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114-648: The area is along the northern reaches of the Delaware River , on Pennsylvania's border with what was called, at the time, West Jersey . Encyclopædia Britannica refers to the treaty as a "land swindle". The Lenape appealed to the Iroquois Indian tribe to their north for aid on the issue, but the Iroquois refused their request, ultimately siding with the Penn interests. Nearly 300 years later, in 2004,

228-491: A broad, sluggish inlet of the sea, with many marshes along its side, widening steadily into its great estuary, Delaware Bay . The Delaware River constitutes the boundary between Delaware and New Jersey. The Delaware–New Jersey border is actually at the easternmost river shoreline within the Twelve-Mile Circle of New Castle , rather than at mid-river, mid-channel or thalweg , so small portions of land lying west of

342-581: A day from the Delaware and its upstream tributaries. The Delaware River has been attached to areas of high pollution . The Delaware River in 2012 was named the 5th most polluted river in the United States, explained by PennEnvironment and Environment New Jersey. The activist groups claim that there is about 7–10 million pounds of toxic chemicals flowing through the waterways due to dumping by DuPont Chambers Works. PennEnvironment also claims that

456-580: A deed as a legal contract." ( Compl. ¶ 38.) Thomas Penn represented to the Lenape chiefs that some fifty years prior, the ancestors of the Lenape had signed documents stating that the "land to be deeded to the Penns was as much as could be covered in a day-and-a-half's walk." ( Id.) Believing that their forefathers had made such an agreement, the Lenape Chiefs agreed to the terms of the deed and consented to

570-608: A deed from 1686 under which the Lenape promised to sell a tract beginning at the junction of the upper Delaware River and the tributary Lehigh River , near present-day Easton, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley and extending as far west as a man could walk in a day and a half. The agreement later became known as the "Walking Purchase" or the Walking Treaty of 1737. The original 17th century document might have been

684-510: A depth of 40 ft (12 m). There is an effort underway to deepen the 102.5-mile stretch of this federal navigation channel, from Philadelphia and Camden to the mouth of the Delaware Bay to 45 feet. The Delaware River port complex refers to the ports and energy facilities along the river in the tri-state PA - NJ - DE Delaware Valley region. They include the Port of Salem ,

798-550: A lawsuit was filed over the continuing dispute. In the case, Delaware Nation v. Pennsylvania , the Delaware Tribe , one of three later federally-recognized Lenape tribes, and its descendants in the 21st century claimed 314 acres (1.27 km) of land included in the original purchase in 1737, but the U.S. District Court granted the Commonwealth's motion to dismiss. It ruled that the case was nonjusticiable , even if

912-433: A margin of less than 5% in each except for 2008, with three of those eight elections decided by less than 2% (1992, 2012, and 2016). In 2024, Donald Trump flipped the county with a victory margin of 0.07% or 291 votes. Prior to this Republicans won the county all but thrice between 1896 and 1988 (except in 1912, 1936, and 1964). Unlike most other suburban Philadelphia counties, Bucks County consistently voted Democratic during

1026-400: A peak of 30.95 feet (9.43 m) on September 23, 2004, 34.07 feet (10.38 m) on April 4, 2005, and 33.62 feet (10.25 m) on June 28, 2006, all considerably higher than the flood stage of 22 feet (6.7 m). Since the upper Delaware basin has few population centers along its banks, flooding in this area mainly affects natural unpopulated flood plains. Residents in the middle part of

1140-547: A quiet and charming country of farm and forest, diversified with plateaus and escarpments, until it crosses the Appalachian plain and enters the hills again at Easton , Pennsylvania. From this point it is flanked at intervals by fine hills, and in places by cliffs, of which the finest are the Nockamixon Cliffs, 3 miles (5 km) long and above 200 feet (61 m) high. The Appalachian Trail , which traverses

1254-658: A regional educational service agency called the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 located in the county seat of Doylestown . The Bucks County Library System was founded in 1956 by a resolution of the Bucks County Commissioners. The Bucks County Library System is made up of 7 branch libraries in the following townships: Many artists and writers based in New York City have called Bucks County home, settling mainly in

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1368-605: A result of the failure of a controversial plan to build a dam on the Delaware River at Tocks Island , just north of the Delaware Water Gap to control water levels for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The dam would have created a 37-mile (60 km) lake in the center of present park for use as a reservoir. Starting in 1960, the present-day area of the Recreation Area was acquired for

1482-405: A straight path cleared through the forests and hired three of the fastest runners in the province. "[H]e and his agents spent weeks mapping their route-which went northwest rather than north as the treaty specified-hacking trails out of the woods." ( Id. ¶ 39.) In addition, Thomas Penn promised that the fastest runner would receive five pounds sterling and 500 acres of land. In the end, the runners of

1596-476: A verbal agreement, an unsigned treaty, an unratified treaty, or an outright forgery. The Penns' agents, however, began selling land in the region in and around present-day Lehigh Valley along the Lehigh River prior to the Lenape vacating the still inhabited area. To address the Lenape's misgivings and suspicions, Penn Land Office Agent and provincial secretary James Logan produced a map that misrepresented

