|
|
 
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. I will first
be exploring the history of the Lenape Park. It was first an outdoor
meeting place since 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. I have found news clippings
about the Lenape Park as far back as 1892 when it was stated that
Lenape was going to have a new attraction in the shape 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 breast of the swimming
pool was washed away. The breast of the large dam would have to be
rebuilt to be of any value. 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. From experience in living
here my whole life I know that it still floods here today.
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 reign supreme on the
Brandywine. It was statedthat an ice carnival could have been held
in place of a boat carnival similar to that of the summer. It was
reported that there was nothing so desolate as a picnic ground in
winter time.
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 excursions. 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. 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. 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.
"SWINGS FOR LENAPE". July , 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.
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 had visited Pocopson and was extremely sever in
some places. In 1916, John Gibney bought the Lenape Park from his
brother-in-law he said he liked it right away. In 1926 a rebuilt model
of a merry-go-round was added to the amusements. 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 many areas 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 98 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.
Bridges of Pocopson | Chester
County Prison | Lenape Inn
| Lenape Park
|
