borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

Bucks County, Pennsylvania Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Doylestown. The county is named after the English ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...

Lambertville, New Jersey Lambertville is a city in Hunterdon County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 3,906, New Hope Train Station 1945

New Hope is located along the route of the

Old York Road Old York Road (originally York Road, with reference to New York) is a roadway that was built during the 18th century to connect Philadelphia with New York City. Through New Jersey it was built along the Raritan (Unami tribe) "Naraticong Trail ...

, the former main highway between

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

and

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. It was generally regarded as the halfway point, where travelers would stay overnight and be ferried across the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...

the next morning. The section of U.S. Route 202 that passes just north of New Hope is still named York Road, and the original route is now known as Bridge Street ( PA 179). New Hope was first called "Coryell's Ferry," after the owner of the ferry business. The current name came into use following a fire in 1790 that destroyed several mills in the area; their reconstruction was considered a "new hope." The night prior to

George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against Hessian forces, whic ...

, he is said to have lodged in New Hope. He destroyed the ferry so the British could not follow him, and after the battles of Trenton and Princeton, when British troops were sweeping the area for the American forces, there was no response when they rang for the ferry. The British assumed the town was sympathetic to the Colonial forces and shelled the town. Several of the older structures in the town still claim to have unexploded British ordnance lodged in their roofbeams. Historic former residents include

James A. Michener James Albert Michener ( or ; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American writer. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were long, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and ...

and

Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...

. The North Pennsylvania Railroad finished construction of their New Hope Branch in 1891, later being taken over by the

Reading Railroad The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and commercial rail transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states that operated from 1924 until its 1976 acquisition by Conrail. Commonly call ...

. Passenger service to Philadelphia's

Reading Terminal The Reading Terminal ( ) is a complex of buildings that includes the former Reading Company main station located in the Market East section of Center City in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It comprises the Reading Terminal Headho ...

as well as all other passenger activity was terminated in 1952 from Hatboro, also the end for electrified track, and New Hope. Between 1952 and 1966, only freight trains were seen entering and leaving New Hope, mostly to deliver paper pulp for the Union Camp Paper Corp. and to deliver sand and gravel to James D. Morrissey Materials Co., a cement company and a division of James D. Morrissey, Inc. In 1966, the

New Hope and Ivyland Railroad The New Hope Railroad , formerly and colloquially known as the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad, is a shortline and heritage railroad located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Today, the railroad operates both steam and diesel powered locomotives and is ...

was formed and bought of track from New Hope southwest to Ivyland. Scenic tourist excursions started the same year. Freight service to New Hope was then handled by the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad. In 1972,

SEPTA The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five c ...

, who by then took over

Reading Railroad The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and commercial rail transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states that operated from 1924 until its 1976 acquisition by Conrail. Commonly call ...

's passenger operations, extended the electrified route to Warminster, where the current interchange for both SEPTA and NHRR is. Freight service to James D. Morrissey Materials Co. ceased sometime in the late 1970s and to Union Camp Paper Corp. in 1985. The New Hope and Ivyland Railroad continues to provide scenic tourist excursion passenger trains between New Hope and nearby Lahaska. In 1983, NBC network anchorwoman Jessica Savitch and her boyfriend drowned after their car overturned into the

Delaware Canal The Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, more commonly called the Delaware Canal, runs for parallel to the right bank of the Delaware River from the entry locks near the mouth of the Lehigh River and terminal end of the Lehigh Canal at ...

. The canal passes by Odette's Restaurant, where the couple had dined on a rainy evening when visibility was poor and two warning signs were missed. In 2004 and 2006, New Hope was flooded when the Delaware River overflowed its banks. On both occasions, the downtown businesses reopened within several days. Compared to the Great Flood of 1955, the 2004 and 2006 floods did not cause severe damage or fatalities.

Geography

New Hope PA from Goat Hill Overlook 04222018

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and (11.19%) is water. Much of that water is the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...

. The borough is located at the confluence of the Delaware River and Aquetong (Ingham) Creek, which begins its two-mile course in neighboring

Solebury Township Solebury Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,709 at the 2020 census. History Migrating English Quakers began to settle down in an area of Buckingham Township. Around 1702, this area was in ...

at Ingham Springs, the most productive spring in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The name Aquetong comes from a

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory inclu ...

word meaning "spring in the bushes," while Ingham refers to

Samuel D. Ingham Samuel Delucenna Ingham (September 16, 1779 – June 5, 1860) was a state legislator, judge, U.S. Representative and served as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Andrew Jackson. Early life and education Ingham was born near New Hope, Pe ...

, an industrialist, congressman, and advocate of the

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface f ...

that would run through the town. Near its end in New Hope, the creek forms a scenic millpond and waterfall near the

Bucks County Playhouse THE BUCKS COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE The Bucks County Playhouse is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. When the ''Hope Mills'' burned in 1790, the grist mills were rebuilt as the ''New Hope Mills,'' by Benjamin Parry. The town was renamed for the mills. ...

