Crum Creek (from the Dutch, meaning "crooked creek") is a creek in Delaware County and

Chester County, Pennsylvania Chester County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Tscheschter Kaundi''), colloquially referred to as Chesco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in ...

, flowing approximately , generally in a southward direction and draining into the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...

Eddystone, Pennsylvania Eddystone is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,410 at the 2010 census. History The area at the mouth of Ridley Creek was first called "Tequirassy" by Native Americans in the ...

. It begins in a swamp (formerly a lake, dammed out) near Newtown Square, Pennsylvania along which several mills were established in the 19th century. Right afterward it crosses under

Pennsylvania Route 29 Pennsylvania Route 29 (PA 29) is a north–south state highway that runs through most of eastern Pennsylvania. The route currently has a southern and northern segment. The southern segment runs from U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania, U.S. Rout ...

and winds one and a half miles () downstream until it hits the

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

of Crum Creek. It later flows into the

near

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. Two notable landmarks along the creek's course are high trestles: a trolley trestle about high runs across the creek in Smedley Park, in Nether Providence Township; this trestle carries the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's 101 trolley line from

Media, Pennsylvania Media is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located about west of Philadelphia. It is part of the Delaware Valley, also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area. ...

across the creek. About a mile () south, a , trestle carries SEPTA's

Media/Wawa Line The Media/Wawa Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail service that runs from Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia west to Wawa Station, Wawa in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware County. It uses the West Chester Branch, which connects ...

commuter railroad line across the creek, which by now runs through a deep valley. The trestle is located in the Crum Woods, of forest surrounding the creek that constitutes part of the campus of

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...

. This tract, one of the largest patches of woodland remaining in Delaware County, is managed by the college's Scott Arboretum. The trestle is half in Nether Providence Township (west of the creek) and half in Swarthmore

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

(east of the creek). Baltimore Pike also crosses the Crum by Smedley Park in Nether Providence Township. A stone bridge carrying the highway was erected in 1924 with a arch commemorating the 282 men and 2 women from Delaware County who died in World War I. This arch was demolished in 1958 when the highway was widened. The memorial tablets were moved to the nearby entrance of Smedley Park. Crum Creek was dammed in 1931 near Pennsylvania Route 252 to fill Springton Lake (also known as Geist Reservoir), an approximately Chester - Ridley - Crum Watersheds Association
drinking water reservoir maintained by Aqua America.

Dams

Crum Creek has five dams. The first is in Upper Providence Township, thus backing up the creek to create Springton Reservoir. The second is in Nether Providence Township at the Aqua PA facility, it creates a small, unnamed reservoir. The third is just north of Wallingford Road (Rogers Lane) partly in Springfield Township and partly in Nether Providence Township. The fourth is under the SEPTA Media/Wawa bridge partly in Swarthmore and partly in Nether Providence. The fifth is just north of East Rose Valley Road (Yale Avenue) partly in Swarthmore and partly in Nether Providence.

References

External links

Chester, Ridley, Crum Creeks WatershedsU.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations
{{authority control Tributaries of the Delaware River Rivers of Pennsylvania Rivers of Delaware County, Pennsylvania Rivers of Chester County, Pennsylvania

Dams

See also

References

External links