Yardley, Newtown, and Doylestown Pennsylvania real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

Bucks County, Pennsylvania is shaped like a boot, with the toe at the southern end of the county touching the outer edge of the City of Philadelphia and the heel formed by a bend in the Delaware River. Named after Buckinghamshire, England, the birthplace of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, the county is famous for its spectacular natural beauty through all four seasons. Approximately 50 miles long by 25 miles wide, the county is blessed with gently rolling wooded hills threaded with rocky streams and fertile farms. It also features numerous large parks, several large recreational lakes and the wild and scenic Delaware River that forms its eastern boundary. Its principle towns are Yardley, Newtown and Langorne in the lower part of the county and New Hope and Doylestown in the central part.

The county?s proximity to major, large metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York have attracted new and modern residential developments. These modern communities co-exist with historical buildings such as water mills, old stagecoach taverns and stone farmhouses. Many famous people, including the impressionist painter, Edward Redfield; the songwriter Oscar Hammerstein; and novelists Pearl S. Buck and James Michener have lived in Bucks County. It is a wonderful and exciting place to live and raise a family.

What better place to begin to learn more about Bucks County than in charming and quaint Yardley. Covered with snow, the Old Library by Lake Afton creates a picture perfect winter scene in the heart of town. Ice skaters skim over the frozen waters of Lake Afton, a man made lake created to serve as a water source for the Yardley grist mill. Nearby, customers line up at Cramer?s Bakery for a cup of coffee and a doughnut. Traffic buzzes through the town?s main intersection of Afton and Main and past the town?s landmark Victorian buildings. Just blocks from Main Street, the man-made Delaware canal flows through the town, a throwback to the days when coal was transported by barge form Easton to Bristol. Today, a canal path along the canal stretches for more than 25 miles and makes a perfect spot for walking or jogging. The Delaware River, bordering the town to the East, adds to the picturesque borough.

European settlement in Yardley began around 1682 when William Penn arrived from England with a deed granting him considerable territory by King Charles II in payment of debts owed to Penn?s father, a valiant admiral who had helped the King win victories in wars against the Dutch.

The real estate in the Yardley, Bucks County area is interesting because there are loads of options from old, charming and historic properties to new and modern developments. Although Yardley is a small town with only about 2500 residents, it is surrounded by Lower Makefield Township, a progressive township with approximately 35,000 residents. The area?s proximity to major transportation arteries such as Route 95, Route 1, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, coupled with top notch schools and recreation facilities, have created an ideal place to live. Residents of Yardley and Lower Makefield Township commute to both Philadelphia and New York as well as employment centers much closer to home. New York City is about an hour by train from Trenton, N.J., which is across the river from Yardley, and Philadelphia can be reached either by local train service or by car. It is very easy to get to both cities either for work or to take advantage of cultural opportunities as well as the fine restaurants of both cities. Philadelphia airport is less than an hour from Yardley, and Newark airport is only about an hour away.

The Yardley/Lower Makefield Township areas are served by the award winning Pennsbury School District. Pennsbury schools are consistently among the highest rated in Pennsylvania and are one of the reasons so many people want to live in its district. The community boasts a fabulous youth sports program. Soccer is very popular, and we have one of the finest soccer parks in Bucks County in Maclesfield Park. There are 7 or 8 soccer fields at the park, several of which have lights. Soccer is available for both boys and girls beginning at about 5 years of age. Similar programs are offered in baseball, softball and football, as well as a number of other sports. There are community fields for all of the sports programs and a community pool for Yardley and Lower Makefield Township residents. There is a nominal fee for the use of the Township pool facility.

There is an enormous variety of real estate available throughout Bucks County and specifically in the Yardley area. There are several lovely townhouse communities, opportunities to find quaint and charming historical properties, typical 20 to 40 year old established suburban neighborhoods, and new, large dramatic single family communities featuring all the bells and whistles expected in newer homes. Prices range from 80,000 condominiums into the millions.

The local economy remains strong. There is a Meryll Lynch corporate campus within 15 minutes of Yardley that encompases over 1 million square feet. Lockheed Martin has a facility in Newtown. There are a number of excellent shopping malls within a short distance of Yardley. The closest major mall is the Oxford Valley Mall, and the Neshaminy Mall is also close by. There is additional shopping throughout Bucks County.

If you are interested in spectator sports, the Eagles, Phillies, Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers are less than an hour away. There is an excellent minor league baseball team and minor league hockey team in Trenton, New Jersey. Those games can be reached within 15 or 20 minutes and are very reasonably priced. The area is full of recreational sports activities as indicated earlier. There is an active soccer program for adults, numerous gyms and tennis facilities, as well as an infinite array of trails and hills for jogging and biking. Golf is another popular area activity. There are a number of very good public courses nearby as well as a wide array of private clubs. Lower Makefield Township is breaking ground shortly on a new and challenging public golf facility which will be a wonderful addition to the township recreation options. Tubing down the Delaware River is a popular warm weather activity. There are fabulous flea markets throughout the area and a wonderful array of restaurants to enjoy.