1710-529: Is Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem , a casino and thoroughbred horse racing track. The casino was built on the grounds of what was originally Philadelphia Park Racetrack. The complex includes the thoroughbred horse racing track, expansive casino, a dance club, numerous dining options, and the Xcite Center . K-12 school districts include: The Bucks County public schools listed above are served by

1824-572: Is a local radio news station. The Bucks County Sharks rugby league team played in the AMNRL from 1997 to 2010 season. They returned to play in the AMNRL in 2011, until the league's fold in 2014, when they subsequently joined the USARL . The county has a considerable history of producing Little League baseball contenders. Since its inception in 1947, four of the seven Pennsylvania teams to compete in

1938-475: Is a major barrier to travel between New Jersey and Pennsylvania . Most of the larger bridges are tolled only westbound, and are owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority , Delaware River Port Authority , Burlington County Bridge Commission or Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission . After New York City built 15 reservoirs to supply water to the city's growing population, it was unable to obtain permission to build an additional five reservoirs along

2052-576: Is a part of PIAA 's District I, and has seen many schools capture multiple state titles. In 1996, Yardley Western Post 317 won the American Legion National Championship. Bristol Legion Post 382 recently won the 2011 American Legion State Championship. There are six Commonwealth -owned parks in Bucks County: Air transportation facilities available in or close to Bucks County include: Like most of

2166-450: Is an important part of the Delaware River's history, adding to its diverse cultural legacy. The magnitude of the commerce of Philadelphia has made the improvements of the river below that port of great importance. Small improvements were attempted by Pennsylvania as early as 1771. Commerce was once important on the upper river, primarily prior to railway competition of 1857. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area came about as

2280-858: Is considered a Bucks County artist. Allen Saalburg relocated to Bucks County in 1947, and named his press after the canal. The county boasts many local theater companies, including the long-established and recently reopened Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Town and Country Players in Buckingham, ActorsNET in Morrisville, and the Bristol Riverside Theatre, a professional Equity theater in Bristol. The Bucks County Symphony, founded in 1953, performs in Doylestown throughout

2394-902: Is one of the three original counties created by colonial proprietor William Penn in 1682. Penn named the county after Buckinghamshire , the county in which he lived in England ; "Bucks." is the traditional abbreviation for the English county, which became the actual name of the Pennsylvania one. He built a country estate, Pennsbury Manor , in Falls Township in present-day Bucks County. Some places in Bucks County were named after locations in Buckinghamshire , England, including Buckingham and Buckingham Township , named after

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2508-419: Is projected by 2020 that one out of four people in Bucks County will work in biotechnology. Another important asset of the county is tourism. The county's northern regions, colloquially referred to as Upper Bucks, are known for their natural scenery, farmland, colonial history, and proximity to major urban areas, including Philadelphia , New York City , Allentown , Reading , and Atlantic City , each of which

2622-415: Is the 33rd largest river in the United States in terms of flow, but is among the nation's most heavily used rivers in daily freight tonnage. The average annual flow rate of the Delaware is 11,700 cubic feet per second at Trenton, New Jersey . With no dams or impediments on the river's main stem, the Delaware is one of the few remaining large free-flowing rivers in the United States. The West Branch of

2736-477: Is the county's most populated and industrialized area. Bucks County shares a western border with Montgomery County , and also borders Philadelphia to the southwest, and Northampton and Lehigh Counties to the north. From north to south, it is linked to Warren , Hunterdon , Mercer and Burlington Counties in New Jersey by bridges. Tohickon Creek and Neshaminy Creek are the largest tributaries of

2850-537: Is the largest receptacle of out-of-state waste in the USA (receiving much of New York City's waste following the closure of Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island, NY 40 miles (64 km) away). Bucks is also experiencing rapid growth in biotechnology , along with neighboring Montgomery County . The Greater Philadelphia area consistently ranks in the top 10 geographic clusters for biotechnology and biopharma. It

2964-630: Is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States . From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York , the river flows for 282 miles (454 km) along the borders of New York , Pennsylvania , New Jersey , and Delaware , before emptying into Delaware Bay . The river has been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as one of the country's Great Waters and has been called

3078-555: Is within a two-hour driving radius. Bucks County is home to twelve covered bridges . Ten are still open to vehicular traffic; two others, located in parks, are open only to non-vehicular traffic. All Bucks County bridges use the Town truss design. Schofield Ford Bridge, in Tyler State Park , was reconstructed in 1997 from the ground up after arsonists destroyed the original in 1991. Popular attractions in Bucks County include

3192-402: Is working to try to address the issue of flooding along the river. As the past few years have seen a rise in catastrophic floods, most residents of the river basin feel that something must be done. The local governments have worked in association with FEMA to address many of these problems, however, due to insufficient federal funds, progress is slow. A number of oil spills have taken place in

3306-568: The Army Corps of Engineers through eminent domain . Between 3,000 and 5,000 dwellings were demolished, including historical sites, and about 15,000 people were displaced by the project. Because of massive environmental opposition, dwindling funds, and an unacceptable geological assessment of the dam's safety, the government transferred the property to the National Park Service in 1978. The National Park Service found itself as

