New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a
boroughIn the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, boroughs are a form of local government, a subdivision of a county. As of August 2005 there were 961 boroughs in the state....
in
Bucks CountyBucks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The county seat is Doylestown. This county is part of the Delaware Valley area.As of 2000, the population was 597,635. A 2004 U.S...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
,
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,252 at the 2000 census.
Geography
New Hope is located at (40.360312, -74.957203).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.7 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (11.19%) is water. Much of this is the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.The Delaware was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony....
.
The borough is located at the confluence of the Delaware River and Aquetong Creek, which begins its two-mile course in neighboring Solebury Township at Ingham Springs, the most productive spring in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The name "Aquetong" comes from a local Indian word meaning "place of the pine trees," while "Ingham" refers to
Samuel D. InghamSamuel Delucenna Ingham was a U.S. Congressman and U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Andrew Jackson.-Early life and education:...
, an industrialist, congressman and advocate of the canal that would run through the town. Near its end in New Hope, the creek forms a scenic millpond and waterfall near the
Bucks County PlayhouseThe Bucks County Playhouse is the State Theater of Pennsylvania, and is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania.When the Hope Mills burnt in 1790, the grist mills were rebuilt as the New Hope Mills by Benjamin Parry. ....
, a former mill.
The surrounding area features low, rolling hills, and consists largely of preserved forest and farmland. Many people whose mailing addresses are in New Hope actually live outside the borough in Solebury.
The
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge CommissionThe Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission is a bistate, public agency charged with providing safe, dependable and efficient river crossings between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The DRJTBC was established under legislation enacted in the two states in 1934. The federal Compact for the...
operates two bridges over the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.The Delaware was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony....
between New Hope and
LambertvilleLambertville is a City in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 3,868.Lambertville was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1849, from portions of West Amwell Township...
,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
. One is a free, two-lane bridge, and the other, which carries U.S. Highway 202, is a modern toll bridge.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 2,252 people, 1,160 households, and 506 families residing in the borough. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 1,770.9 people per square mile (684.6/km²). There were 1,251 housing units at an average density of 983.8/sq mi (380.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.94% White, 1.11% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 1.87% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.55% of the population.
There were 1,160 households out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 56.3% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the borough the population was spread out with 15.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 115.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $60,833, and the median income for a family was $87,868. Males had a median income of $49,750 versus $46,700 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the borough was $45,309. About 6.1% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
Industry and attractions
New Hope's primary industry is
tourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other...
. On weekends the streets are crowded with tourists visiting the many restaurants, antique shops and art galleries, or taking the popular walk along the river and the
Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania CanalThe Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal runs from the Lehigh River at Easton to Bristol. It runs parallel to the Delaware River generally within sight of the river....
. Compared to surrounding communities, New Hope has a vibrant night life, although most businesses are required to close for the night by 2:00 AM.
Located in an attractive historic mill, The
Bucks County PlayhouseThe Bucks County Playhouse is the State Theater of Pennsylvania, and is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania.When the Hope Mills burnt in 1790, the grist mills were rebuilt as the New Hope Mills by Benjamin Parry. ....
features a constant stream of plays and musical productions. New Hope was once a popular spot for Broadway shows to be tested and fine tuned, and many notable stage actors bought weekend homes in the area. It was also home to an art colony, founded by
Edward RedfieldEdward Willis Redfield was an American Impressionist landscape painter and member of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is best known today for his impressionist scenes of the New Hope area, often depicting the snow-covered countryside.Redfield was born in 1869 in Bridgeville, Delaware...
and
William L. LathropWilliam Langson Lathrop was an American Impressionist landscape painter and founder of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is sometimes referred to as a "Pennsylvania Impressionist". Lathrop was a member of the National Academy of Design and served on numerous exhibition juries during his...
, that produced important regional work. Other members or associates with the colony included
George SotterGeorge W. Sotter was an American painter who lived and worked in Pennsylvania, and was best known for Impressionist-style works. He is also known for his work in stained glass, some of which are still installed in numerous churches...
. The area later grew to become a popular
gayThe term gay was originally used, until well into the mid-20th century, primarily to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as 1637....
resortA resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company. Such a self-contained resort attempts to provide for most of a vacationer's wants while remaining on...
in the 1950s and today New Hope still has an active and large
gay communityThe gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. The term "gay community" may also refer to gay men only, or gay men and lesbians only. Generally these...
. New Hope also attracts motorcyclists (bikers) on weekends in the warmer months.
New Hope is also a terminal point on the
New Hope & Ivyland Railroad. On weekends, tourists can ride the historic and scenic line through Bucks County.
