How did Core Creek in Pennsylvania get it’s name? This page provides a brief history about Core Creek in Pennsylvania, the people who settled on it, and the industry rising around it.
The name of this creek is spelled “Core,” “Coar” and “Koar,” the generally accepted form being Core. Its valley is one of the oldest settled sections of the county. It was along this stream that some of the Quaker pioneers made their way up from the lower settlements into Wrightstown, Buckingham and Solebury Townships. It still has its share of Colonial houses. The stream rises in Newtown Township, flows through the northwestern corner of Lower Makefield Township, re-enters and crosses the southeastern corner of Newtown Township, passes into the northwestern part of Middletown Township and there empties into Neshaminy Creek near Woodman Mill, Bridgetown. It supplied power for the Woodman Mill for many years. “Core Creek,” said the late Samuel C. Eastburn, of Langhorne,1 “had seven active mills on it, since I can remember; now only one, and not water enough for constant use for that. When I was a boy and fished the Neshamitty from ‘Dick’s Hole’ to George School, there were eight continuous spring runs flowing into it, where I stopped for a drink or to catch bait. Now there is but one, and in dry times it can hardly be found.” In an old document in the Library of The Bucks County Historical Society, dated “The 3 day of ye 7th month 146,” containing the report of a jury appointed by the Court to lay out “a road (viz a cart road) from new towne to ye ferry at Gilbert Wheeler’s,” Core Creek is referred to as “commonly called ye old man’s creek or core creek.” It, therefore, must have borne the name Core Creek for at least 240 years. Edward R. Barnsley, of Newtown, supposes the “old man” referred to was Thomas Janney, the immigrant. The valley slopes gently towards Neshaminy Creek and consequently Core Creek is a sluggish stream. Precipitous banks are lacking. The valley’s beauty consists of its scattered mammoth trees, and its verdant pastures, close-cropped by herds of grazing cattle and studded here and there with patches of briars.
- Langhorne Views, compiled by Samuel E. Eastburn, 1890. [↩]