, a former mill. The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission operates two bridges over the Delaware River between New Hope and Lambertville,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

. One is the free, two-lane New Hope–Lambertville Bridge, and the other is the New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge, which carries U.S. Highway 202. The former place names Hood and Hufnagel are now part of the Borough.MacReynolds, George, ''Place Names in Bucks County, Pennsylvania'', Doylestown, Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA, 1942, P1.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, New Hope has a hot-summer,

humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

climate (''Dfa''). ''Dfa'' climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ , at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid in New Hope, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with

heat index The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is al ...

values > . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on July 22, 2011, and the highest daily average mean

dew point The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will ...

was on August 13, 2016. The average wettest month is July which corresponds with the annual peak in

thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...

activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is . Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on January 22, 1984. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur, featuring

wind chill Wind chill or windchill (popularly wind chill factor) is the lowering of body temperature due to the passing-flow of lower-temperature air. Wind chill numbers are always lower than the air temperature for values where the formula is valid. When ...

values below . The average annual snowfall (Nov-Apr) is between and .

Ice storm An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on ...

s and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow occur once every few years, particularly during

nor’easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below), or an East Coast low is a synoptic-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. The original use o ...

s from December through February.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the borough was approximately 85.2% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian or Alaskan Native, 3.1% Asian, and 4.4% identified as some other race. 6.0% of the borough identified as two or more races and 0.1% identified as three or more races. 8.0% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. No one was of Native Islander or Other Pacific Islander ethnicity. There were an estimated 2,612 people and 1,192 households residing in the borough. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,843.3 people per square mile (711.72/km²). There were 1,481 housing units at an average density of 1,045.2 per square mile (403.54/km²) Of the approximately 1,192 households, there was a count of 690 families. Out of all the households, 14.2% housed one or more children under 18, and 53.5% housed one or more adults over the age of 60. Of the 1,336 occupied housing units, 34.5% had

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 3.1% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 2.2% had a male householder with no spouse present. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.70. In 2020 estimates, 11.8% were under the age of 18, 7.1% are 18 to 24, 15.2% are 25 to 44, 43.1% are 45 to 64, and 23.0% are 65 years of age or older. The estimated median age was 56.2 years. The estimated male to female ratio is 1.25 to 1. The median income for a household in the borough was estimated at $107,000, and the median income for a family was an estimated $173,750. The 2020 census found that 2.5% of New Hope's population is without healthcare coverage. In 2020, an estimated 63.6% of the population had a bachelor's degree or higher. New Hope's estimated employment rate was 59.6%.

Arts and culture

New Hope's primary industry is tourism. New Hope has historically been a location where

Broadway theater Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

shows were "tested and fine tuned," and many notable stage actors bought weekend homes in the area.

Bucks County Playhouse THE BUCKS COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE The Bucks County Playhouse is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. When the ''Hope Mills'' burned in 1790, the grist mills were rebuilt as the ''New Hope Mills,'' by Benjamin Parry. The town was renamed for the mills. ...

featured many plays and musical productions. In 2010, the Playhouse was closed after lenders foreclosed the property. In 2012, the Playhouse re-opened after an extensive renovation. New Hope was the location of an

art colony An art colony, also known as an artists' colony, can be defined two ways. Its most liberal description refers to the organic congregation of artists in towns, villages and rural areas, often drawn by areas of natural beauty, the prior existence o ...

, founded by Edward Willis Redfield and

William Langson Lathrop William Langson Lathrop (pronounced "LAY-throp") (March 29, 1859 – September 21, 1938) was an American Impressionist landscape painter and founder of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is sometimes referred to as a "Pennsylvania I ...

, that produced noted regional work. Members or associates of the colony included

George Sotter George W. Sotter (1879 – 1953) was an American painter best known for Impressionist-style works. He was born and raised in

, Daniel Garber and

Fern Coppedge Fern Isabel Coppedge (July 28, 1883 – April 21, 1951) was an American impressionist painter. Life Born in the small town of Cerro Gordo near Decatur, Illinois to John L. Kuns and Maria Dilling Kuns, Fern Coppedge spent much of her life in Pen ...

. Artists also associated with an art colony in nearby Phillips Mill. ''Note:'' This includes New Hope became a popular gay resort in the 1950s, and continues to have an active and large gay community. New Hope also attracts motorcyclists on weekends in the warmer months. Union Camp Corporation had a bag production facility in New Hope until the mid 1990s, which employed about 100 and was located uphill from the railroad. The former factory complex, now known as Union Square, has been re-purposed into tourism-related shops and businesses. In 2010, the New Hope and Lambertville area Chambers of Commerce conducted a fireworks show every Friday night during the summer to increase tourism and merchant revenue. Bars and restaurants benefited from the fireworks show, but residents criticized the weekly event, claiming it was disruptive and reduced parking. In 2014, the New Hope Chamber of Commerce canceled the firework show, citing a rise in shoplifting, garbage, and an overall decline in store traffic and Friday night revenues.

Historic sites

Cintra, Joshua Ely House, Honey Hollow Watershed, William Kitchen House, New Hope Village District, Rhoads Homestead, and Springdale Historic District are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The Honey Hollow Watershed is also designated a

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

.

