Ridley Creek State Park
Encyclopedia
Ridley Creek State Park is a 2606 acres (1,054.6 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Edgmont, Middletown
and Upper Providence
Townships, Delaware County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. The park, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the county seat of Media
, offers many recreational activities, such as hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking. Ridley Creek
passes through the park. Highlights include a 5 miles (8 km) paved multi-use trail, a formal garden designed by the Olmsted Brothers
, and Colonial Pennsylvania
Plantation
, which recreates daily life on a pre-Revolutionary farm. The park is adjacent to the John J. Tyler Arboretum
. Ridley Creek State Park is just over 16 miles (25.7 km) from downtown
, Philadelphia
between Pennsylvania Route 352
and Pennsylvania Route 252
on Gradyville Road.
. The Jeffords had acquired the land starting about 1912 in small parcels, until they had over 2000 acres (8.1 km²), which was the largest private undeveloped property in the Philadelphia area by the 1960s. By 1918 they had built a large mansion, now the park office, around a stone colonial farmhouse. Twenty-four other historic properties were located on the grounds, many farmsteads that had retained family ownership since the seventeenth century. In 1976 these properties were registered on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The area was originally settled by English Quakers and remained agrarian into the twentieth century. The oldest property is the 1683 Worrel House. In 1718 a water mill, then known as Providence Mill, began to grind corn. In the late 18th century a plaster mill was established next to the grist mill. A rolling and slitting mill replaced the plaster mill by 1812, and became known as Bishop's Mills. Workers cottages, a dam, and several outbuildings complete the mill complex, now known as Sycamore Mills. The mills operated until 1901, when they were damaged by fire.
The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation is a living museum on the 112 acre (0.45324832 km²) farm where the Pratt family lived from 1720-1820. Admission is charged and it is open to the general public on weekends from April through November.
with trout
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
. A portion of the creek is a designated catch and release
area for fly fishing
only. There is a wheelchair
accessible fishing platform on a multi-use trail. The 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking
trails at Ridley Creek State Park are popular with dog owners. These trails pass through a variety of habitats
. A 5 miles (8 km) multi use trail is open to jogging
, bicycling and walking
. The park also features a 4.7 miles (7.6 km) equestrian
trail.
Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Middletown Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 16,064 at the 2000 census. The Pennsylvania State University has an undergraduate satellite campus located in the north-central portion of the township, while Neumann College, a private...
and Upper Providence
Upper Providence Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Upper Providence Township is a census-designated place and township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, located around and north of the borough of Media, between Ridley Creek and Crum Creek. The population was 10,509 at the 2000 census. Ridley Creek State Park is inside the...
Townships, Delaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, 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...
in the United States. The park, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the county seat of Media
Media, Pennsylvania
The borough of Media is the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania and is located west of Philadelphia. Media was incorporated in 1850 at the same time that it was named the county seat. The population was 5,533 at the 2000 census. Its school district is the Rose Tree Media School District...
, offers many recreational activities, such as hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking. Ridley Creek
Ridley Creek
Ridley Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania in the United States. The entire drainage basin is in the suburban Philadelphia area, but the upper creek and extensive park lands on the creek retain a rural character, while the mouth of the creek has long been heavily...
passes through the park. Highlights include a 5 miles (8 km) paved multi-use trail, a formal garden designed by the Olmsted Brothers
Olmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
, and Colonial Pennsylvania
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
Plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
, which recreates daily life on a pre-Revolutionary farm. The park is adjacent to the John J. Tyler Arboretum
John J. Tyler Arboretum
The John J. Tyler Arboretum is a nonprofit arboretum located at 515 Painter Road, Media, Pennsylvania. It is open daily except for major holidays; an admission fee is charged to non-members....
. Ridley Creek State Park is just over 16 miles (25.7 km) from downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
between Pennsylvania Route 352
Pennsylvania Route 352
Pennsylvania Route 352 is a north–south route that begins at U.S. Route 13 in Chester and ends at U.S. Route 30 in Malvern. It is known as Middletown Road between Pennsylvania Route 452 and Pennsylvania Route 926, with the route north of Route 926 called Chester Road.- Delaware County :A few...
and Pennsylvania Route 252
Pennsylvania Route 252
Pennsylvania Route 252 is a north–south route that connects at its northern terminus Pennsylvania Route 23 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania Route 320 in Nether Providence Township, Pennsylvania at its southern terminus.-History:...
on Gradyville Road.
History
The bulk of the property was acquired in the late 1960s from the estate of well known horse breeder Walter Jeffords and his wife Sarah, a niece of Samuel D. RiddleSamuel D. Riddle
Samuel Doyle Riddle . He was born in Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, a small town southwest of Philadelphia given the family name in honor of his grandfather....
. The Jeffords had acquired the land starting about 1912 in small parcels, until they had over 2000 acres (8.1 km²), which was the largest private undeveloped property in the Philadelphia area by the 1960s. By 1918 they had built a large mansion, now the park office, around a stone colonial farmhouse. Twenty-four other historic properties were located on the grounds, many farmsteads that had retained family ownership since the seventeenth century. In 1976 these properties were registered 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 area was originally settled by English Quakers and remained agrarian into the twentieth century. The oldest property is the 1683 Worrel House. In 1718 a water mill, then known as Providence Mill, began to grind corn. In the late 18th century a plaster mill was established next to the grist mill. A rolling and slitting mill replaced the plaster mill by 1812, and became known as Bishop's Mills. Workers cottages, a dam, and several outbuildings complete the mill complex, now known as Sycamore Mills. The mills operated until 1901, when they were damaged by fire.
