Southeastern Pennsylvania Travel Itinerary

historic districts preservation and pirates along the Delaware River

Marcus Hook’s historical significance comes from its identity as a maritime town. Originally a Lenape settlement, it became a New Sweden trading post in the 1640s with shipbuilding and fishing as early industries. Briefly a resort and amusement center, Marcus Hook’s rail, roads and deep-water port gave rise to the refineries that became the borough's dominant industry.

The Pioneer, an iron-hulled American schooner still sailing, was built in Marcus Hook in 1885

The Hook was also a haven for pirates in the early 18^th century and its market provided a place to sell plundered goods and re-supply for their next voyage; what is now Second Street was originally called Discord Lane and where the pirates hung out while in town.
Plank House once the home of a mistress of the pirate Blackbeard is a one-and-a-half story, hall-plan house featuring a finished upper level and full cellar. The house is constructed using sawn planks fitted together with dovetail joinery and caulked with oakum. Some of the original riven lath remains on the interior of the house. A stone and brick relieving arch in the cellar supports the fireplaces and chimney stack. The upper level of the house, accessed via a winder staircase, features a fielded panel fireplace. Both the architecture of the house and the archaeology indicate a probable construction date of 1735.

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. Penn, the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, landed in the only town in the province, then known as Upland and promptly renamed it Chester. The monument at the site was designed by John Struthers, erected on November 8 and dedicated November 9, 1882. The landing site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

The Old Chester Courthouse was built in 1724 in Chester, to serve as the courthouse for Chester County, one of the first three counties in the Province of Pennsylvania set up by William Penn.  Later, the area around Chester was separated from Chester County and formed into Delaware County; the Chester Courthouse became the courthouse for Delaware County.

Chester Waterside Station is a historic power station. The original section of the Station building was built in 1916, and consists of the Boiler House with attached Coal Towers, Turbine Hall, and the Switch House. It is in the Beaux-Arts style. The Turbine Hall Annex addition was built in 1939-1942. Also located on the property is the two-story, red brick Machine Shop building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

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Chichester Friends Meetinghouse is a historic Quaker meeting house near Boothwyn. The Chester area was one of the earliest areas settled by Quakers in Pennsylvania. The meetinghouse, first built in 1688, then rebuilt after a fire in 1769 reflects this early Quaker heritage. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

John P. Crozer II Mansion located in Upland, was built in 1879-1880, and is a three-story mansion house built entirely of California redwood. It reflects grandiose Victorian tastes, with elements of the Gothic and Queen Anne styles. The mansion was divided into eight apartments. Also on the property are a contributing carriage house, barn, trophy house, spring house, remains of greenhouses, a root cellar and ice house.

Pusey-Crozier Mill Historic District is a historic mill complex and national historic district located in Upland. The district includes nine contributing buildings, one contributing site, and one contributing structure, at the site of the first grist mill and sawmill erected by the English Quakers in 1682. They are the Pennock Log House (1790), schoolhouse (1849), four single houses (1850), large double house (1850s), mid-19th century barn, and the original mill site, headrace, and tail race.

Pennsylvania Counties Cities Boroughs and Townships

traditions dating back to William Penn

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a tradition of local government rule that dates back to a charter from King Charles II of England to William Penn who divided the colony into counties, boroughs, townships and cities, each with unique characteristics.

Pennsylvania state law determines the type of municipality on the basis of population with nine classes of counties, four classes of cities, and two classes of townships. Boroughs are not classified. Each municipality class operates under its own laws, determining its structure and powers.

Home Rule Charters determine the operating structure of a community. A home rule municipality drafts and amends its own charter and exercises powers not denied by the Pennsylvania state constitution.

Over 70 Pennsylvania Municipalities have Home Rule Charters

William Penn established Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester Counties in 1682. Lancaster was established in 1729; the 67^th and last county dates back to 1878. Today, each commonwealth resident lives in and comes under the jurisdiction of one county with Lycoming County the largest in size and the city-county of Philadelphia is the smallest geographically but the largest in population. 

County Government governing bodies are typically three-member board of county commissioners with many other elected officials independent of the commissioners who form the legislative and executive branches of the county, authorized to administer human services, land use planning and local law enforcement. They also pass ordinances, assess all real and personal property for tax purposes, register voters, and maintain county buildings.

Townships were the First Political Subdivision in the New World

Townships are the oldest form of organized government in the United States, dating back to the 17^th century. William Penn began establishing townships in Pennsylvania as early as 1683, with about 10 families to each. The Industrial Revolution brought development around cities and boroughs that began to annex the developed portions of adjacent townships without the need for citizen approval. Today, 1,456 second class townships represent nearly one-half of Pennsylvania’s residents.

Boroughs before the American Revolution, one borough was established in each of the three original counties. Since then, the number of boroughs has increased to 961, making them the second most common form of municipal government in Pennsylvania. A borough mayor has no power to hire employees or direct programs but can veto decisions of the borough council. Responsibilities include executing and enforcing borough ordinances and regulations, representing the borough at community events and other functions, and taking charge of the police department. The governing body is an elected council of seven members that serve four-year overlapping terms.

Philadelphia Pittsburgh and Scranton have Elected Mayor with Broad Powers

Cities Philadelphia, Chester, Lancaster, Easton and York were the state’s first cities; Altoona and Reading grew with the railroad industry, while Johnstown, Bethlehem, Clairton, and Coatesville became steel industry towns. The other 53 remaining cities are operate mostly under a government commission in which residents elect a mayor to serve as commission chairman with four other council members, each heading one commission department.

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La Crosse Wisconsin

rivers railroads ridges brews wines and a historic downtown

La Crosse is located at the intersection of the Black, La Crosse and Mississippi rivers in Western Wisconsin in a broad plain between the river bank and the tall bluffs typical of the Driftless area.

The Coulee Region is Characterized by High Ridges Dissected by Narrow Valleys

History French fur traders were among the first Europeans to travel along the Upper Mississippi River in the late 17^th century; an American expedition reached what came to be known as Prairie La Crosse in 1805; La Crosse was named from the game with sticks - lacrosse in French - played by local Native Americans. Actively promoted in eastern newspapers, the city was further settled during the middle of the 19^th century with completion of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad.

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River and Railroad Infrastructure made it possible for La Crosse to become a center for lumber, as logs cut in the interior of the state were rafted down the Black River, as well as the brewery industry. Around the turn of the 20^th century, the city also became an education center, with three colleges and universities established in the city between 1890 and 1912. It is now a regional technology and medical hub, highly ranked in the areas of wellness, quality of life and education.

The La Crosse Amtrak Station is Served by the Empire Builder Cross Country Passenger Service

Historic Downtown and local culture. La Crosse has one of the largest commercial historic districts in Wisconsin; it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes 110 buildings built between 1866 and 1940. It is home to the Rivoli Theatre, the Weber Center for the Performing Arts and the Pump House Regional Arts Center, at the heart of La Crosse’s arts and culture scene.

La Crosse is a Green Complete Streets City

Local Wine and Brew Traditions date back to the 1858 founding of the G. Heileman Brewing Company; since its closing in 1996, local brewing traditions have been passed onto the City Brewing Company and Pearl Street Brewery, a craft brewery operating out of the historic La Crosse Footwear Building. Lost Island Wine has more than 30 varieties; in addition; several vineyards are in nearby counties and across the river on the Minnesota side of the Mississippi.