Brandywine Creek Canoe Tour upstream from Northbrook

The picturesque Brandywine Creek has been an important part of the heritage and history of the local area for many centuries. This tour allows travelers to see this in a unique perspective, from the waters of the creek itself.

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Brandywine Creek Canoe Tour upstream from Northbrook

Coatesville, Pennsylvania 19320, United States

Created By: Sarah Mims

Tour Information

The Brandywine Creek has long been an important part of the history of the local area. The first native inhabitants of the area used the creek valley as part of their summer settlements and hunting and fishing areas. The waters of the creek were harnessed to run mills by the early Quaker settlers. The proximity of early colonial settlements, industry, and eventually a steam railroad contributed to the importance of the Brandywine Creek watershed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.


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What You'll See on the Tour

Old Embreeville was settled and developed within a relatively short time. In 1822 William Embree, who came from a family of French Huguenots, bought 2 contiguous tracts of land (about 61 1/2 acres) from the estate of Charles Wilson. Embree ... Read more
To support the small mill village a covered bridge was built over the western branch of the Brandywine in 1853. The two span Burr arch structure was 163 feet long with a stone pier at mid-span. The roadway was 16 feet wide. In 1923 the weak... Read more
The milling complex, which features four principal buildings, originated in the 18th century. A 1756 deed mentions a "message, water, corn or grist mill and saw mill" here, located on about 6 acres. By 1769 there were two "messages or tenem... Read more
After the construction of the Wilmington and Northern Railroad in the 1870's the village flourished. A grist mill, general store, post office, coal and lumber yard, and blacksmith shop were located at the railroad stop at Embreeville Statio... Read more
Corcoran’s Bridge spans the western branch of the Brandywine Creek about 1/2 mile downstream from the village of Embreeville. The 144 foot stone arch bridge was constructed by the Corcoran Construction Company in 1908 and is the oldest re... Read more
The adjacent land was originally part of the Chester County Poor Farm which was established in 1798. The Chester County Poor Farm provided food and services supporting the Chester County Poor House and adjacent mental hospital just up th... Read more
After the Embreeville State Hospital closed the Poor Farm, part of the land was managed by the Buck and Doe Run Valley Farms as a grazing site for the beef cattle of the King Ranch of Texas. When the cattle business ended in the 1970's, ... Read more
Ahead on both sides of the creek you will notice stone bridge abutments. These are the remnants of early bridges that spanned the creek in this location. The first bridge at Glen Hall was an 185 foot Ohio Iron Bridge built in 1868 by Ezra H... Read more
Possibly the most significant development in transportation in the corridor was the construction of a railroad along the Brandywine Creek in the 1860's. The railroad was conceived of as a freight line extending from Wilmington to Reading. I... Read more
The area off to the north was the site of an early native settlement. The Lenni-Lenape tribe used this area during the summer months to grow crops and hunt for food. The waters of the Brandywine were used to provide fish to the native peop... Read more
The land around what became Northbrook was a favorite of the Lenni Lenape, who used it for camping, hunting, and dancing. Indian councils were held at a large rock just north of Northbrook. European settlement in the area began as early as... Read more

 

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