The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation is a living museum on the 112 acre (0.45324832 km²) farm where the Pratt family lived from 1720-1820. Admission is charged and it is open to the general public on weekends from April through November.
Recreation
The location of Ridley Creek State Park, just 16 miles (25.7 km) from downtown Philadelphia, has led to its popularity. Ridley Creek is very popular with fishermen. It is stockedFish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
with trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
. A portion of the creek is a designated catch and release
Catch and release
Catch and release is a practice within recreational fishing intended as a technique of conservation. After capture, the fish are unhooked and returned to the water before experiencing serious exhaustion or injury...
area for fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
only. There is a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
accessible fishing platform on a multi-use trail. The 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails at Ridley Creek State Park are popular with dog owners. These trails pass through a variety of habitats
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
. A 5 miles (8 km) multi use trail is open to jogging
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
, bicycling and walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
. The park also features a 4.7 miles (7.6 km) equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
trail.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Ridley Creek State Park:- Bellevue State ParkBellevue State Park (Delaware)Bellevue State Park is a Delaware state park in the suburbs of Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park is named for Bellevue Hall, the former mansion of William duPont, Jr. Many of the facilities at the park were built by Mr. DuPont. Bellevue State Park overlooks...
(DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
) - Benjamin Rush State ParkBenjamin Rush State ParkBenjamin Rush State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The park is undeveloped and is the site of community gardens, believed to be one of the largest in the world. The park is home to the Northeast Radio Controlled Airplane...
(Philadelphia CountyPhiladelphia County, Pennsylvania-History:Tribes of Lenape were the first known occupants in the area which became Philadelphia County. The first European settlers were Swedes and Finns who arrived in 1638. The Netherlands seized the area in 1655, but permanently lost control to England in 1674...
) - Brandywine Creek State ParkBrandywine Creek State ParkBrandywine Creek State Park is a state park, located north of Wilmington, Delaware along the Brandywine Creek. Open year-round, it is in area and, before becoming a state park in 1965, was a dairy farm owned by the Du Pont family. It contains the first two nature preserves in Delaware. These...
(Delaware) - Delaware Canal State ParkDelaware Canal State ParkDelaware Canal State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Bucks and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The main attraction of the park is the Delaware Canal, which at is the only canal that remains fully intact from the towpath canal-building days of the 19th century...
(BucksBucks County, Pennsylvania- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
and Northampton CountiesNorthampton County, PennsylvaniaAs of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
)
- Evansburg State ParkEvansburg State ParkEvansburg State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Lower Providence, Lower Salford, Skippack, Towamencin, and Worcester Townships in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park has a variety of habitats including forests, meadows, old fields, and farmland...
(Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
) - Fort Delaware State ParkFort Delaware State ParkFort Delaware State Park is a Delaware state park on Pea Patch Island in New Castle County, Delaware, in the United States. A fortress was built on Pea Patch Island by the United States Army in 1815, near the conclusion of the War of 1812, to protect the harbors of Wilmington, Delaware and...
(Delaware) - Fort DuPont State ParkFort DuPont State ParkFort DuPont State Park is a Delaware state park located in Delaware City, Delaware. The fort itself, named after Rear Admiral Samuel Francis duPont, was used as a military base from the Civil War through World War II, and was part of a three fort defense system, with Fort Delaware and Fort Mott...
(Delaware) - Fort Mott State Park (New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
) - Fort Washington State ParkFort Washington State ParkFort Washington State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Springfield and Whitemarsh Townships, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is noted for the springtime flowering of dogwood trees, and is popular with families for picnics and hiking...
(Montgomery County) - Fox Point State ParkFox Point State ParkFox Point State Park is a Delaware state park on along the Delaware River in New Castle, Delaware in the United States. The park, which opened in 1995, has been built atop a former hazardous waste site that has been rehabilitated under an adaptive reuse program that was spearheaded by S. Marston...
(Delaware) - French Creek State ParkFrench Creek State ParkFrench Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek. The park is the...
(BerksBerks County, Pennsylvania-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
and Chester CountiesChester 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...
) - Lums Pond State ParkLums Pond State ParkLums Pond State Park is a 1790-acre Delaware state park near Bear, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park surrounds Lums Pond, an impoundment built by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on St. Georges Creek...
(Delaware) - Marsh Creek State ParkMarsh Creek State ParkMarsh Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Upper Uwchlan and Wallace Townships, Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is the location of the man-made Marsh Creek Lake. With an average depth of 40 feet , the lake is stocked with fish and is a stop for migrating...
(Chester County) - Neshaminy State ParkNeshaminy State ParkNeshaminy State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Visitors to the park can catch a glimpse of the Philadelphia skyline from a hiking trail on Logan Point. The park is located at the confluence of Neshaminy Creek and the...
(Bucks County) - Norristown Farm ParkNorristown Farm ParkNorristown Farm Park is a Pennsylvania state park in East Norriton and West Norriton Townships and the Borough of Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is operated in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Parks. The park is a working farm on the site...
(Montgomery County) - Wilmington State ParksWilmington State ParksThe Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks...
(Delaware) - White Clay Creek PreserveWhite Clay Creek PreserveWhite Clay Creek Preserve is a Pennsylvania state park along the valley of White Clay Creek in London Britain Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park was donated by the DuPont Company in 1984 for the purpose of "preserving the diverse and unique plant and animal...
(Chester CountyChester 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...
) - White Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State Park is a Delaware state park along White Clay Creek on in New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park, often known by its initials W.C.C.S.P., is near the Mason-Dixon Line. North of the park is Pennsylvania's White Clay Creek Preserve...
(DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
)
Sources
- National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Jeffords' Estate