Mortonville, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mortonville Hotel
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Coatesville, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1796 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | Strasburg Road TR;East Fallowfield Township MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002393 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1985 |
Mortonville is a small, historic village in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It sits right next to the West Branch Brandywine Creek.
This tiny village has a few buildings, and two of them are very special! They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. These two special places are the Mortonville Hotel and a small bridge called the "Bridge in East Fallowfield Township". This little bridge is about 12.5-foot-long (3.8 m) and crosses a small water channel called a mill race. There's also a bigger bridge, the Mortonville Bridge. It used to be on the historical list too, but it was taken off after it was fixed up in 2010. The two bridges are in East Fallowfield Township, while most other buildings are in Newlin Township.
Contents
The Story of Mortonville
How Mortonville Began
Mortonville started between 1767 and 1772. A man named Thomas Hayes built a grist mill (for grinding grain) and a sawmill (for cutting wood) here. These mills were built where the Strasburg Road crossed the creek.
In 1772, Thomas Hayes sold his land and mills to John Worth. John's son, Thomas Worth, built a house in 1796. This house was on the north side of the road, across from the mills.
The Morton Family Arrives
Sketchley and Elizabeth Morton bought the Worth property on April 1, 1840. They were from Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. (Did you know that Morton, Pennsylvania was named after Sketchley?)
Soon, the land went to their grandson, Crosby P. Morton. He is the one who officially founded Mortonville! In 1849, he turned the old Worth house into the Mortonville Hotel. He also built a wheelwright shop nearby. A wheelwright shop is where people made and fixed wheels for wagons and carts.
Early Businesses and Changes
Crosby Morton leased the hotel to Isaac Parsons in 1850. Parsons ran the hotel for a short time. An advertisement for the hotel said it served people traveling along the Strasburg Road.
By the end of 1851, Crosby Morton also built a general store next to the wheelwright shop. But the people renting the store and mills moved out.
On February 6, 1852, a post office opened in Mortonville. Crosby Morton became the first postmaster. He found new renters for the store and wheelwright shop, but they didn't stay long.
In 1853, Robert Smith took over the hotel. In the middle of that year, Crosby Morton suddenly moved to Philadelphia. He left the storekeeper, John C. Ely, in charge of the post office. On March 31, 1854, Crosby Morton and his wife sold all their property to Joshua N. Pierce. They never came back to the town named after them.
Mortonville Today
Today, a popular canoe rental business is at the heart of Mortonville. It's located in an old house with a picnic park next to the Brandywine Creek. You can also see the ruins of an old grist mill. There's a new restaurant being built on an old foundation, and some canoe sheds. You might even spot a modern covered bridge!
The Mortonville Bridge was built in 1826 and fixed up in 2009. About 6,200 vehicles cross it every day on Strasburg Road. No one knows exactly when the smaller bridge, which is on the National Register, was built. But it was probably built before the larger Mortonville Bridge.
Images for kids
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The Mortonville Bridge while under reconstruction
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The 12.5-foot (3.8 m) "Bridge in East Fallowfield Township" 39°56′47″N 75°46′40″W / 39.94639°N 75.77778°W
