William Penn Landing Site
Encyclopedia
The monument at the William Penn Landing Site marks the spot of the first landing of William Penn
on the territory of Pennsylvania, on October 28 or 29, 1682 (O.S.
). Penn, the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania
, landed in the only town in the province, then known as Upland, but since known as Chester
.
The monument at the site was designed by John Struthers, erected on November 8 and dedicated November 9, 1882 (N.S.
) The landing site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1971.
as Deputy Governor on April 10, 1681. Markham proceeded to New York
, which had exercised nominal control of the area of Pennsylvania since 1676, where he presented his credentials. On August 3, 1681, Markham arrived in Upland, the only town in the province. About 500 Europeans lived in the province at that time, mostly in the present day counties of Delaware
and Chester
centered around Upland. Swedish and Dutch settlers had lived in the area since the 1630s, and Quakers had moved there from West Jersey
starting about 1675. What little government there was, had been provided by the Upland Court under the laws of James, Duke of York
, nominally supervised by the Governor of New York. The Upland Court exercised judicial, legislative, and executive authority.
Markham appointed judges to the court and members to a council. He also met with Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
in Upland, who informed him that the Pennsylvania-Maryland border was about 12 miles north. Markham apparently informed Penn of the border dispute. Penn then arranged to receive deeds from the Duke of York to the "three lower counties
" which now comprise the state of Delaware
, thus strengthening his claims further north on the Delaware River.
Penn sailed aboard the ship Welcome from Deal, Kent
on the English Channel on August 30, 1682 and first landed in America on October 27, 1682 at New Castle, Delaware
. In New Castle he performed the ancient "turf and twig" ceremony known as the livery of seisin
to take possession of New Castle County
. Within two days he arrived at Upland, about 18 miles north on the Delaware River
.
According to Smith, immediately after arriving in Upland, Penn asked a companion from Chester
in England to rename the town, and he promptly renamed it Chester. Penn landed near the log house of Robert Wade, which was also used as the first Quaker meetinghouse in the area, and spent the night in the house. Wade, in 1675, had bought the property which had been owned by the daughter of the governor of New Sweden
, Johan Printz. Quaker minister William Edmundson had mentioned the house in his journal in 1676.
on the side facing inland. The monument was paid for by members of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
and the Penn Club
to mark the 200th anniversary of the landing. A special train was run from Philadelphia to Chester for the occasion, and the dedication was celebrated at length. The site is now about 100 feet inland, with railroad tracks separating it from the Delaware River in an industrial section of Chester, just south of Chester Creek
.
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
on the territory of Pennsylvania, on October 28 or 29, 1682 (O.S.
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
). Penn, the founder of the Province of 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...
, landed in the only town in the province, then known as Upland, but since known as Chester
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
.
The monument at the site was designed by John Struthers, erected on November 8 and dedicated November 9, 1882 (N.S.
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) The landing site was placed 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...
in 1971.
Founding of Pennsylvania
After receiving the charter for the Province of Pennsylvania on March 4, 1681 from King Charles II of England, Penn appointed William MarkhamWilliam Markham (Governor)
William Markham served as deputy governor of the Province of Pennsylvania. Markham was the acting governor of Pennsylvania from 1681 to 1682 and from 1693 to 1699...
as Deputy Governor on April 10, 1681. Markham proceeded to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, which had exercised nominal control of the area of Pennsylvania since 1676, where he presented his credentials. On August 3, 1681, Markham arrived in Upland, the only town in the province. About 500 Europeans lived in the province at that time, mostly in the present day counties of Delaware
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....
and Chester
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...
centered around Upland. Swedish and Dutch settlers had lived in the area since the 1630s, and Quakers had moved there from West Jersey
West Jersey
West Jersey and East Jersey were two distinct parts of the Province of New Jersey. The political division existed for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702...
starting about 1675. What little government there was, had been provided by the Upland Court under the laws of James, Duke of York
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, nominally supervised by the Governor of New York. The Upland Court exercised judicial, legislative, and executive authority.
Markham appointed judges to the court and members to a council. He also met with Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, 2nd Proprietor and 6th and 9th Proprietary Governor of Maryland , inherited the colony in 1675 upon the death of his father, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. He had been his father's Deputy Governor since 1661 when he arrived in the colony at the age of 24...
in Upland, who informed him that the Pennsylvania-Maryland border was about 12 miles north. Markham apparently informed Penn of the border dispute. Penn then arranged to receive deeds from the Duke of York to the "three lower counties
Delaware Colony
Delaware Colony in the North American Middle Colonies was a region of the Province of Pennsylvania although never legally a separate colony. From 1682 until 1776 it was part of the Penn proprietorship and was known as the lower counties...
" which now comprise the state of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware 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...
, thus strengthening his claims further north on the Delaware River.
Penn sailed aboard the ship Welcome from Deal, Kent
Deal, Kent
Deal is a town in Kent England. It lies on the English Channel eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town...
on the English Channel on August 30, 1682 and first landed in America on October 27, 1682 at New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
. In New Castle he performed the ancient "turf and twig" ceremony known as the livery of seisin
Livery of seisin
Livery of seisin is an archaic legal conveyancing ceremony, formerly practiced in feudal England and in other countries following English common law, used to convey holdings in property. The term "livery" is related, if not synonymous with, the word "delivery" as used in modern contract law...
to take possession of New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
. Within two days he arrived at Upland, about 18 miles north on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
.
According to Smith, immediately after arriving in Upland, Penn asked a companion from Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
in England to rename the town, and he promptly renamed it Chester. Penn landed near the log house of Robert Wade, which was also used as the first Quaker meetinghouse in the area, and spent the night in the house. Wade, in 1675, had bought the property which had been owned by the daughter of the governor of New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
, Johan Printz. Quaker minister William Edmundson had mentioned the house in his journal in 1676.
Monument
The granite monument stands about five feet tall and has Penn's coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
on the side facing inland. The monument was paid for by members of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historical society founded in 1824 and based in Philadelphia. The Society's building, designed by Addison Hutton and listed on Philadelphia's Register of Historical Places, houses some 600,000 printed items and over 19 million manuscript and graphic items...
and the Penn Club
The Penn Club of Philadelphia
The Penn Club is a private social club in Philadelphia. It was organized on March 18, 1875, with a mission to heighten awareness of arts and culture at the time of the Centennial Exhibition.-History:...
to mark the 200th anniversary of the landing. A special train was run from Philadelphia to Chester for the occasion, and the dedication was celebrated at length. The site is now about 100 feet inland, with railroad tracks separating it from the Delaware River in an industrial section of Chester, just south of Chester Creek
Chester Creek
thumb|upright=1.45|Chester Creek near [[Upland, Pennsylvania]]Chester Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-East Branch:...
.
Sources
- ExplorePAHistory.com, The Vision of William Penn, Chapter Two: Penn's Arrival, accessed 2010-05-19