3420-817: The Civil War era, only voting Republican twice between 1856 and 1892, in 1860 and 1872. The executive government is run by a three-seat board of commissioners, one member of which serves as chairperson. Commissioners are elected through at-large voting and serve four-year terms. In cases of vacancy, a panel of county judges appoints members to fill seats. The current commissioners are Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia (D) (chairwoman), Robert "Bob" J. Harvie Jr. (D) (Vice-chairman), and Gene DiGirolamo (R). The current terms expire in January 2028. In 2012, four county employees were sentenced for compensating public employees for political work on behalf of Republican candidates. Bucks County

3534-801: 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 county of Buckinghamshire . The county is part of the Southeast Pennsylvania region of the state. The county represents the northern boundary of the Philadelphia – Camden – Wilmington , PA– NJ – DE – MD metropolitan statistical area . To its southwest, Bucks County borders Montgomery County and Philadelphia ,

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3648-644: The Delaware in Bucks County. Tohickon Creek empties into the river at Point Pleasant and Neshaminy at Croydon ( Bristol Township ). As of the 2010 census, there were 625,249 people. The population density was 1,034.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 86.6% Non-Hispanic white , 3.9% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 4.1% Asian (2.1% Indian, 1.1% Chinese, 0.7% Korean, 0.5% Filipino, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.1% Japanese, 0.4% other Asian) 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.7% were of two or more races, and 1.5% were of other races . 4.4% of

3762-778: The Delaware City Refinery , the Dupont Chambers Works , Oceanport Terminal at Claymont , the Marcus Hook Refinery, the Trainer Refinery , the Paulsboro Asphalt Refinery , Paulsboro Refinery , Eagle Point Refinery, and Sunoco Fort Mifflin. As of 2011, crude oil was the largest single commodity transported on the Delaware River, accounting for half of all annual cargo tonnage. The Delaware River

3876-534: The East Branch at Grand Gorge , Delaware County . The branches merge to form the main Delaware River at Hancock, New York . Flowing south, the river remains relatively undeveloped, with 152 miles (245 km) protected as the Upper , Middle , and Lower Delaware National Scenic Rivers . At Trenton, New Jersey , the Delaware becomes tidal , navigable , and significantly more industrial . This section forms

3990-530: The First Anglo-Powhatan War . Lord de la Warr waged a punitive campaign to subdue the Powhatan after they had killed the colony's council president, John Ratcliffe , and attacked the colony's fledgling settlements. Lord de la Warr arrived with 150 soldiers in time to prevent the colony's original settlers at Jamestown from giving up and returning to England and is credited with saving

4104-725: The Iroquois confederacy tribe to the north, who claimed hegemony over the Delaware River , but the Iroquois leaders decided that it was not in their best interest to intervene on behalf of their southern neighbors since Iroquois leader Captain Logan already made a deal with the Iroquois to support the colonial side. As a result, the Lenape vacated the Walking Purchase lands in present-day eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. Lenape chiefs Lappawinsoe , Manawkyhickon, Sassoonan , Nenatcheehunt , and others continued protesting

4218-661: The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania have come from Bucks County: Morrisville ( 1955 ), Levittown American ( 1960 and 1961 ), and Council Rock-Newtown ( 2005 ). Two of these squads, Morrisville and Levittown (1960), went on to win the World Series title. In 2007, Council Rock Northampton won the PA State championship, and lost in the finals of regionals. The county

4332-595: The New Netherland colony in 1664. However, the river and bay were known by the name Delaware as early as 1641. The state of Delaware was originally part of the William Penn 's Pennsylvania colony . In 1682, the Duke of York granted Penn's request for access to the sea and leased him the territory along the western shore of Delaware Bay, which became known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware". In 1704,

4446-552: The Otter Creek tributary , leading to a water advisory in Philadelphia . With the failure of the dam project to come to fruition, the lack of flood control on the river left it vulnerable, and it has experienced a number of serious flooding events as the result of snow melt or rain run-off from heavy rainstorms. Record flooding occurred in August 1955, in the aftermath of the passing of the remnants of two separate hurricanes over

4560-544: The Pennsylvania government , and later brought suit in federal court. In 2004, Delaware Nation , representing the Lenape , filed suit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia , seeking 314 acres (1.27 km) included in the 1737 Walking Purchase and patented in 1741, which was known as Tatamy's Place. The court granted

4674-406: The Port of Wilmington , the Port of Chester , the Port of Paulsboro , the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Camden . Combined they create one of the largest shipping areas of the United States. In 2015, the ports of Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington handled 100 million tons of cargo from 2,243 ship arrivals, and supported 135,000 direct or indirect jobs. The biggest category of imports

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4788-721: The "Lifeblood of the Northeast" by American Rivers . Its watershed drains an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km ) and provides drinking water for 17 million people, including half of New York City via the Delaware Aqueduct . The Delaware River has two branches that rise in the Catskill Mountains of New York: the West Branch at Mount Jefferson in Jefferson , Schoharie County , and

