History/Geography Essay
Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, by Larry Hale
In a letter dated June 3, 1999, Florence White, Lower Makefield historian, suggested that my two letters #1 & #2 below, represented "a new way of looking at our area" and that they be placed in the Makefield Library under the title "History/Geography Essay." Although not planned that way, it appears that this spot history of General Dickinson in Yardley during the month of December 1776, together with my civil engineering ground surface survey of early roads and ferry sites, is in some ways unique. By the year 2000, our physical points of connection to colonial times are mainly the old homes, with the land between (particularly in Lower Makefield) changed almost beyond recognition by road construction and housing subdivisions. And yet out there on the ground, there are still traces of colonial times which can be found, particularly in Yardley Borough and nearby. Examples include the "dip in the road" in front of the white house on river road below Letchworth, the "ground at the high point in the fence" along Belmondo, the "steep hill" behind the gas station near the railroad, the "cave-in at the river bank" near the funeral home, the "ground behind the cemetary wall" near Lake Afton, the "access road down to the canal" at the end of S. Canal Street, and other similar traces... places where you are able to make the connection and reconstruct in your mind, the ground surface as it was in colonial times.
Ltr. dated March 30, 1999 about General Dickinson in Yardley, December 1776.
Ltr. dated April 12, 1999 about Geography and Colonial Land Surveying practice.
Yardley Geology
dated January 22, 2004 Delaware River Valley at Yardley... Geology & Topography
In a letter dated August 5, 1999, Ralph N. Thompson, Lower Makefield Historian, suggested several improvements for my chronology. Having read both the earlier and latest version of the chronology, he noted that "the road return for River Road is a key to explaining and tying together a lot of your other material." He said it was a "good job of research" and wished me success in "the finished presentation." The easiest way to present anything these days is on the Internet. Meanwhile the chronology is an ongoing working document, which contains a long list of detailed findings, and all the references. Each item in the chronology played a role in determining the precise location of the long lost ferry roads and ferry sites in Yardley Borough. The most difficult was finding where Ferry Road crossed Main Street at various times over the 280 year period. I have now also included links to the old maps and surveys, and hope to add other documents.
Yardley Flood Elevations
dated May 7, 2007
FEMA Base Flood LevelversusActual 100-Yr Flood Level Proposed 500-yr Federal Flood Insurance
Yardley Flood Photographs
April 5, 2005 Delaware River Flood
Courtesy of Photographer: Lower Makefield Resident - I.D. "spacemutt3371" At the URL of "Webshots" owned and operated by CNET Networks, Inc.