Warwick, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Warwick was founded in 1733, but before this the area was known as Middelbury. It originally encompassed a lot more land, at one time stretching all the way to Court Street in Doylestown, but lost much of its original territory in 1819 when Doylestown Township was formed. Its first white settlers were mainly Presbyterians from Scotland and others from Ireland. This begs the question as to why it was named after a town in England when the founding residents were primarily from other countries. Warwick has several areas of historic interest including the Moland House, which served as headquarters for George Washington for a time during the Revolutionary War in 1777.

Warwick has changed a lot over the last few decades, resulting from an almost tripling of its population. A mainly rural area for most of its history, Warwick's population increased from about 6,000 in 1990 to nearly 15,000 by 2006.

This is an eight-arch bridge spanning the Neshaminy creek. It was built in 1804 (one source stated 1795) and was used until the late 1960's when the highway (Old York Road) was modernized and and a new bridge was built next to the old one. When speeding by on the modern highway, it's barely visible. This is the last stone bridge of it's kind remaining in Bucks County. As is typical of what is happening throughout the county today, new housing was recently built very very close to the bridge.

The unsightly, but practical, modern highway which replaced the stone bridge.

The bridge at one point provided the name for a nearby vilage called "Bridge Valley". The name now lives on in a recently built elementary school (2004) in Furlong, Buckingham Township, as well as other housing developments built in the area. As described by the 1955 book Place Names in Bucks County, "the village has one of the most charming locations to be found in the Neshaminy Valley. Standing at the head of Sugar Bottom, broad open meadows extend from the creek bank to the hill crossed by York Road. This hill extends afrom a half mile above Bridge Valley to Ewers Mill, a half mile below the village, and is quie pictuesque throughout."

The bridge was built by Bucks County but was sold to the Hartsville and Centerville Turnpike Company in 1857. The state took it over in 1904 when the Turnpike Company was closed.

In this photograph can be seen the new bridge through the arches of the old one. At one time County Commisioners considered building a dam in the area for flood control. Fortunately, the plan was finally rejected in 1987.

The area surrounding the bridge is in a flood plain which is now part of Dark Hollow Park, a 650 acre linear park along the Neshaminy Creek, formed by the County in 1989 after the dam plan was rejected. It follows the stream for almost 8 miles. Trout are stocked in the stream each year for fishing.

The bridge was placed on the Bucks County Register of Historic Places in 1982. It was purchased for one dollar in 1994 from the Bucks County Conservancy and is now owned and maintained by the Warwick Historical Society.

Large chunks of the bridge can be seen on the ground and in the stream. Over two centuries of floods and weather has taken its toll. Various repair projects over the years have been undertaken and sections that were crumbling have been stabilized. A contractor spent over 1600 hours patching the bridge and replacing mortar on the bridge in 2001.

The modern bridge framed by the arch of the historic bridge.

The bridge is no longer opened to traffic and provides a secluded area for a quiet walk.

Photo by Richard Hanauer

This is the Moland House, located in Hartsville, Warwick Township. This house, built in the 1750's, served as General George Washington's makeshift headquarters during the Revolutionary War from August 10-23, 1777. About 11,000 soldiers from the Continental army camped in the area surrounding the house which is located near the Little Neshaminy Creek. While the soldiers stayed here only 13 days, it was the third longest encampment in Pennsylvania during the War. Only the stays at Whitemarsh and the infamous one at Valley Forge that winter exceeded it. Soldiers who wrote letters during their stay there referred to the area in various ways including "Camp at the Crossroads", "Camp in Bucks County", as well as "Crossroads near Neshaminy Bridge". The Moland House has also been referred to as Headquarters Farm. The house is also famous because it is where the Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette, joined the American Army. Some have even suggested that the Betsy Ross flag first flew at this house.

Photo by Richard Hanauer

The Moland House is named after John and Catharine Moland. John Moland was a well known attorney in Bucks County. He passed away shortly before Washington camped at the house. The house was originally on a plantation covering 134 surrounding acres of land, and the owners probably had slaves. This photo is of a fireplace in the house where meals likely would have been cooked.

Photo by Richard Hanauer

A steep staircase in the Moland House.

Photo by Richard Hanauer

This photograph of a photograph shows the significant state of disrepair and decay that the house endured before being renovated. The house had been in major disrepair and had been abandoned by the mid 1980's. It had been condemned and was almost demolished until it was purchased from a private owner by the Warwick Township Historical Society around 1997. Much work was required not only to stabilize the structure but also to restore it to its original appearance. It had been significantly modified in the 1870's and 1940's.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer
This is the Moland House, located in Hartsville, Warwick Township. This house, built in the 1750's, served as General George Washington's makeshift headquarters during the Revolutionary War from August 10-23, 1777. About 11,000 soldiers from the Continental army camped in the area surrounding the house which is located near the Little Neshaminy Creek. While the soldiers stayed here only 13 days, it was the third longest encampment in Pennsylvania during the War. Only the stays at Whitemarsh and the infamous one at Valley Forge that winter exceeded it. Soldiers who wrote letters during their stay there referred to the area in various ways including "Camp at the Crossroads", "Camp in Bucks County", as well as "Crossroads near Neshaminy Bridge". The Moland House has also been referred to as Headquarters Farm. The house is also famous because it is where the Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette, joined the American Army. Some have even suggested that the Betsy Ross flag first flew at this house.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer
The Moland House is named after John and Catharine Moland. John Moland was a well known attorney in Bucks County. He passed away shortly before Washington camped at the house. The house was originally on a plantation covering 134 surrounding acres of land, and the owners probably had slaves. This photo is of a fireplace in the house where meals likely would have been cooked.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer
A steep staircase in the Moland House.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer
This photograph of a photograph shows the significant state of disrepair and decay that the house endured before being renovated. The house had been in major disrepair and had been abandoned by the mid 1980's. It had been condemned and was almost demolished until it was purchased from a private owner by the Warwick Township Historical Society around 1997. Much work was required not only to stabilize the structure but also to restore it to its original appearance. It had been significantly modified in the 1870's and 1940's.