4902-619: The American Midwest and Canada. The Delaware River's drainage basin has an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km ) and encompasses 42 counties and 838 municipalities in five U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. This total area constitutes approximately 0.4% of the land mass in the United States. In 2001, the watershed was 18% agricultural land, 14% developed land, and 68% forested land. There are 216 tributary streams and creeks comprising an estimated 14,057 miles of streams and creeks, in

5016-602: The Circuit did not consider the merits of the tribe's argument that: The Delaware Nation claims in its appeal that the King of England—not Thomas Penn—was the sovereign over the territory that included Tatamy's Place. Therefore, Thomas Penn could not extinguish aboriginal title via the Walking Purchase and, consequently, the Delaware Nation maintains a right of occupancy and use. The Circuit Court found it insufficient that

5130-652: The Clean Water Act explains how conditions of the river should be stable enough for human fishing and swimming. Even though the river has had success with the cleanup of pollution, the Delaware River still does not meet that standard of swimmable or fishable conditions in the Philadelphia/Chester region. In March 2023, a pipe rupture at a Trinseo chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania , released over 8,000 gallons of latex finishing material into

5244-587: The Commonwealth's motion to dismiss. According to the federal Eastern District Court: Penn's government and practices apparently differed sharply from the Puritan-led governments of the other American colonies. The most striking difference was Penn's ability to cultivate a positive relationship based on mutual respect with the Native Americans inhabiting the province. While the Puritans "stole from

5358-537: The Delaware Nation's allegations of fraud were factually accurate. This ruling was upheld through several appeals in the United States courts of appeals , which culminated in the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to hear the case, thereby upholding the lower courts' decision. In 1681, the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania , William Penn , enjoyed a reputation for fair dealing with the Lenape . However, William Penn's two sons, John and Thomas , largely abandoned their father's moderate practices. In 1736, they claimed

5472-463: The Delaware River , also called the Mohawk Branch, spans approximately 90 miles (140 km) from the northern Catskill Mountains to its confluence with the Delaware River's East Branch at Hancock, New York . The last 6 miles (9.7 km) forms part of the boundary between New York and Pennsylvania . The West Branch rises in Schoharie County , New York at 1,886 feet (575 m) above sea level, near Mount Jefferson , and flows tortuously through

5586-428: The Delaware River as the River of the Year for 2020, citing 75 years of progress in reducing pollution and restoring wildlife. In 1984, the U.S. Department of the Treasury authorized the creation of a wine region or " American Viticultural Area " called the Central Delaware Valley AVA located in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey . The wine appellation includes 96,000 acres (38,850 ha) surrounding

5700-430: The Delaware River north of Philadelphia and Trenton , New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, it consists of the territory along the Delaware River in Bucks County ; in New Jersey, the AVA spans along the river in Hunterdon County and Mercer County from Titusville , New Jersey, just north of Trenton, northward to Musconetcong Mountain . As of 2013, there are no New Jersey wineries in the Central Delaware Valley AVA. In

5814-437: The Delaware River's tributaries. As a result, in 1928 the city decided to draw water from the Delaware River, putting them in direct conflict with villages and towns across the river in Pennsylvania which were already using the Delaware for their water supply. The two sides eventually took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court , and in 1931, New York City was allowed to draw 440 million US gallons (1,700,000 m ) of water

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5928-415: The Delaware River. This settlement marked one of the earliest European establishments in the region, with Fort Christina (located near modern-day Wilmington, Delaware) becoming a key trading post and symbol of Swedish colonial ambition. The Swedes engaged in peaceful land negotiations with the local Lenape people and developed a thriving colony. New Sweden became a center for trade and cultural exchange between

6042-463: The Delaware basin experience flooding, including three major floods in the three years (2004–2006) that have severely damaged their homes and land. The lower part of the Delaware basin from Philadelphia southward to the Delaware Bay is tidal and much wider than portions further north, and is not prone to river-related flooding (although tidal surges can cause minor flooding in this area). The Delaware River Basin Commission , along with local governments,

6156-399: The Delaware over the years. The National Marine Fisheries Service is considering designating sixteen rivers as endangered habitat for the Atlantic sturgeon which would require more attention to be given to uses of the rivers that affect the fish. The river is part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System . Bucks County, Pennsylvania Bucks County is a county in

6270-425: The Delaware. Similarly, the East Branch begins from a small pond south of Grand Gorge in the town of Roxbury in Delaware County , flowing southwest toward its impoundment by New York City to create the Pepacton Reservoir , the largest reservoir in the New York City water supply system . Its tributaries are the Beaver Kill River and the Willowemoc Creek which enter into the river ten miles (16 km) before

6384-419: The EPA involved the Delaware County Regional Water Authority (DELCORA) where they set up a plan to spend around $ 200 million to help rid the waterway of about 740 million gallons of sewage and pollution. DELCORA was also fined about $ 1.4 million for allowing the Delaware River to have so much pollution residing in the river in the first place and for not complying with the Clean Water Act. Part of

6498-454: The Indians ... Penn achieved peaceful relations with the Indians." The District Court recounted the Delaware Nation's allegations: Penn's sons were less interested than their father in cultivating a friendship with the Lenape . Thomas Penn , in particular, is reportedly responsible for executing The Walking Purchase of 1737, pursuant to which Thomas Penn approached the Lenape chiefs and "falsely represented an old, incomplete, unsigned draft of