Bucks County boasts one of the finest community colleges anywhere in the Bucks County Community College. LaSalle University of Philadelphia has a satellite campus nearby, and Rider University and Princeton University are both less than 30 minutes away.

Separated from the Yardley/Lower Makefield Township area by just a few miles is the town of Newtown, Pennsylvania. Like Yardley, Newtown boasts a long history that dates back to the 1600?s. It is a wonderful town full of exciting shops and restaurants and a great town for walking. Newtown and its surrounding area are serviced by the Council Rock school district. Council Rock is also one of the most sought after districts in the state. Newtown Township is also the home of Tyler Park, a wonderful state park.

It is possible to go on writing about the Bucks County area for pages and pages and not be able to fully describe exactly what it is like living in this wonderful area. There are numerous other towns like Doylestown, the county seat of Bucks County; Langhorne, and New Hope. Each town is a little bit different, but retains the charm and character unique to Bucks County. Come to Bucks County and discover what a paradise this area is. Explore Tyler State Park in Newtown, or Core Creek Park in Langhorne. Experience some of the finest schools in the country; hike, jog or bike through rolling country hills that are just minutes away from everything. Enjoy the scenic Delaware River and the canal path that parallels the river for miles and miles. Day trips to New York and Philadelphia, fabulous shopping, wonderful restaurants and cultural activities of all sorts add to the appeal of Bucks County. The Bucks County area is indeed a wonderful place to live, work and grow.

NEW HOPE

New Hope is a lovely historic town on the shores of the Delaware River. Tree lined streets and pretty old buildings attest to the slower pace favored by locals, who enjoy the arts and walking by the river. New Hope is more "out of the way" than Doylestown, and locals like it that way, and even though it feels a lot more rural, New Hope is still only 30 miles from Philadelphia, and about 18 miles from Trenton, New Jersey.

LOCATION
In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, pretty New Hope is right on the Delaware River. On the other side of its banks, almost directly opposite, sits Lambertville, New Jersey. Trenton, New Jersey is about 18 miles southeast and Philadelphia is about 30 miles southwest. Princeton is about 10 miles east of Trenton.
State Highway 202 runs west to east across the Delaware on New Hope's northernmost end and intersects with Hwy 611 about 10 miles west of the town. Hwy 611 journeys north/south to Philadelphia. Numerous smaller roads also connect New Hope to Philadelphia more directly; smaller routes also run south along the Delaware to the I-295 ring road around Trenton (the Delaware Expressway). I-95 and I-195 also feed into this system and all these interstates head west to Philadelphia and east into various New Jersey towns and cities.
Doylestown is about 10 miles west of New Hope on Hwy 202 and Newtown is about 10 miles southwest. Yardley is about 12 miles south, near Trenton.

TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
New Hope is served by the SEPTA public transport system, which runs trains into nearby stations at Doylestown, Warminster and Yardley.
The SEPTA R1 line takes travelers to the Philadelphia International Airport. Other nearby airports include the Trenton Mercer Airport (about 13 miles away), the McGuire Air Force Base (about 36 miles away in Wrightstown, NJ) and the Lehigh Valley International (about 39 miles northwest in Allentown, PA).

BRIEF HISTORY
The New Hope area was originally home to the peaceable Lenni Lenape Indians, who granted the area to settler William Penn. In 1700, William Penn granted 1000 acres to Robert Heath, with the requirement that Heath build a water corn mill for settling farmers to use. Heath did so, on Ingham Creek, about a mile inland from the Delaware River. Fed by a spring, the creek proved ideal for milling, and more millers set up shop; in time this became the settlement of New Hope.
From 1722 to 1747, the settlement was called "Well's Ferry", after the operator of the ferry across the Delaware. By the time Washington arrived during the Revolutionary War, it was known as "Corvell's Ferry", likewise after the current operator of the ferry. Washington staged his troops here for his famous crossing of the Delaware five miles south of New Hope on December 25, 1776 and his victory over the Hessians at Trenton.
In 1790 the gristmill burned down, putting most of the town residents out of work. New Jersey gristmill owner Benjamin Parry rebuilt it, titling it the "New Hope Mill"-the name stuck and began to appear on maps. The Parry gristmill ran until 1938 when it was closed and converted into the Bucks County Playhouse.
New Hope's population soared in the eighteen-thirties, with the opening of the Delaware canal from Bristol to Easton. As the geographic center of the canal system, New Hope was its primary hub, with four locks. Following the Civil War the railroad was extended from Philadelphia, which deprived the canal system of business. The last commercial canal boat passed through New Hope in 1931, but locals and visitors alike still enjoy taking traditional canal boat rides.
Since the Second World War, New Hope has remained an artistic and friendly community that guards its rural way of life.

