New Hope
In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, pretty New Hope
is right on the Delaware River. On the other side of its banks, almost
directly opposite, sits Lambertville, New Jersey. Trenton, New Jersey
is about 18 miles southeast and Philadelphia is about 30 miles
southwest. Princeton is about 10 miles east of Trenton.
State Highway 202 runs west to east across the Delaware on New Hope's
northernmost end and intersects with Hwy 611 about 10 miles west of the
town. Hwy 611 journeys north/south to Philadelphia. Numerous smaller
roads also connect New Hope
to Philadelphia more directly; smaller routes also run south along the
Delaware to the I-295 ring road around Trenton (the Delaware
Expressway). I-95 and I-195 also feed into this system and all these
interstates head west to Philadelphia and east into various New Jersey
towns and cities.
Doylestown is about 10 miles west of New Hope on Hwy 202 and Newtown is
about 10 miles southwest. Yardley is about 12 miles south, near
Trenton.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
New Hope is served by the SEPTA public transport system, which runs trains into nearby stations at Doylestown, Warminster and Yardley.
The SEPTA R1 line takes travelers to the Philadelphia International
Airport. Other nearby airports include the Trenton Mercer Airport
(about 13 miles away), the McGuire Air Force Base (about 36 miles away
in Wrightstown, NJ) and the Lehigh Valley International (about 39 miles
northwest in Allentown, PA).
BRIEF HISTORY
The New Hope
area was originally home to the peaceable Lenni Lenape Indians, who
granted the area to settler William Penn. In 1700, William Penn granted
1000 acres to Robert Heath, with the requirement that Heath build a
water corn mill for settling farmers to use. Heath did so, on Ingham
Creek, about a mile inland from the Delaware River. Fed by a spring,
the creek proved ideal for milling, and more millers set up shop; in
time this became the settlement of New Hope.
From 1722 to 1747, the settlement was called "Well's Ferry", after the
operator of the ferry across the Delaware. By the time Washington
arrived during the Revolutionary War, it was known as "Corvell's
Ferry", likewise after the current operator of the ferry. Washington
staged his troops here for his famous crossing of the Delaware five
miles south of New Hope on December 25, 1776 and his victory over the
Hessians at Trenton.
In 1790 the gristmill burned down, putting most of the town residents
out of work. New Jersey gristmill owner Benjamin Parry rebuilt it,
titling it the "New Hope Mill"-the name stuck and began to appear on
maps. The Parry gristmill ran until 1938 when it was closed and
converted into the Bucks County Playhouse.
New Hope's population soared in the eighteen-thirties, with the opening
of the Delaware canal from Bristol to Easton. As the geographic center
of the canal system, New Hope was its primary hub, with four locks.
Following the Civil War the railroad was extended from Philadelphia,
which deprived the canal system of business. The last commercial canal
boat passed through New Hope in 1931, but locals and visitors alike still enjoy taking traditional canal boat rides.
Since the Second World War, New Hope has remained an artistic and friendly community that guards its rural way of life.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
New Hope
has a real sense of community, and residents enjoy several yearly
festivals and special events together, like the magical winter festival
and the New Hope car show. An artistic town, with its own arts center
and the superb Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope has a lively local arts
scene that enriches the lives of all its residents.
As a popular spot with vacationers, New Hope
has several excellent inns and popular restaurants, and charming stores
selling local crafts and produce. The New Hope Ivyland Railroad takes
passengers by steam train through the pretty rolling hills around New
Hope. Locals dress up for the yearly Halloween special, after the kid's
trick or treat ride, and families enjoy the "Polar Express" at
Christmas.
EDUCATION
The New Hope-Solebury School District administers New Hope's sole elementary school, middle school and high school. The small district is close knit and community orientated, and there is a full bus service for each school. There are two private schools in Newtown, the Clubhouse for Kids Only and the Solebury School. There are several colleges and universities in surrounding centers, including Princeton University (about 22 miles away in Princeton, NJ), the Bucks County Community College (about 8 miles away in Newtown), the College Of New Jersey (about 12 miles away in Ewing, NJ), the Thomas Edison State College (about 17 miles away in Trenton, NJ), Rider University (about 17 miles away in Lawrenceville, NJ), Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington (about 20 miles away in Abington, PA), and Beaver College (about 23 miles away in Glenside, PA).
More Info On:
YardleyLower Makefield
Newtown
New Hope
Doylestown