6612-501: The Lenape began their movement westward in compliance with their ancestors' purported agreement to the terms of the Walking Purchase's deed. Over a hundred years later, experts examining the deed concluded it likely was a forgery. As a result of the Walking Purchase, members of the Lenape, now recognized as The Delaware Nation, were segregated into pockets or parcels of land surrounded by non-tribal settlers. The Delaware Tribe conceded that Thomas Penn had "sovereign authority," but challenged

6726-448: The Lenape". The Delaware River played a key factor in the economic and social development of the Mid-Atlantic region. In the seventeenth century it provided the conduit for colonial settlement by the Dutch ( New Netherland ) and the Swedish ( New Sweden ). Beginning in 1664, the region became an English possession as settlement by Quakers established the colonies of Pennsylvania (including present-day Delaware ) and West Jersey . In

6840-409: The Lower Counties were given political autonomy to form a separate provincial assembly, but they shared Pennsylvania's provincial governor until the two colonies separated on June 15, 1776, and they remained separate as states after the establishment of the United States. The name "Delaware" also came to be used as a collective name for the Lenape , a Native American people who inhabited an area of

6954-426: The New York City water system. It is the most recently constructed New York City reservoir and began serving the city in 1964. Draining a large watershed of 455 square miles (1,180 km ), the reservoir's capacity is 95.7 billion US gallons (362,000,000 m ). This water flows over halfway through the reservoir to enter the 44-mile (71 km) West Delaware Tunnel in Tompkins , New York. Then it flows through

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7068-501: The Pennsylvania–New Jersey state line for 25 miles (40 km) to the end of the ridge at Walpack Bend in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area . The Minisink is a buried valley where the Delaware flows in a bed of glacial till that buried the eroded bedrock during the last glacial period . It then skirts the Kittatinny ridge , which it crosses at the Delaware Water Gap , between nearly vertical walls of sandstone , quartzite , and conglomerate , and then passes through

7182-487: The Philadelphia suburbs, Bucks County was once a stronghold for the Republican Party . However, in recent years it has become more of a swing county, like Pennsylvania at large. In presidential elections, Bucks County has been swept up in the overall Democratic trend that has swept the Philadelphia area, although the trend in Bucks has been less pronounced than in Delaware and Montgomery counties. It went Democratic in every presidential election from 1992 to 2020, though by

7296-410: The Project of 1885, the U.S. government undertook systematically the formation of a 26-foot (7.9 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to deep water in Delaware Bay . The River and Harbor Act of 1899 provided for a 30-foot (9.1 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to the deep water of the bay. Since 1941, the Delaware River Main Channel was maintained at

7410-403: The Swedish settlers, Native Americans, and neighboring Dutch colonies. Although the Dutch would later assert dominance over the region in 1655, New Sweden laid the groundwork for European settlement along the Delaware River. The fort and surrounding settlements played a crucial role in the early European rivalry for control of North America's resources and territory. This era of Swedish colonization

7524-423: The Third Circuit in Philadelphia , which upheld the earlier ruling of the District Court. The Third Circuit upheld that aboriginal title may validly be extinguished by fraud, and further held that the tribe had waived the issue of whether Penn was actually a sovereign purchaser. Moreover, the Circuit held that any grants to the tribe subsequent to the extinguishment could not re-establish aboriginal title. Therefore,

7638-406: The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. The river flows southeast for 78 miles through rural regions along the New York-Pennsylvania border to Port Jervis and Shawangunk Ridge . At Port Jervis , New York, it enters the Port Jervis trough. At this point, the Walpack Ridge deflects the Delaware into the Minisink Valley, where it follows the southwest strike of the eroded Marcellus Formation beds along

7752-412: The Virginia colony. The name of the barony (later an earldom ) is pronounced as in the current spelling form "Delaware" ( / ˈ d ɛ l ə w ɛər / DEL -ə-wair ) and is thought to derive from French de la Guerre . It has often been reported that the river and bay received the name "Delaware" after English forces under Richard Nicolls expelled the Dutch and took control of

7866-429: The Walking Purchase of 1737 procured 1,200 square miles [more than 1 million acres] of Lenni Lenape land in Pennsylvania. Included in the land procured was land commonly referred to as the "Forks of the Delaware," which contained the parcel of land at the center of this dispute, "Tatamy's Place." The Lenape complained to the King of England about the execution of the "walk" by Penn and his agents to no avail. In response,

7980-452: The West Branch meets the East Branch. The confluence of the two branches is just south of Hancock . The East Branch and West Branch of the Delaware River parallel each other, both flowing in a southwesterly direction. From Hancock, New York , the Delaware flows between the northern Poconos in Pennsylvania, and the lowered shale beds north of the Catskills. The river flows down a broad Appalachian valley, passing Hawk's Nest overlook on

8094-427: The age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under

8208-467: The age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 59,727, and the median income for a family was $ 68,727. Males had a median income of $ 46,587 versus $ 31,984 for females. The per capita income for