Union Camp CorporationUnion Camp Corporation was an American pulp and paper company and a private owner of timberland in the United States. In 1999 it was acquired by International Paper.-Company creation:...
had a bag production facility in New Hope until the late 1980s, which employed around one hundred people total and was located uphill from the New Hope Ivyland railroad. The former factory complex, now known as Union Square, has been recycled as a series of shops and businesses aimed at the teeming tourist industry.
In August 2007, Forbes.com named New Hope Borough as one of the best places in the Northeast to buy a summer vacation home.
History
New Hope is located along the route of York Road, the former main highway between Philadelphia and
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
. It was generally regarded as the half way point, where travelers would stay overnight and be ferried across the river the next morning. Though this route is largely obsolete, the section of U.S. Route 202 that passes through town still bears the name York Road.
During these early days, the town was known as Coryell's Ferry, after the owner of this business. The current name came into use following a large fire that burned down several mills in the area--their reconstruction was considered a "new hope" for the area.
The night prior to his famous crossing of the Delaware several miles to the south,
George WashingtonGeorge Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States of America...
is said to have lodged in New Hope. Historic former residents include
James A. MichenerJames Albert Michener was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which are novels of sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in a particular geographic locale and incorporating historical facts into the story as well...
and
Aaron BurrAaron Burr, Jr. was an American politician, Revolutionary War participant, and adventurer. He served as the third Vice President of the United States , under Thomas Jefferson....
.
New Hope was in the news in 1983 when NBC network anchorwoman
Jessica SavitchJessica Beth Savitch was a well-known American television broadcaster and news reporter, host of PBS' Frontline and was well known for being New York weekend anchor of NBC Nightly News during the short-lived Roger Mudd/Tom Brokaw era.-Life and career:Savitch was born in Kennett Square,...
and her boyfriend drowned after their car overturned into the
Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania CanalThe Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal runs from the Lehigh River at Easton to Bristol. It runs parallel to the Delaware River generally within sight of the river....
. The canal passes by Odette's Restaurant, where the couple had dined on a rainy evening when visibility was poor and warning signs were easily missed.
New Hope has also recently been in the news regarding major flooding of the community when the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.The Delaware was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony....
overflowed its banks in 2004 and 2006. Each time, the downtown businesses reopened within several days; however, many riverside homes remained severely damaged for quite a while longer.
Famous people from New Hope
- Christian Bauman
Christian Bauman is an American novelist, essayist, and lyricist. A former soldier, Bauman is arguably best known for his critically acclaimed 2002 debut novel The Ice Beneath You, about the return of a young American soldier from Somalia...
, novelist and essayist
- Becky Blasband
Rebecca "Becky" Blasband is a singer/ songwriter and screenwriter known as a cast member on The Real World: New York, the first season of MTV's reality television show The Real World....
, singer, songwriter, and screenwriter
- Gregg Cagno
Gregg Cagno is an American songwriter and touring performer in the singer/songwriter and folk genres. Born in 1969, Gregg grew up in Clinton, NJ, and now lives in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Cagno is a 2006 ASCAPlus award winner in the folk category, and was a finalist in the Kerrville Folk Festival's...
, singer, songwriter
- Sim Cain
Drummer Sim Cain Simeon Cain McDonald was born in London, England but grew up in the United States from the age of three in Princeton, New Jersey....
, former Rollins Band Drummer
- Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween
Gene Ween , the pseudonym for Aaron Freeman , is the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist for experimental alternative rock group Ween...
)
- Chad Ginsburg of CKY
CKY is an American alternative metal band that formed in West Chester, Pennsylvania in 1998. Currently comprising vocalist and guitarist Deron Miller, guitarist and vocalist Chad I...
- Mickey Melchiondo (Dean Ween
Dean Ween is the stage name of Michael "Mickey" Melchiondo, Jr., American guitarist and half of the alternative rock group Ween.-Biography:...
)
- George Nakashima
George Katsutoshi Nakashima was a Japanese American woodworker, architect, and furniture maker who was one of the leading innovators of 20th Century furniture design and a father of the American craft movement...
, artist
- Leon Redbone
Leon Redbone is an American singer and guitarist specializing in interpretations of early 20th-century music, including jazz and blues standards and Tin Pan Alley classics....
, singer, songwriter, actor
- Ted Tally
Ted Tally is an Academy Award winning American playwright and screenwriter. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina.-Screenwriter:...
, Oscar-winning screenwriter
Points of interest
- Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve is a nature preserve and botanical garden located at 1635 River Road , New Hope, Pennsylvania...
- Washington Crossing Historic Park
Washington Crossing Historic Park is a 500-acre site operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission that is part of Washington's Crossing, a U.S. National Historic Landmark area. The park is headquartered in the village of Washington Crossing located in Upper Makefield Township in...
External links