Category: History Spotlight
The West Chester Trolley
West Chester Pike has been a witness to the history of transportation in Delaware County. From its first creation in the 1790s, the road saw foot traffic, horse and wagons, a “plank road” turnpike, regular stagecoach service and finally in 1895, a horse-drawn and later motorized trolley line that eventually connected the 69th Street Terminal with West Chester.
History of the ‘Blue Route’
Newtown was a sleepy country crossroads for much of its history. Today, it is two miles from I-476. And if different choices had been made, the interstate highway would have crossed right through the eastern portion of the Township.
Historic Newtown Square Day
When I first joined the Newtown Square Historical Society in the mid 1990’s, there was…
The Cold War Comes to Delco
World War II ended in August 1945, but the “Cold War” essentially began at the…
Irish Immigrants, The Courtneys
While English Quakers first settled Newtown, 19th-century immigrants came from Ireland. An Irish weaver, Joseph…
The Underground Railroad in Newtown
Photos courtesy of Newtown Square Historical Society While the Pennsylvania Railroad did not start until…
The Old Newtown Square Hotel Bar – Lost and Found
In 1968, Newtown Square suffered a heart-breaking loss, when the Newtown Square Hotel was demolished…for…