8322-636: The agricultural development of the region. The strategic Delaware River was the scene of several important campaigns during the American Revolutionary War . Perhaps the most famous event was George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River with the Continental Army on the night of December 25–26, 1776, leading to a successful surprise attack and victory against the Hessian troops occupying Trenton, New Jersey , on

8436-551: The aqueduct into the Rondout Reservoir , where the water enters the 85 miles (137 km) Delaware Aqueduct , that contributes to roughly 50% of the city's drinking water supply. At Deposit , on the border between Broome and Delaware counties, it turns sharply to the southeast and is paralleled by New York State Route 17 . It joins the East Branch at 880 feet (270 m) above sea level at Hancock to form

8550-430: The area within less than a week: first Hurricane Connie and then Hurricane Diane , which was, and still is, the wettest tropical cyclone to have hit the northeastern United States. The river gauge at Riegelsville , Pennsylvania recorded an all-time record crest of 38.85 feet (11.84 m) on August 19, 1955. More recently, moderate to severe flooding has occurred along the river. The same gauge at Riegelsville recorded

8664-464: The arrangement, since the Lenape were forced into Shamokin and Wyoming River valleys, which were already crowded with other displaced tribes. Some Lenape later moved further west into the Ohio Country in present-day Western Pennsylvania and Ohio , and to southern and western regions in colonial New France in present-day Quebec . Because of the Walking Purchase, the Lenape grew to distrust

8778-557: The backbone of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area, serving the port cities of Philadelphia , Camden, New Jersey , and Wilmington, Delaware . The river flows into Delaware Bay at Liston Point, 48 miles (77 km) upstream of the bay's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean between Cape May and Cape Henlopen . Before the arrival of European settlers, the river was the homeland of the Lenape native people. They called

8892-587: The basins of the Susquehanna River , Delaware River, and lower Hudson River in the northeastern United States at the time of European settlement, as well as for their language . As a result of disruption following the French and Indian War , American Revolutionary War , and the later Indian removals from the eastern United States, the name "Delaware" has been spread with the Lenape's diaspora to municipalities, counties and other geographical features in

9006-400: The caretaker of the previously endangered territory, and with the help of the federal government and surrounding communities, developed recreational facilities and worked to preserve the remaining historical structures. The nearby Shawnee Inn , was identified in the 1990s as the only resort along the banks of the Delaware River. American Rivers , an environmental advocacy group, named

9120-649: The colony during the First Anglo-Powhatan War . George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 led to the Americans winning the Battle of Trenton , which was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution . The Delaware River is named in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), an English nobleman and the Virginia colony's first royal governor , who defended the colony during

9234-571: The complaint alleged that Penn was "accountable directly to the King of England ." Delaware Nation filed for the case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court , which declined to hear the case on appeal, upholding the prior rulings by the two federal courts in Philadelphia. Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and

9348-437: The county was $ 27,430. About 3.10% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line , including 4.80% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over. Growth began in the early 1950s, when William Levitt chose Bucks County for his second "Levittown". Levitt bought hundreds of acres of woodlands and farmland, and constructed 17,000 homes and dozens of schools, parks, libraries, and shopping centers. By

9462-436: The day-and-a-half walk. The Lenape chiefs trusted that the "white men" would take a leisurely walk through the tangled Pennsylvanian forests along the Delaware River . The Lenape chiefs were not aware that they were about to lose a significant amount of land. Unbeknownst to the Lenape, Thomas Penn took measures to ensure that the distance covered by his "walkers" would be as large as possible. Among other things, Thomas Penn had

9576-469: The eighteenth century, cities like Philadelphia , Camden (then Cooper's Ferry), Trenton , Wilmington and New Castle were established upon the Delaware and their continued commercial success into the present day has been dependent on access to the river for trade and power. The river provided the path for the settlement of northeastern Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley , and northwestern New Jersey by German Palatine immigrants—a population that became key in

9690-572: The end of the walk, Sheriff Smith drew a perpendicular line back toward the northeast, and claimed all the land east of these two lines ending at the Delaware River that now represents the border between eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey . This resulted in an area of 1,200,932 acres (4,860 km), only slightly smaller than the size of Rhode Island , located in seven present-day counties in eastern Pennsylvania: Pike , Monroe , Carbon , Schuylkill , Northampton , Lehigh , and Bucks . The Delaware Tribe leaders appealed for assistance to

9804-481: The event. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 622 square miles (1,610 km ), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km ) is land and 18 square miles (47 km ) (2.8%) is water. The southern third of the county between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey , often called Lower Bucks, resides in the Atlantic Coastal Plain ; it is flat and near sea level, and

9918-491: The farther Lehigh River as the closer Tohickon Creek , and including a dotted line showing a seemingly reasonable path that the walkers would take. Satisfied that the land in question was not so terrible a price to honor the old deed, the Lenape signed on, making the now 1737 treaty official. According to the popular account, Lenape leaders assumed that about 40 miles (60 km) was the longest distance that could be covered under these conditions. Provincial Secretary Logan hired

