the 10 Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood groups that would eventually contribute to the very successful publication Historical Northeast Philadelphia, issued in 1994.   Meetings were held first at the Tacony Music Hall, then at the Frankford Historical Society, then at the home of Patricia and Fred Stopper on a monthly basis.

The publication was made possible by a grant obtained by Dr. Silcox.  To qualify for the grant, each neighborhood group had to conduct intergenerational activities that would give young people a meaningful insight into what it was like growing up in the early days of their neighborhood.   The Wissinoming Historical Society decided to focus its efforts at Frankford High where many Wissinoming teenagers attended high school.   Mr. Peters, the Principal, became excited about the project and designated Mr. Jerome Ruderman, the Department Head of Social Studies, to be the project manager.   Eventually, 16 Frankford High students interviewed 16 senior citizens of Wissinoming and wrote reports on the experience.  By all accounts, everyone had a great time and learned a lot about each other and their different experiences.  Three of the interviews were selected for publication in Historical Northeast Philadelphia.