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
New Hope has a real sense of community, and residents enjoy several yearly festivals and special events together, like the magical winter festival and the New Hope car show. An artistic town, with its own arts center and the superb Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope has a lively local arts scene that enriches the lives of all its residents.
As a popular spot with vacationers, New Hope has several excellent inns and popular restaurants, and charming stores selling local crafts and produce. The New Hope Ivyland Railroad takes passengers by steam train through the pretty rolling hills around New Hope. Locals dress up for the yearly Halloween special, after the kid's trick or treat ride, and families enjoy the "Polar Express" at Christmas.

EDUCATION The New Hope-Solebury School District administers New Hope's sole elementary school, middle school and high school. The small district is close knit and community orientated, and there is a full bus service for each school. There are two private schools in Newtown, the Clubhouse for Kids Only and the Solebury School. There are several colleges and universities in surrounding centers, including Princeton University (about 22 miles away in Princeton, NJ), the Bucks County Community College (about 8 miles away in Newtown), the College Of New Jersey (about 12 miles away in Ewing, NJ), the Thomas Edison State College (about 17 miles away in Trenton, NJ), Rider University (about 17 miles away in Lawrenceville, NJ), Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington (about 20 miles away in Abington, PA), and Beaver College (about 23 miles away in Glenside, PA).

DOYLESTOWN

Doylestown has long been a professional town, with beautiful houses, good landscaping, and several remarkable buildings, including three castles built around the turn of the twentieth century. From its earliest days, the Bucks County seat was well placed to reach key centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey; today Doylestown is at the crossroads of two key highways and is well served by rail and bus to reach Philadelphia and the other Bucks County communities.

LOCATION
Doylestown is the county seat of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Hwy 202 passes through the city on its way west to New Hope (about 10 miles east) and across the Delaware into New Jersey; Hwy 202 east terminates at the intersection with Hwy 611 a short distance west of Doylestown.
Hwy 611 runs south to Philadelphia, which is about 22 miles from Doylestown; Hwy 611 north leads to Easton, PA and beyond.

TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transport Authority (SEPTA) operates a rail service from Philadelphia to Doylestown; interconnecting lines reach out into the entirety of southeastern Pennsylvania, and include the R1 line to the Philadelphia International Airport (which is about 32 miles away).
The Doylestown Dart runs a bus service throughout the town that connects to the rail line and to the additional Route 55 bus line.
Doylestown has its own airport for public use, but it is not certified for carrier operations. Aside from Philadelphia International, Doylestown residents may also travel to the Trenton Mercer Airport (about 23 miles away) and the Lehigh Valley International (about 32 miles northwest in Allentown, PA).

BRIEF HISTORY
Part of William Penn's grant from the Lenni Lenape Indians, the Doylestown area was originally thick woodland interspersed with grassy meadows. Two Indian trails, one running west/east, the other running north/south, were used by early settlers and eventually widened to become crude dirt roads.
William Doyle had property at the intersection of these roads, and in 1745 he built a tavern there for travelers. He was well liked and his business thrived. The crossroads soon became known as "Doyl's Tavern" and eventually became "Doylestown". The intersection remains the heart of Doylestown to this day.
By 1750 the settlement consisted of about 6 families living in log cabins, a blacksmith, a pioneer store, and the tavern, and by 1792, Doylestown was a colonial stagecoach stop.
Its central location meant that Doylestown featured large in the Revolutionary War. Most local men fought with Washington, and the Liberty Bell stayed hidden in the settlement on its way from Trenton to Allentown in the September of 1777. Washington and his troops rested in Doylestown, where General Lacey had his headquarters, before turning the tide of the war to the settlers favor.
During the Civil War, the 104th Volunteers Regiment was trained at Doylestown and many lost their lives. A marble obelisk stands in dedication at Doylestown's Main Street intersection.
The early years of the twentieth century saw Doylestown grow as it replaced Newtown as the seat of county government. It became a town of professionals, with doctors and lawyers highly represented. Between 1908 and 1916 local Henry Chapman Mercer built the town's three castles, which today house a library, museum, and his tiles and mosaics. Many of Doylestown's lovely buildings are from these prosperous Victorian times.