Education

The New-Hope Solebury School District offers a public education to residents of New Hope and neighboring Solebury. The school districts of New Hope and Solebury were integrated in 1957. The

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as ...

announced in 2011 that St. Martin of Tours School was closing as the number of students had declined.

Notable people

*

Christian Bauman Christian Bauman (born June 15, 1970) is an American novelist, essayist, and lyricist. Early life and education Bauman was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, Easton, Pennsylvania on June 15, 1970. He began grade school while living in Doylestown ...

, novelist and essayist * Robert Beck, artist *

Rebecca Blasband Rebecca Blasband (born c. 1968) is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, and television personality known as a cast member on '' The Real World: New York'', the first season of MTV's reality television show '' The Real World''. Early lif ...

, singer, songwriter and screenwriter *

Amber Brooks Amber Jean Brooks (born January 23, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She has previously played for Adelaide United, Houston Dash, OL Reig ...

, professional women's soccer player * Selma Burke, African-American sculptor *

Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...

, Revolutionary War soldier and Vice President *

Gregg Cagno Gregg Cagno is an American songwriter and touring performer in the singer-songwriter and folk genres. Career Born in 1969, Cagno grew up in Clinton, New Jersey and now lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a 2006 ASCAP award winner in ...

, singer and songwriter *

Sim Cain Rollins Band was an American rock band formed in Van Nuys, California. The band was active from 1987 to 2006 and was led by former Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. They are best known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and " Liar", which both ...

, former

Rollins Band Rollins Band was an American rock band formed in Van Nuys, California. The band was active from 1987 to 2006 and was led by former Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. They are best known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and " Liar", which both ...

drummer * Steve Garvey, bassist of the

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the indepen ...

and music producer who migrated from Manchester, England * Thomas Holmes, former CEO of Ingersoll Rand * Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween) & Mickey Melchiondo (aka Dean Ween), founding members of the band

Ween Ween is an American Rock music, rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Gene Ween, Aaron Freeman and Dean Ween, Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an al ...

* Odette Myrtil, actress, singer, violinist * George Nakashima, 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. *

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

, Jazz saxophonist and composer * Joseph Pickett, folk painter * Antonin Raymond, architect and interior designer * Leon Redbone, musician *

Michele Sainte Michele Sainte is an American drum and bass DJ and former techno DJ. Clubs and raves Sainte is a former breakbeat hardcore and techno DJ that is also "widely regarded as one of the States' premiere female drumandbass DJs" according to Dieselb ...

, club and rave DJ *

Bryan Scott Bryan Anderson Scott (born April 13, 1981) is a former American football linebacker and safety. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State University. He was also a me ...

, NFL player * Ted Tally, Oscar-winning screenwriter * Michael Vick, NFL Quarterback who briefly lived in New Hope whilst playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. * Chuck Wendig, author and screenwriter *

Winter Ave Zoli Winter Ave Zoli (born June 28, 1980) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Lyla Winston in FX's TV series ''Sons of Anarchy'', Amy Snyder in '' Bosch'' (2017-2018), and for '' Deserted'' (2016). Zoli also appears ...

, actress

Impressionist artists

* Rae Sloan Bredin, landscape painter * Morgan Colt, architect and landscape painter *

Fern Coppedge Fern Isabel Coppedge (July 28, 1883 – April 21, 1951) was an American impressionist painter. Life Born in the small town of Cerro Gordo near Decatur, Illinois to John L. Kuns and Maria Dilling Kuns, Fern Coppedge spent much of her life in Pen ...

, landscape painter * Daniel Garber, landscape painter, instructor at the

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is a museum and private art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

* L. Birge Harrison, landscape painter, instructor at the

Art Students League of New York The Art Students League of New York is an art school at 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists. Although artists may st ...

*

John Fulton Folinsbee John Fulton "Jack" Folinsbee (March 14, 1892 – May 10, 1972) was an American landscape, marine and portrait painter, and a member of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is best known today for his impressionist scenes of New Hope ...

, landscape and marine painter *

William Langson Lathrop William Langson Lathrop (pronounced "LAY-throp") (March 29, 1859 – September 21, 1938) was an American Impressionist landscape painter and founder of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is sometimes referred to as a "Pennsylvania I ...

, landscape painter, founder of the New Hope art colony * Harry Leith-Ross, Scottish-American landscape painter *

Mary Elizabeth Price Mary Elizabeth Price (March 1, 1877 – February 19, 1965), also known as M. Elizabeth Price, was an American Impressionist painter. She was an early member of the Philadelphia Ten, organizing several of the group's exhibitions. She steadily exh ...

, landscape painter * Edward Willis Redfield, landscape painter * Charles Rosen, landscape painter * Walter Elmer Schofield, landscape and marine painter * Robert Spencer, landscape painter *

George Sotter George W. Sotter (1879 – 1953) was an American painter best known for Impressionist-style works. He was born and raised in

, landscape painter

References

External links

* {{authority control 1707 establishments in Pennsylvania 1837 establishments in Pennsylvania Boroughs in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Boroughs in Pennsylvania Gay villages in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania populated places on the Delaware River Populated places established in 1707

Geography

Climate

Demographics

Arts and culture

Historic sites

Education

Notable people

Impressionist artists

See also

References

External links