Brandywine Creek
Hagley mill race on the Brandywine
Country	United States
States	Pennsylvania, Delaware
Major cities	Chadds Ford, PA, Wilmington, DE
Length	17 mi (27 km)
Primary source	West Branch Brandywine Creek
- location	Honey Brook Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
- coordinates	40°06′51″N 75°55′35″W / 40.11417, -75.92639
Other source	East Branch Brandywine Creek
- location	Honey Brook Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
- coordinates	40°07′09″N 75°53′15″W / 40.11917, -75.8875
Source confluence
- location	East Bradford and Pocopson Townships, Chester County, Pennsylvania
- coordinates	39°55′21″N 75°38′58″W / 39.9225, -75.64944
Mouth	Christina River
- location	Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
- coordinates	39°43′55″N 75°31′53″W / 39.73194, -75.53139
Christina River Basin, including Brandywine Creek

Brandywine Creek (also called the Brandywine River) is a tributary of the Christina River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) long, in southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Chadds Ford Pennsylvania is a small township 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in Delaware County. Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The West Branch Brandywine Creek is a Tributary of Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Honey Brook Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Chester County (known colloquially as "Chesco" is a County located in the U The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Honey Brook Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Chester County (known colloquially as "Chesco" is a County located in the U The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Confluence, in Geography, describes the meeting of two or more Bodies of water. East Bradford Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Pocopson Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Chester County (known colloquially as "Chesco" is a County located in the U The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The Christina River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km long in northern Delaware in the United States Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. A tributary is a Stream or River which flows into a mainstem (or parent river The Christina River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km long in northern Delaware in the United States The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

It rises in western Chester County, Pennsylvania, with two branches joining about 10 mi (16 km) south of Coatesville, between East Bradford Township and Pocopson Township. Chester County (known colloquially as "Chesco" is a County located in the U Coatesville known as the Pittsburgh of the East, is the only designated city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. East Bradford Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Pocopson Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The combined stream flows southeast through Chester County, past Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania then enters the northern portion of the state of Delaware approximately 5 mi (8 km) north of Wilmington. Chadds Ford Pennsylvania is a small township 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in Delaware County. Delaware County (known colloquially as "Delco" is a County located in the U Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine It flows south through Brandywine Creek State Park, into Wilmington, where it flows through Brandywine Park near the city center. Brandywine Creek State Park is a State park, located above Wilmington Delaware along the Brandywine Creek. The Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. It joins the Christina 1 mi (1. 6 km) east of downtown Wilmington and approximately 2 mi (3 km) upstream from the mouth of the Christina on the Delaware River. The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. The mouth of the Christina is on the Delaware River estuary and is the approximate dividing point between the freshwater Delaware River and the saltwater Delaware Bay. An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open Delaware Bay is a large Estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles The Lower Brandywine (including a number of smaller tributary streams) is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River. Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers are Rivers that are designated "scenic" according to the criteria of the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act (P

The Brandywine Creek in Brandywine Park near downtown Wilmington in February 2007, looking downstream toward Washington Street Bridge

History

The confluence of the Christina and Brandywine is the site of the founding of Fort Christina, the first settlement of the New Sweden colony, in 1638. Fort Christina (later renamed Fort Altena) was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden New Sweden ( Nya Sverige in Swedish and Uusi-Ruotsi in Finnish) was a small Swedish settlement along the Delaware River

The Brandywine was called Wauwaset by Lenni-Lenape (or Delaware) Indians and Fiskiekylen, or "Fish Creek" by early Dutch and Swedish settlers. The shannon (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans were in the 17th century organized bands of Native American peoples with shared cultural and linguistic The current name may be from an old Dutch word for brandy or gin, brandewijn, or from the name of an early mill owner, Andreas Brainwende. ^[1]

The creek lends its name to the 1777 Battle of Brandywine of the American Revolutionary War. Year 1777 ( MDCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Background In late July 1777 after a distressing 34-day journey from Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey, an Armada of more than 260 ships carrying In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The battle field is in southeastern Pennsylvania on the banks of the creek near Chadds Ford. The Brandywine Battlefield Park covers 50 acres, but British troops marched north of the confluence of the east and west branches during the battle. Brandywine Battlefield Park is a historical park operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on 50 acres near Chadds Ford, Delaware County

The log cabin was introduced in America by Swedish and Finn settlers in the Brandywine Valley. A log cabin is a small house built from logs It is a fairly simple type of Log house. The Conestoga wagon, which later became known as the "prairie schooner" was first built to haul grain from the Conestoga Valley to Brandywine flour mills. The Conestoga wagon is a heavy broad-wheeled covered freight carrier used extensively during the United States in the late 1700s and 1800s The Conestoga River, also referred to as Conestoga Creek, is a Tributary of the Susquehanna River flowing through the center of Lancaster County Early paper mills were also located along the creek, which supplied Benjamin Franklin's print shop and also supplied the paper to print Continental currency and the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Continental currency was a Paper currency issued by the Continental Congress, after the Revolutionary War began in 1775 This article is about declarations of independence in general ^[1]