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
With numerous musical companies and a thriving arts scene, Doylestown is quite arguably the cultural hub of Bucks County. There are several excellent museums in historic Doylestown, including the renowned James A. Michener Museum, and a thriving arts scene. The Community Conservatory of Music and the Doylestown School of Music and the Arts both offer performances and classes in all the arts. The Children's Cultural Center delights explorers of all ages. The Writers Room draws people from all over Bucks County with its excellent writing workshops, readings, and support services.
Doylestown residents enjoy several top quality annual events together, including the award winning Oktoberfest and the superb (and free) "Sounds of Summer" concert series, which drew 10,000 last year.
The city has well planned parks and recreational amenities and the beautiful Nockamixon State Park is just 9 miles from Doylestown. Locals enjoy boating and fishing on Lake Nockamixon and there is a huge swimming pool for summer swimming. In winter everyone gets bundled up to go ice skating and ice fishing on the lake and skiing on the surrounding grounds.

EDUCATION
Schools in Doylestown are run by the Central Bucks School District, which encompasses 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 3 high schools. An additional community school runs excellent summer programs for children.
There are two arts and music schools in Doylestown: the Community Conservatory of Music and the Doylestown School of Music and the Arts.
The Delaware Valley College in Doylestown has degree programs in a wide range of subjects and vocations, and additional higher education options include Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington (about 13 miles away), the Bucks County Community College (about 14 miles away in Newtown), Beaver College (about 15 miles away in Glenside), Montgomery County Community College (about 15 miles away in Blue Bell), La Salle University and Philadelphia University (both about 20 miles away in Philadelphia), and the College Of New Jersey (about 22 miles away in Ewing, NJ).

NEWTOWN

Until relatively recently, Newtown was a pretty rural town. Now, homes are rapidly replacing farmland, as people are drawn to Newtown's proximity to Philadelphia and Trenton, affordable housing, and small town sense of community. Happily for residents both old and new, wise local government places a premium on protecting the Colonial charm of this 300-year-old township.

LOCATION
Newton is in the lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about 21 miles north of Philadelphia. Trenton, New Jersey, is about 10 miles east across the Delaware River, and Princeton is about 10 miles east of Trenton.
The Delaware Expressway is about 4 miles from downtown Newtown; this is an interstate that runs in a wide ring around Trenton, New Jersey, and is fed by interstates that journey east to New Jersey and New York, and west to Philadelphia.
New Hope is about 10 miles northeast of Newtown and Doylestown is about 10 miles northwest. Yardley is about 6 miles south.

TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Newtown is served by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transport Authority (SEPTA), which runs trains into nearby stations at Doylestown, Warminster and Yardley.
Passengers may travel by interconnecting lines to the entirety of southeastern Pennsylvania, including the R1 line to the Philadelphia International Airport (which is about 33 miles from Newtown). Additional airports include the Trenton Mercer Airport (about 10 miles away) and the McGuire Air Force Base (about 29 miles away in Wrightstown, NJ).

BRIEF HISTORY
Newtown's original 5,000 acres were part of the immense land parcel purchased by William Penn from the Lenni Lenape Indians in 1682. Penn named the region his "New Township", which became "Newtown" in time.
The county seat of Bucks County from 1726 to 1813, Newtown was designed to resemble an open fan surrounding a narrow town common, and the town boundaries are basically the same today. While it started as a small farming village, over this period Newtown became a prosperous governmental center, with a courthouse and several inns and taverns.
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington established his headquarters in Newtown after his famous crossing of the Delaware River. His two famous letters to congress, in which he describes his victory at Trenton, were written in Newtown.
After the relocation of the country seat to Doylestown in 1813, Newtown remained the commercial and cultural center for its surrounding rural community, and the town has many lovely homes from this period.
One of the America's foremost folk painters, the Quaker Edward Hicks, lived in Newtown from 1780 to 1849. He worked as a coach and sign painter, and painted many local scenes. Today his gravesite may be visited in Newtown.

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
Newtown residents and businesspeople are proud of their charming and community minded town. Locals work hard to protect the small town ambience of their community and to protect the historic downtown from shopping malls and super stores. Locals get together to celebrate community events, like the annual "First Night" new years bash at the local school. A local sensation since 1955, the family owned Goodnoe's Dairy restaurant continues to serve up delicious ice cream treats to kids and their parents.
Newtown has several parks and good recreation facilities and the Tyler State Park is a short distance away. Locals enjoy biking and horseback riding the many trails that wind through the lovely woods, and canoeing on the river.

EDUCATION
The Council Rock School District encompasses Newtown's 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools, and there are several (mostly religious) private schools in the town.
The Bucks County Community College in Newtown offers continuing education, arts and culture degrees and courses, and business and industry training and certification. Nearby colleges and universities include, the Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Princeton University (about 22 miles away), Thomas Edison State College (about 12 miles away in Trenton, NJ), Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington (about 16 miles away), Beaver College (about 19 miles away in Glenside), La Salle University and Philadelphia University (both about 20 miles away in Philadelphia), and the College Of New Jersey (about 20 miles away in Ewing, NJ).

About the Yardley, Newtown and Doylestown, Pennsylvania Area

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