Mortonville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Mortonville is an unincorporated area and historic hamlet in Chester County
, Pennsylvania
on the eastern bank of the West Branch Brandywine Creek
. It consists of about a half-dozen structures, two of which are on the National Register of Historic Places
: the Mortonville Hotel, and the 12.5 feet (3.8 m) "Bridge in East Fallowfield Township
" which crosses a mill race
a few feet east of a larger bridge. The larger bridge, known as the Mortonville Bridge, was also listed on the NRHP until 2010 when it was delisted following a renovation. The two bridges are in East Fallowfield Township
, while most other structures are in Newlin Township.
The hamlet was founded between 1767 and 1772 by Thomas Hayes, who erected a grist mill and sawmill where the Strasburg Road
crossed the creek, on the east bank. He sold his land and the mills to John Worth in 1772; John's son Thomas built a house on the north side of the road (across from the mills) in 1796.
Sketchley and Elizabeth Morton, a couple from Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
, bought the former Worth property on April 1, 1840. (Morton, Pennsylvania
was named after Sketchley.) The land was soon transferred to their grandson, Crosby P. Morton, who founded Mortonville. In 1849, he turned the Worth house into the Mortonville Hotel (although he was unable to obtain a tavern license for it, a necessity for serving alcohol) and built a wheelwright
shop nearby, on the south side of the road. He leased the hotel to Isaac Parsons in 1850; Parsons obtained a tavern license, but vacated in 1851, leaving the hotel up for lease. It was described in his advertisement as serving both stock-drovers along the Strasburg Road and other travellers. Ultimately, it was rented to Hansen Thornbury. In the meantime, Morton erected a general store next to the wheelwright shop, but both the store and the mills were up for rent by the end of 1851, the tenants having vacated. On February 6, 1852, a post office
was opened in Mortonville, with Morton as postmaster. He obtained Francis R. Hickman as a tenant for the store and wheelwright shop, but he went bankrupt in 1852, leaving them vacant again. In 1853, Robert Smith took over the hotel from Thornbury, but did not obtain a tavern license. In the middle of the year, Morton abruptly moved to Philadelphia, leaving the storekeeper, John C. Ely, to take over the postoffice. He and his wife Sarah sold all their holdings to Joshua N. Pierce, of Embreeville
on March 31, 1854 and never returned to the town that bears their name.
The center of activity in the modern hamlet is a canoe rental business, based in an old house and the adjacent picnic park along the Brandywine. Other structures include the ruins of a grist mill, a new restaurant being built on an old foundation, canoe sheds, and an apparently modern covered bridge. The Mortonville Bridge, which was built in 1826 and rehabilitated in 2009, carries about 6,200 vehicles per day on Strasburg Road
. It's unknown when the smaller bridge on the National Register was built, but it likely predates the larger bridge.
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on the eastern bank of the West Branch Brandywine Creek
West Branch Brandywine Creek
The West Branch Brandywine Creek is a tributary of Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States.The West Branch Brandywine Creek is born near the community of Honey Brook. It later joins with the East Branch Brandywine Creek in the community of Lenape to form Brandywine...
. It consists of about a half-dozen structures, two of which are on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
: the Mortonville Hotel, and the 12.5 feet (3.8 m) "Bridge in East Fallowfield Township
Bridge in East Fallowfield Township (Mortonville, Pennsylvania)
The Mortonville Bridge and Mill Race Bridge are stone arch bridges carrying Strasburg Road across the West Branch Brandywine Creek and an abandoned millrace at Mortonville, Pennsylvania...
" which crosses a mill race
Mill race
A mill race, raceway or mill lade is the current or channel of a stream, especially one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy...
a few feet east of a larger bridge. The larger bridge, known as the Mortonville Bridge, was also listed on the NRHP until 2010 when it was delisted following a renovation. The two bridges are in East Fallowfield Township
East Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
East Fallowfield Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,449 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land....
, while most other structures are in Newlin Township.
The hamlet was founded between 1767 and 1772 by Thomas Hayes, who erected a grist mill and sawmill where the Strasburg Road
Strasburg Road
Strasburg Road was an early road in Pennsylvania connecting Philadelphia to Strasburg in Lancaster County. The route was surveyed by John Sellers and others in 1772-3 under the colonial administration of Governor Richard Penn and completed under the new administration of the independent state of...
crossed the creek, on the east bank. He sold his land and the mills to John Worth in 1772; John's son Thomas built a house on the north side of the road (across from the mills) in 1796.
Sketchley and Elizabeth Morton, a couple from Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township, or simply Springfield, is a township and a Census Designated Place in Delaware County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 23,677 at the 2000 census...
, bought the former Worth property on April 1, 1840. (Morton, Pennsylvania
Morton, Pennsylvania
Morton is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,715 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Morton is located at ....
was named after Sketchley.) The land was soon transferred to their grandson, Crosby P. Morton, who founded Mortonville. In 1849, he turned the Worth house into the Mortonville Hotel (although he was unable to obtain a tavern license for it, a necessity for serving alcohol) and built a wheelwright
Wheelwright
A wheelwright is a person who builds or repairs wheels. The word is the combination of "wheel" and the archaic word "wright", which comes from the Old English word "wryhta", meaning a worker or maker...
shop nearby, on the south side of the road. He leased the hotel to Isaac Parsons in 1850; Parsons obtained a tavern license, but vacated in 1851, leaving the hotel up for lease. It was described in his advertisement as serving both stock-drovers along the Strasburg Road and other travellers. Ultimately, it was rented to Hansen Thornbury. In the meantime, Morton erected a general store next to the wheelwright shop, but both the store and the mills were up for rent by the end of 1851, the tenants having vacated. On February 6, 1852, a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was opened in Mortonville, with Morton as postmaster. He obtained Francis R. Hickman as a tenant for the store and wheelwright shop, but he went bankrupt in 1852, leaving them vacant again. In 1853, Robert Smith took over the hotel from Thornbury, but did not obtain a tavern license. In the middle of the year, Morton abruptly moved to Philadelphia, leaving the storekeeper, John C. Ely, to take over the postoffice. He and his wife Sarah sold all their holdings to Joshua N. Pierce, of Embreeville
Embreeville, Pennsylvania
Embreeville is an historical unincorporated community, little more than a rural stretch of road with a few businesses and homes, mostly in Newlin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania and partially in West Bradford Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, inside a bend of Brandywine Creek. It is...
on March 31, 1854 and never returned to the town that bears their name.
The center of activity in the modern hamlet is a canoe rental business, based in an old house and the adjacent picnic park along the Brandywine. Other structures include the ruins of a grist mill, a new restaurant being built on an old foundation, canoe sheds, and an apparently modern covered bridge. The Mortonville Bridge, which was built in 1826 and rehabilitated in 2009, carries about 6,200 vehicles per day on Strasburg Road
Strasburg Road
Strasburg Road was an early road in Pennsylvania connecting Philadelphia to Strasburg in Lancaster County. The route was surveyed by John Sellers and others in 1772-3 under the colonial administration of Governor Richard Penn and completed under the new administration of the independent state of...
. It's unknown when the smaller bridge on the National Register was built, but it likely predates the larger bridge.