10032-537: The former county town of Buckinghamshire; Chalfont, named after Chalfont St Giles , the parish home of William Penn's first wife and the location of the Jordans Quaker Meeting House, where Penn is buried; Solebury , named after Soulbury , England; and Wycombe , named after the town of High Wycombe . Bucks County was originally much larger than it is today. Northampton County was formed in 1752 from part of Bucks County, and Lehigh County

10146-478: The home of writer/musician James McBride , writer Eric Knight , Academy Award-winning film composer Joe Renzetti , musician Gene Ween of Ween , painter Christopher Wajda, photographer Michael Barone , and furniture designer George Nakashima . James Gould Cozzens lived in Lambertville, New Jersey , just across the river from Bucks County, and used Doylestown as the model for the setting of two novels; he

10260-529: The late 20th century. As of 2013, the population of Bucks County was 626,976, making it the fourth-most populous county in the state behind Philadelphia , Allegheny , and Montgomery counties. 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

10374-795: The lower section of the river and Delaware Bay . Both colonial powers called the river the South River (Zuidrivier), compared to the Hudson River , which was known as the North River . After the English expelled the Dutch and took control of the New Netherland colony in 1664, the river was renamed Delaware after Sir Thomas West , 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and the Virginia colony's first royal governor, who defended

10488-798: The morning of December 26. During the Philadelphia Campaign control of the Delaware River was urgently needed by the British, allowing their naval fleet to supply troops occupying Philadelphia. To this end, the Battle of Red Bank and the Siege of Fort Mifflin were fought on and along the shores of the Delaware by the American and British navies, commanded by Commodore John Hazelwood and Admiral Francis Reynolds respectively. See historical map of that campaign. In 1638, Swedish settlers, led by Peter Menuet, established New Sweden along

10602-425: The nation's sixth-largest city. To its east, the county borders the Delaware River and U.S. state of New Jersey . To its north, the county borders Lehigh and Northampton counties in the state's Lehigh Valley region. The county is approximately 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Allentown , the state's third-largest city, and 40 miles (64 km) north of Philadelphia, the state's largest city. Bucks County

10716-544: The opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania , the second such "Levittown" designed by William Levitt . Among Bucks' largest employers in the twentieth century were U.S. Steel in Falls Township , and the Vulcanized Rubber & Plastics and Robertson Tile companies in Morrisville. Rohm and Haas continues to operate several chemical plants around Bristol. Waste Management operates a landfill in Tullytown that

10830-539: The plateau in a deep trough. The branch flows generally southwest, entering Delaware County and flowing through the towns of Stamford and Delhi . In southwestern Delaware County it flows in an increasingly winding course through the mountains, generally southwest. At Stilesville the West Branch was impounded in the 1960s to form the Cannonsville Reservoir , the westernmost of the reservoirs in

10944-587: The pollutants in the river can cause birth defects, infertility among women, and have been linked to cancer. In 2015, the EPA saw the Delaware River as a concern for mass pollution especially in the Greater Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania area. The EPA was involved after accusations that the river met standards made illegal by the Clean Water Act . In complying with the Clean Water Act,

11058-420: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 218,725 households, and 160,981 families residing in the county. There were 225,498 housing units at an average density of 371 per square mile (143/km ). 20.1% were of German , 19.1% Irish , 14.0% Italian , 7.5% English and 5.9% Polish ancestry. There were 218,725 households, out of which 35.30% had children under

11172-435: The regions that began the suburban boom in Bucks County, such as Levittown, have aged, commercial strips and other neglected structures have been torn down and replaced with new shopping plazas and commercial chains. With rising property values, areas with older construction are undergoing a renaissance, and Central and Upper Bucks have continued to experience rapid growth, with many municipalities doubling their populations since

11286-637: The ridge of Kittatinny Mountain in New Jersey, and Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania, crosses the Delaware River at the Delaware Water Gap near Columbia, New Jersey. In Easton, Pennsylvania , the Lehigh River joins the Delaware. At Trenton , the Delaware crosses the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line with a drop of 8 feet (2.4 m). Below Trenton , the Delaware flows between Philadelphia and New Jersey before becoming

11400-451: The river Lenapewihittuk, or Lenape River, and Kithanne, meaning the largest river in this part of the country. In 1609, the river was visited by a Dutch East India Company expedition led by Henry Hudson . Hudson, an English navigator, was hired to find a western route to Cathay (China), but his encounters set the stage for Dutch colonization of North America in the 17th century. Early Dutch and Swedish settlements were established along

11514-526: The shops and studios of New Hope , Peddler's Village (in Lahaska ), Washington Crossing Historic Park , New Hope Railroad , Bucks County River Country and Bucks County Playhouse Theater (in New Hope). Rice's Market near Lahaska is a popular destination on Tuesday mornings. Quakertown Farmer's Market (locally called "Q-Mart") is a popular shopping destination on weekends. The county seat of Doylestown has

11628-543: The shoreline, but on the New Jersey side of the river, are pene-exclaves under the jurisdiction of Delaware. The rest of the borders follow a mid-channel approach. At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the early 17th century, the area near the Delaware River was inhabited by the Native American Lenape people. They called the Delaware River "Lenape Wihittuck", which means "the rapid stream of

