Jericho Creek (Delaware River tributary)

Jericho Creek
Bakers Creek, Knowles Creek
pushpin map showing location of Jericho Creek
pushpin map showing location of Jericho Creek
Jericho Creek
Native nameTowssisink (Unami)
Location
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyBucks
TownshipWrightstown, Upper Makefield
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • coordinates40°17′13″N 74°59′53″W / 40.28694°N 74.99806°W / 40.28694; -74.99806
 • elevation260 feet (79 m)
Mouth 
 • coordinates
40°18′51″N 74°59′9″W / 40.31417°N 74.98583°W / 40.31417; -74.98583
 • elevation
43 feet (13 m)
Length6.12 miles (9.85 km)
Basin size9.63 square miles (24.9 km2)
Basin features
ProgressionJericho Creek → Delaware RiverDelaware Bay
River systemDelaware River
LandmarksJericho Mountain
BridgesPennsylvania Route 232 (Windy Bush Road)
Thompson Mill Road
Pineville Road
Eagle Road
Brownsburg Road East
Stoneybrook Road
Pennsylvania Route 32 (River Road)
Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division) and towpath
Slope35.46 feet per mile (6.716 m/km)

Jericho Creek (Towssisink, Bakers Creek, Knowles Creek) is a tributary of the Delaware River, rising in Wrightstown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and passing into Upper Makefield Township where it meets its confluence with the Delaware.

History

[edit]

Named for the nearby mountain of the same name, Jericho Creek formed part of the boundary of William Penn's original purchase of land on 15 July 1682 with the Lenape. Later it became the southern boundary of the Walking Purchase (19-20 September 1737). It was first named Bakers Creek for Henry Baker, Justice of the Peace, who may have been a landowner and settler before 1682. The Indian Purchase of 1682 was limited to extend up the Delaware River from the mouth of the Neshaminy Creek "as far as a man can walk in a day and a half". It was said that this was done by William Penn himself, some of his friends and some Indian chiefs. This was a leisurely walk with breaks, unlike the Walking Purchase of 1737 by Penn's sons. The creek was marked Knowles Creek on a number of maps of the 19th century.[1]

Statistics

[edit]

Jericho Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System database of the U.S. Geological Survey as identification number 1178049 on 2 August 1979,[2] and is listed in the Pennsylvania Gazatteer of Streams as identification number 02975.[3]

Course

[edit]

Jericho creek rises in Wrightstown Township, Pennsylvania and flows generally easterly to its confluence at the Delaware River's 144.20 river mile and its watershed is 9.63 square miles (24.9 km2).[3]

Municipalities

[edit]

Crossings and Bridges

[edit]
Crossing NBI Number Length Lanes Spans Material/Design Built Reconstructed Latitude Longitude
Pennsylvania Route 232 (Windy Bush Road) - - - - - - - - -
Thompson Mill Road - - - - - - - - -
Pineville Road - - - - - - - - -
Eagle Road - - - - - - - - -
Brownsburg Road East 7521 14 metres (46 ft) 1 2 continuous tee-beam 1920 - 40°18'2.7"N 74°56'5.3"W
Stoneybrook Road 7332 18 metres (59 ft) 2 1 continuous concrete tee-beam 1973 - 40°18'24.2"N 74°54'34"W
Pennsylvania Route 32 (River Road) 40819 17 metres (56 ft) 2 1 prestressed concrete box beam or girders - single or spread 2000 - 40°18'40.3"N 74°54'21.75"W
Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division) - - - - - - - - -

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ MacReynolds, George, Place Names in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Doylestown, Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA, 1942, P206.
  2. ^ "Domestic Names".
  3. ^ a b http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/pdfs/paGazetterOfStreams.pdf Archived 2015-09-17 at the Wayback Machine, page 76