DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA - Bordering the city of Philadelphia and the state of Delaware, boasts a rich history deeply intertwined with the earliest days of European settlement in the region. While the county itself was formed later, the land within its current boundaries holds the distinction of containing the oldest European settlement in Pennsylvania: the city of Chester, founded initially under a different name long before Delaware County existed.
Swedish Roots: The Founding of Upland (1644)
The story begins not with English Quakers but with Swedish colonists. In 1644, settlers associated with the New Sweden colony established a " Upland " settlement along the Delaware River (Source: Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, histories of New Sweden). This settlement, named after a province in Sweden, predates William Penn's arrival by nearly four decades and represents the very first permanent European foothold in what would eventually become Pennsylvania. Upland served as a vital outpost for the New Sweden colony. Before European arrival, the area was home to the Lenape people.
William Penn's Arrival and the Renaming to Chester (1682)
The political landscape shifted dramatically with the arrival of William Penn. In 1682, Penn, having received his charter for the Pennsylvania colony, made his first landing in the province at Upland. Recognizing its significance, he promptly renamed the settlement "Chester" after the English city (Source: Biographies of William Penn, colonial records of Pennsylvania). Chester briefly served as the seat of government for the fledgling Pennsylvania colony before Penn established Philadelphia.
From Chester County to Delaware County
When William Penn established Pennsylvania's first three counties in 1682, the settlement of Chester became part of the original, vast Chester County. It remained the county seat for Chester County for many years. However, as the population grew, Chester County was divided. In 1789, Delaware County was officially formed from the eastern portion of Chester County, and the city of Chester became a key part of this new county (Source: Delaware County Historical Society).
Chester's Legacy
Therefore, while Delaware County dates to 1789, the oldest settlement within its borders is unequivocally Chester, tracing its continuous history back to the Swedish founding of Upland in 1644. It stands as a powerful reminder of the multi-layered colonial history of southeastern Pennsylvania, predating even the arrival of William Penn. Today, Chester retains significant historical sites, including the 1724 Chester Courthouse, reflecting its long and important past.
The quest for the oldest settlement in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, leads directly to the city of Chester. Although the county was formed much later, Chester's origins as the Swedish settlement of Upland in 1644 make it the oldest settlement within Delaware County's modern boundaries and the oldest European settlement in the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Its history reflects the transitions from Swedish to Dutch to English rule, and its renaming by William Penn marks a pivotal moment in the state's founding.
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Sources:
- Delaware County Historical Society
- Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission
- Histories of New Sweden
- Biographies of William Penn
- Colonial Records of Pennsylvania
- City of Chester, Pennsylvania