11742-467: The small stretch between Doylestown and New Hope and along the Delaware River . Notable residents have included Margaret Mead , Pearl S. Buck , Oscar Hammerstein II , Stephen Sondheim , Charlie Parker , Moss Hart , George S. Kaufman , James Michener , Dorothy Parker , S. J. Perelman , Stan and Jan Berenstain , Daniel Garber , Alfred Bester , Annie Haslam , and Jean Toomer . Bucks County has been

11856-403: The three fastest runners in the colony, Edward Marshall, Solomon Jennings, and James Yeates, to run on a prepared trail. They were supervised during the walk by Timothy Smith, then sheriff of Bucks County, Pennsylvania . The walk occurred on September 19, 1737; only Marshall finished, reaching the modern vicinity of present-day Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania , 70 miles (113 km) to the north. At

11970-720: The time the project was completed, the population of Levittown had swelled to nearly 74,000 residents. At the time, only whites could buy homes. This rule however, was soon overturned. Other planned developments included Croydon and Fairless Hills . This rapid sprawl continued until the mid-1960s. In the 1970s, the county experienced a second growth spurt as developers expanded in previously underdeveloped townships, including Middletown , Lower Makefield , Northampton , and Newtown townships. Tract housing , office complexes, shopping centers, and sprawling parking lots continued to move more and more towards Upper Bucks, swallowing horse farms, sprawling forests, and wetlands. Oxford Valley Mall

12084-504: The transaction on the ground that it was fraudulent. The court held that the justness of the extinguishment of aboriginal title is nonjusticiable , including in the case of fraud . Because the extinguishment occurred prior to the passage of the first Indian Nonintercourse Act in 1790, that Act did not avail the Delaware. In 2006, Delaware Nation's appeal of the decision was heard in the United States Court of Appeals for

12198-700: The trifecta of concrete structures built by Henry Chapman Mercer , including the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works , the Mercer Museum and Fonthill , Mercer's personal home. Southern Bucks, colloquially referred to as Lower Bucks, is home to two important shopping malls , Neshaminy Mall , Oxford Valley Mall , and Sesame Place , a family theme park based on the Sesame Street television series. Also within Lower Bucks County

12312-404: The watershed. While the watershed is home to 4.17 million people according to the 2000 Federal Census, these bodies of water provide drinking water to 17 million people—roughly 6% of the population of the United States. The waters of the Delaware River's basin are used to sustain "fishing, transportation, power, cooling, recreation, and other industrial and residential purposes." It

12426-639: The year and the Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, founded in 2009, performs a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta with full orchestra each June. The Wild River Review , an online magazine that publishes in-depth reporting, works of literature, art, visual art, reviews, interviews, and columns by and about contemporary artists, photographers, and writers, is based out of Doylestown. The partially autobiographical novel The Fires of Spring by James Michener takes place in and around Doylestown . Alecia Moore, more commonly known as Pink ,

12540-833: Was born in Doylestown, as was motion picture writer and director Stefan Avalos . Three American Idol contestants live in Bucks County: Justin Guarini , who was born in Atlanta, but moved to Bucks County; Jordan White , who was born in Cranford, New Jersey and moved to Bucks County; and Anthony Fedorov , who was born in Ukraine and was from Trevose , in Lower Southampton Township . Singer/actress Irene Molloy and classical tenor David Gordon were born in Doylestown. Musician Asher Roth

12654-872: Was born in Morrisville. The Tony Award -winning Broadway play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is set in the county. The main members of the rock band Ween are from New Hope . Pop star Sabrina Carpenter was born in Quakertown , and grew up in nearby Montgomery County. Local print publications include Bucks County Courier Times , The Intelligencer , The Advance of Bucks County , Bucks County Herald , Bucks County Town and Country Living , Radius Magazine , Yardley Voic e, Morrisville Times , Newtown Gazette , Northampton Herald , Langhorne Ledger , Lower Southampton Spirit , New Hope News , Doylestown Observer , Warwick Journal , Fairless Focus . Online news publications are Levittown Now, Bucks County Beacon , NewtownPANow, Bucks Happening, New Hope Free Press. WBCB

12768-488: Was constructed in Middletown, and became a retail nucleus in the county. In the late 20th century, growth somewhat stabilized as development was completed in the county's historically underdeveloped areas, leaving little new area to be further developed. Bucks County areas along the Delaware River have surpluses of abandoned industry, so many municipalities have granted building rights to luxury housing developers. As

12882-471: Was formed in 1812 from part of Northampton County. General George Washington and his troops camped in Bucks County as they prepared to cross the Delaware River to take Trenton, New Jersey , by surprise on the morning of December 26, 1776. Their successful attack on Britain's Hessian forces was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War . The town of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing Historic Park were named to commemorate

12996-436: Was fruit, carried by 490 ships, followed by petroleum, and containers, with 410 and 381 ships, respectively. The biggest category of exports was of shipping was containers, with 470 ships. In 2016, 2,427 ships arrived at Delaware River port facilities. Fruit ships were counted at 577, petroleum at 474, and containerized cargo at 431. At one time it was a center for petroleum and chemical products and included facilities such as

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