A group of painters, including N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, Jamie Wyeth and Howard Pyle, are sometimes informally referred to as the "Brandywine School" especially for their landscape works which depict the Brandywine valley. Newell Convers Wyeth ( October 22, 1882 – October 19, 1945) known as N Andrew Newell Wyeth (born July 12, 1917) is an American realist painter and regionalist artist. James Browning Wyeth (1946-- is a contemporary American realist painter Howard Pyle ( March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) was an American Illustrator and writer primarily of books for young audiences The Brandywine School was a style of Illustration and an artists colony in Chadds Ford Pennsylvania, near Brandywine Creek, founded by Many of their works are on view at the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford. The Brandywine River Museum is an intimate art museum located on U ^[2]

Milling and Brandywine Village

The Brandywine crosses the fall line just north of Wilmington. In Geomorphology, a fall line (at times referred to as a fall zone) marks the area where an upland region (continental Bedrock) and a Coastal plain The elevation falls from about 300 feet above sea level in Chadds Ford, to just a few feet above sea level in Wilmington. The steep descent provided waterpower to many early industrial activities, including flour milling and the original DuPont gunpowder mills. E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (,) is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a Gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes The nearness of the fall line along the Brandywine to the Delaware river and Delaware Bay, allowed manufacturers to use high powered machinery before the use of the steam engine, and to load ocean-going ships from the same location. Delaware Bay is a large Estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles

By 1687, a Swedish colonist, Tyman Stidham opened the first mill on the Brandywine, near Wilmington. About 1735, Brandywine Village was founded across the creek from Wilmington. Quakers Elizabeth Levis Shipley, her husband William Shipley, and Thomas Canby were important in establishing the village and its supporting flour mills. By 1743 Thomas's son, Oliver Canby owned 3 mill sites. Year 1743 ( MDCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a A dam and a millrace south of the creek had been built.

In 1760 a bridge was built at the current site of the Market Street Bridge, and the north race and two more flour mills were built by Joseph Tatnall.

The millers cooperated in maintaining quality and branding the flour. "Brandywine Superfine" flour was shipped all along the Atlantic coast and to the West Indies before the American Revolution. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting

Before the Battle of Brandywine, General Anthony Wayne had his headquarters in Brandywine Village and Continental troops camped nearby, on the site of Lovering Avenue. Anthony Wayne (January 1 1745–December 15 1796 was a United States Army general and statesman ^[3]

The first paper mill in the United States was Gilpin's mill, in north Wilmington. A paper mill is a Factory devoted to making Paper from wood pulp and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier Machine or similar apparatus This site was later used by one of the largest textile mills in the world, Bancroft Mills which is now closed. Bancroft Mills is an abandoned mill complex along Brandywine Creek in Wilmington Delaware, United States.

The DuPont powder mills may be viewed at the Hagley Museum and Library. The Hagley Museum and Library is a Nonprofit educational institution located in Wilmington Delaware. A mill race once used to provide water power is still in working condition in Brandywine Park near downtown Wilmington. A mill race or raceway is the current or channel of a stream esp This park was designed in the 1890s by Frederick Law Olmsted. Frederick Law Olmsted ( April 25, 1822 &ndash August 28, 1903) was an American landscape designer and father of American

"Gilpin's Mill on the Brandywine" attributed to Thomas Doughty circa 1827. Thomas Doughty ( July 19, 1793 &ndash July 22, 1856) was an American artist of the Hudson River School.	Brandywine flour mills about 1840, painted by Bass Otis. Bass Otis (July 17 1784 - Nov 3 1861 was an early American artist inventor and portrait painter The north bank (to the right) is Brandywine Village.	About 1905, looking downstream toward Van Buren Street Bridge, Wilmington. Note the mill race on the right.	DuPont gunpowder mills on the Brandywine, on a postcard dated 1905. E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (,) is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a Gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée These mills were still working at the time. Note the handwritten "These blow up occasionally, and then?"
Brandywine Village from the Market Street Bridge from a postcard dated 1906.	Brandywine Creek in Wilmington in 2006

References

Further reading

• Henry Seidel Canby, The Brandywine, illustrated by Andrew Wyeth, 1941, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA. Henry Seidel Canby ( September 6, 1878 &ndash April 5, 1961) was critic editor and a Yale University professor Andrew Newell Wyeth (born July 12, 1917) is an American realist painter and regionalist artist. Atglen is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. ISBN:0-916838-06-04

See also

• Bancroft Mills
• East Branch Brandywine Creek
• Eleutherian Mills
• West Branch Brandywine Creek
• List of Delaware rivers
• List of Pennsylvania rivers

External links

• U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations
• Brandywine Conservancy
• Brandywine School (art review)
• Brandywine Valley Association
• Channel 6 Action News report on Canoeing along Brandywine Creek
• Chadds Ford History
• Art by unknown artist, attributed to Thomas Doughty, 1793-1856), Gilpin's Mill on the Brandywine
• Lower Brandywine Scenic River Corridor
• Scenic Corridor and tributary streams