The Crozer Building at 5th and Edgmont about 1930.
NOTE: I want to say a very special thanks to Bob Strickler and Kate Clifford, who always help me out with my computer problems. I'm terrible with computers and they always come thru. Special Thanks to the Penn State students at Lima who are changing and updating my website. Lastly a number of my readers and followers have been giving me, books, pamphlets, pictures etc. It is so greatly appreciated!! All of my collection will be given to a library, Thanks so much to all of you!!
CHESTER’S OLD SECTIONS HAD QUEER PLACE NAMES
What
is Chester today was for the most part Chester 100 years ago. But it was also Frogpond, Powhattan,
Larkintown, Thurlow, Temperanceville, Pigeon Hill, Happy Valley, Forty Acres,
and many others. Within what are now the
city limits were these small communities and sections which all had descriptive
and picturesque names.
Frogpond
was named for, of all things, a frog pond.
Powhattan was named for old mills, Larkintown for the Larkin family and
Thurlow for the Thurlow family.
The
facility around what is now Seventeenth Street, east of Providence Avenue was
known as Frogpond. The name originated
because there was a pond populated by frogs located there during the
development of North Chester Borough from 1873 until 1877. A person who lived in that vicinity was known
by the dubious title of Frogponder.”
On
Fourteenth Street just south of the Chester Rural cemetery were located the
Powhattan Mills. The mills were operated
by the Esrey family. From the mills’
name this section of the city soon became known as Powhattan. The name Powhatten is undoubtedly derived
from the famous Indian chief of the same name.
The
Larkin family owned much of the land and resided in the section which is now approximately
the area between Eighth and Tenth Streets, and Edgmont Avenue and Potter
Street. Thus this section became known
as Larkintown.
At
Ninth and Upland Streets was a store operated by N. Larkin. In the rear there was a small carpenter’s
shop. The property at the corner later
was the home of John Larkin, ex-mayor of the city. St. Paul’s church is now located on this
site.
The
Larkins also owned the whole block between Eighth and Ninth and Madison and
Upland Streets and many other properties in this vicinity. According to a map drawn up in 1870, Charles
Larkin owned a property at the corner of Eighth and Potter Streets and there
was a woolen factory operated by the Larkins at Seventh and Potter Streets.
The
Larkin family name still is retained in this area by the Larkin Grammar School
at Ninth and Crosby Streets.
The
West End section around what is now Thurlow Street was formerly known as
Thurlow, named for the John J. Thurlow who owned a large estate here. His home, known as “Sportsman’s Hall” was
located along the river at about the point where the South Chester Tube Company
is now located.
The
old home grounds are now bordered approximately by Harwick Street, Highland
Avenue, and Second and Third Streets. It
was built about 1840 and taken down in 1869 when Third Street was surveyed and
laid out by William B. Broomall. All of
the surrounding section was then known as Thurlow and there was a railroad
station on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore line known as Thurlow
station located there.
There
were many other section names for the city.
The section around what is now Twenty-fourth and Chestnut Streets was
known as Temperanceville. Out Providence
Road where the Governor Printz Bridge now crosses Ridley Creek were a group of
homes known as Shoemakerville.
The
section what is now East Thirteenth Street west of Providence Avenue was known
as Pigeon Hill. The section adjoining
the present site of the Aberfoyle Manufacturing Company was called Happy
Valley. The vicinity of Central Avenue
and Concord Avenue was known as Forty Acres.
The
area between what are now Third, Seventh, Ulrich and Broomall Streets was at
one time known as Perkin’s lawn. Abraham
R. Perkins owned most of the land in this area and thus the name.
Most
of these sections have long since lost their names and become merely a part of
the city with no special identity.
However, Chester still retains a few section names.
There’s
Bethel’s Court, between Market, Welsh, Second and Third Streets. This area was so named because the Bethel
Methodist Church was at one time located there.
Then
there’s Holy City, the title given to the long block of West Eighth Street
between Sproul Street and Chester River.
This area is said to be so called because of the quietness of the section. The lack of noise is accentuated by the
area’s proximity to the downtown business district.
Among
the city’s newer settlements with old names is Eyre Village. The new development was named for the Eyre
family, Joshua P. Eyre and William Eyre, Jr., being owners of the tract in the
mid-nineteenth century.
| Welcome Back to the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation. We are excited to be here for our 49th season! Plowing is the necessary first step in growing crops. It is hard work and in the 18th century farmers relied on draft (animal) power to do this work. Our ox, Rust, will be pulling the plow but we need visitors who are willing to drive the plow and help us get the job done!
We are open from 11am - 4pm with our last admission being at 3pm. |
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| Story Time - Sunday March 27th |
Join us at 11:30 AM to hear John Deere, That’s Who! by Tracy Nelson Maurer, Illustrated by Tim Zeltner. Visit with our ox,Rust, and learn about plowing on the farm!
We are open from 11am - 4pm with our last admission being at 3pm. |
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| Two Dates for Easter Egg Hunt! |
Celebrate the spring season on Saturdays April 9 and April 16 with an Easter Egg Hunt at Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation. From 11-11:30 AM, children 12 and under are invited to search the fields to find eggs filled with surprises. Afterwards, visit the farm for egg-themed activities and demonstrations, story time, meet the animals, music, and more! Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Adults and Children over the age of 2 are $10. Member tickets $8. Family discount of $5 per child if purchasing 3 or more children tickets. Farm open 11 AM to 4 PM, last admission at 3 PM. Gates open at 10:45 AM. Egg hunt from 11-11:30 AM. |
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One
of the city’s most historic spots is the present site of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad station at the junction of Edgmont and Providence Avenues and Twelfth
Street. This was formerly known as
Hangman’s Lot. In early times it was the
scene of public executions. It was also
sometimes called Gallows Hill.
DCHPN Monthly E-Newsletter |
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Happy Women's History Month, St. Patrick's Day, and Spring! Check out all these events happening this month Read the announcements below for important information *The Root of All Evil: Greed, Murder and Life Insurance Swindles in Greater Philadelphia Mar 28, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Zoom- registration required
This program, presented by Jennifer Green of the Chester County History Center, will examine some of the worst cases of murder for life insurance in southeastern Pennsylvania, including the Udderzook Tragedy, the Sarah Whiteling murders, H.H. Holmes, and more.
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A couple of asides: General Price married into the Eyre family, and named Eyre Park after his wife.
ReplyDeleteShaw Terrace in the vicinity of Powhattan Mills is named after Hugh Shaw, who co-founded the mills with D.R. Esrey. Shaw provided the know-how needed to run the mill: he had worked as a spinner since he was a child, emigrated to America after a decade of mill-work, then worked his way up to foreman at Crook's mill. He tried his hand at farming until Civil War and Esrey made him an offer he couldn't refuse...