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    Downingtown
    Downingtown
    Downingtown
    Ebook182 pages1 hour

    Downingtown

    By Bruce Edward Mowday

    ()

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    About this ebook

    From the days predating the American Revolution, Downingtown has played a vital part in the development of not only Chester County but also the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America. It was an important stop for farmers and tradesmen transporting goods between Lancaster and Philadelphia. During the Philadelphia campaign of the Revolution in 1777, the Continental Congress approved the storage of material for George Washington's army in Downingtown. Situated in the heart of one of William Penn's three original counties of Pennsylvania, the area grew into an important manufacturing community, known for its paper mills fueled by the east branch of the Brandywine River, which flows through the middle of the town.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateMay 24, 2004
    ISBN9781439615683
    Downingtown
    Author

    Bruce Edward Mowday

    Bruce Edward Mowday is the author of five Arcadia volumes: Coatesville, Downingtown, West Chester, Along the Brandywine River, and Chester County Mushroom Farming. Parkesburg is a collaboration involving the Parkesburg Free Library, the author, and local citizens. Many of the photographs in Parkesburg were drawn from the library�s�collection.

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      Book preview

      Downingtown - Bruce Edward Mowday

      2004

      INTRODUCTION

      Downingtown has been an important village in the history of Chester County, one of the original three counties of William Penn’s Pennsylvania. The borough’s location, between the important Colonial cities of Philadelphia and Lancaster, made the village an important stop for merchants during the early days of the United States. The Lancaster Road, known as part of Lincoln Highway and now called Lancaster Avenue, runs east and west through the middle of Downingtown and was a portion of the first turnpike in America, a toll road.

      The East Branch of the Brandywine River, which bisects Downingtown, played a role in the development of the borough’s manufacturing industry. Paper mills and mills of other types, along with additional businesses, used the Brandywine as a source of power. The Brandywine has not always been kind to Downingtown, as its banks have overflowed on a number of occasions, flooding many sections of the village. The borough hall, Kerr Park, the main intersection of Routes 30 and 322, businesses, and the homes of a number of citizens have all been inundated with water during floods.

      The village predates the American Revolution and was used by the new Colonial government as a supply depot for Gen. George Washington’s army during the Philadelphia campaign of 1777. On September 10, 1777 (the day before the Battle of Brandywine), one of Downingtown’s leaders wrote the commonwealth’s executive council to ask for a guard to protect the military stores. He also indicated he was asking for wagons from citizens to move some of the stores toward Reading, Pennsylvania. A regiment of the Pennsylvania line of Washington’s army spent one winter of the war quartered in Downingtown.

      Many important structures in the area have survived, including the historic Ashbridge House, which sits on the old toll road. Built in the early 1700s, the house is one of the earliest structures still existing in Chester County.

      One of the pioneers of Downingtown was Roger Hunt. After marrying, Hunt built in the western section of the borough a house that was known as the Hunt mansion. A surveyor, he was reported to be involved in the design of Lancaster and, during the French and Indian War, served as a captain in the service of King George III.

      One of the most recognized structures today in Downingtown is the building known as the Log House, which is situated on the north side of Lancaster Avenue near the Brandywine River and the Lancaster Pike Bridge. The bridge was constructed in 1802. Some historians have decreed that the Log House, built in the early 1700s, is where the community of Downingtown began. At first, Downingtown was known as Milltown. Thomas Moore built a corn mill in 1716, and the mill was one of the structures contributing to the name Milltown.

      The first turnpike in America was constructed by the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Company, which was chartered on April 9, 1792. The road was completed in 1794 and was open to the public the next year. Public houses were constructed all along the road, averaging one a mile, to offer food and lodging for the teamsters and needed supplies for their animals.

      Besides being a center for commerce, Downingtown was considered a perfect location for the seat of Chester County government. When Delaware County was split from Chester County in 1787, Downingtown was named as the prime community for the honor, but the village’s citizens did not want to spoil their peaceful community by hosting the county government. The honor went to Turk’s Head, now called West Chester, just a few miles south of Downingtown.

      On January 27, 1859, a petition was filed with the Court of Quarter Sessions of Chester County to have the village of Downingtown incorporated as a borough. The request was approved on May 12, 1859. The borough’s first chief burgess was James Lockhart, who held the post for two years. Downingtown’s first postmaster was Hunt Downing, who assumed the role in

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