history

-Lenape Park

Pocopson Township is bordered by six other townships, Pennsbury, Birmingham, East Bradford, West Bradford, Newlin, and East Marlborough. It is home of many major landmarks, Pocopson Railroad Station, Lenape Park, Lenape Inn, Pocopson Creek and the Brandywine Creek. Lenape Park was first an outdoor meeting place in 1877 with a bridge and a little blacksmith shop and grist mill, which was the town of Lenape. A meat store and four or five stone houses completed the hamlet. News clippings about the Lenape Park can be found as far back as 1892 when it was stated that Lenape was going to have a new attraction in the form of a park. It was announced that it would be, "situated on a triangular piece of ground between the electrical railway and the Brandywine. The land is finely shaded by a number of trees and would make a pretty resort". Their was at this time a boardwalk along the historic Brandywine, which was 12 feet wide and 200 feet long. There were 18 benches, "easy and comfortable". President Hayes of the Electric railways was erecting a monument at the park in hopes of attracting folks from West Chester.

A wharf was erected at the dam above Lenape , 12x80 feet in dimension. Twenty boats were to be placed in the stream at this point, where it afforded the finest place for boating along the stream. In 1894 a pavilion was built and used for dancing, music, or entertainment of any kind. In the February of 1895 about 200 persons rode out to Lenape Park for a huge skating excursion. It was said that the ice was long, wide and smooth. In May of 1894 the boardwalk was raised two feet from it's original position by a flood, at this time they were trying to erect a dance floor and had to start over. A photographer of the times was doing his business at the Birmingham Park and decided business was too dull there and moved to the Lenape Park outside of the dance pavilion where he felt he would do a good business.

In 1895 a big pool was made for skating in the winter and swimming in the summer. In March of 1902 there was a big flood on the picnic grounds there were several washouts at various places the water broke through the heavy banks of the bath houses and the side of the swimming pool was washed away. The breast of the large dam would have to be rebuilt. With this huge expense people wondered if the park would ever be restored after the flood and sleet storms. It was estimated at the time to cost $1,000 to be spent on the dam and breakwater with no certainty that it would resist future floods. John Sager was credited with saying that he had tried in vain for 50 years to construct a dam that would resist floods and he felt it unlikely that anyone else could do it either.

On July 1,1902, Lenape Park opened for the season. New pavilions had been erected, the swimming pool cleaned and repaired and the dam breast raised so that boating could be improved. New lights were added and a general overhauling done including new amusements added. Shuffleboards were up and running and it was hinted that there would be two ping-pong tables added. December of 1904, snow and ice reigned supreme on the Brandywine. It was stated that an ice carnival could have been held in place of a boat carnival similar to that of the summer. Another high water at Lenape dumped carloads of mud into the swimming pool. There were thousands of carp in the pool and when it was cleaned these were not permitted to go back into the Brandywine, they were killed

In 1906 the lease of Lenape Park was to be bought by the West Chester Street Railway. They were going to make numerous improvements. The locals wanted to know if they were going to honor the 15 cent excursion rate or would rates go up. It was a prosperous summer with many dances, successful picnics and boating events. Lenape wasn't exactly a Willow Grove but it was touted as being an improved picnic area with good order and no amusements detrimental to the community. In July of 1907, a pair of donkeys which in the past had given children at Lenape numerous rides on their backs or in cars drawn by them, now had other duties assigned to them. Hitched to a lawn mower and roller combination they had to cut the grass and roll the sward from day to day to keep the park in good condition. The donkeys were reported to ."not take any particular interest in anything except eating", they balked whenever they wanted and took their own time at their work. They were fond of cake and roamed the grounds finding anything along that line that children may have dropped on the grass.

In 1908, the swings had grown popular at many resorts and consisted of eight swings arranged on one battery. They were built by an iron worker and carpenter at the park. Many of the patrons of the Lenape Park asked the West Chester Street Railway to provide them with ice water for drinking purposes. The water they now provided (free) was lukewarm and considered to be unsatisfactory to quench thirst. It was suggested that a large cask or barrel with a chunk of ice in it each day wouldn't be too much of an expense for the railway and would be a great accommodation to the picnickers. The water that was furnished at this time was pure and if the supply pipes were coiled under ground instead of run over the bridge in the sun it was thought that it would have been much better. The outcome was not recorded.

In July of 1909, tents were banned from the confines of Lenape Park unless you had special permission. Campers who had been there for some days moved when the orders were issued. The only tents allowed were those of the employees who stayed under canvas or in the boat houses. This was done because the campers became a nuisance to the picnic parties by selecting choice spots in the park. The campers were forced to find another place to camp and many of the farmers in the surrounding vicinity would not let the campers occupy their fields. In 1913 a tornado visited Pocopson and was extremely severe in some places.

John Gibney bought the Lenape Park from his brother-in-law in 1916. In 1926 a rebuilt model of a merry-go-round was added to the amusements and in 1942, recreation for soldiers, sailors and marines off duty were provided for free. Gibney said, "Any service mans uniform is his "ticket" for all of the amusements. The men of the armed forces would be most welcome." John V. Gibney, veteran manager of Lenape Park, 1947 reported that the season was highly successful with large numbers of visitors. It was stated that , "If the late William M. Hayes, founder of Lenape Park, and first president of the West Chester Street Railway Company, could return to earth and see the progress which had been made since his day, he would doubtless be much pleased and surprised, for now there were many buildings, a grand swimming pool, and ample parking spaces for many cars."

August of 1945, Lenape Amusement Park had the heaviest flood in many years. The water was reported to be 10 feet higher than normal in certain places. The swollen creek overflowed its banks and rushed through the park. Hundreds of men, women and children who were either staying in the many cabins or were there for the day, were forced to flee for their lives. Some who were asleep in their cabins at the time took to the roofs and were later rescued in row boats. The entire park was covered with muddy water and the bridge at Lenape Station was choked with the torrent that reached almost its arches. Much damage was done to the swimming pool and its bath houses. The park merry-go-round was an island surrounded by deep swirling water. Many of the smaller booths were badly damaged and at least 4 or 5 cabins were carried away or upset.

John Gibney was unable to estimate the damage to his equipment. At Lenape Park John V. Gibney had a force of artists renovating and refreshing the buildings in white and blue which fit into the landscape. One of the biggest annual attractions of 1957 was the Old Fiddlers congregation, Chris Sanderson, Chester County historian, and fiddlers from all around the area gathered for a full day of old fashioned country music. The recently repainted merry-go-round was considered the finest in the country, the animals were originals made by an American- German construction firm. Two authentic old fashioned organs, valued at $3800 were the source of tinkly music played from rolls like the old time pianos. Each organ had two rolls, ten tunes to a roll. The spacious shade areas were as much a part of the Lenape Park as the roller coaster, fun house, kiddie rides, bumper cars and swings. Gibney said, "If you have good amusements you don't have to have alot. Gibney and his wife lived in a home on the grounds and he took personal interest in his ninety-eight employees.

Reported in 1959, Lenape Park was thought of as the small neighborhood picnic place in which to have a pleasant time in a pretty setting. The park was reported as being one of the most popular parks in eastern Pennsylvania, particularly for childrens picnics. Figures showed that in the summer of 1959, 150,000 children had visited the park with some 450 picnics. The majority of 1959 picnics had booked again for 1960 summer season.

Lenape has been a picnic park since the turn of the century and is now the Brandywine Picnic Park, private, and yes it still floods.