New Hope, Pennsylvania

New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,252 at the 2000 census.

Geography
New Hope is located at °N, °W (40.360312, -74.957203).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.7 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (11.19%) is water. Much of this is the Delaware River.

The borough is located at the confluence of the Delaware River and Aquetong Creek, which begins its two-mile course in neighboring Solebury Township at Ingham Springs, the most productive spring in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The name "Aquetong" comes from a local Indian word meaning "place of the pine trees," while "Ingham" refers to Samuel D. Ingham, an industrialist, congressman and advocate of the canal that would run through the town. Near its end in New Hope, the creek forms a scenic millpond and waterfall near the Bucks County Playhouse, a former mill.

The surrounding area features low, rolling hills, and consists largely of preserved forest and farmland. Many people whose mailing addresses are in New Hope actually live outside the borough in Solebury.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission operates two bridges over the Delaware River between New Hope and Lambertville, New Jersey. One is a free, two-lane bridge, and the other, which carries U.S. Highway 202, is a modern toll bridge.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,252 people, 1,160 households, and 506 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,770.9 people per square mile (684.6/km²). There were 1,251 housing units at an average density of 983.8/sq mi (380.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.94% White, 1.11% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 1.87% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.55% of the population.

There were 1,160 households out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 56.3% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the borough the population was spread out with 15.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 115.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $60,833, and the median income for a family was $87,868. Males had a median income of $49,750 versus $46,700 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $45,309. About 6.1% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Industry and attractions


New Hope's primary industry is tourism. On weekends the streets are crowded with tourists visiting the many restaurants, antique shops and art galleries, or taking the popular walk along the river and the Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal. Compared to surrounding communities, New Hope has a vibrant night life, although most businesses are required to close for the night by 2:00 AM.

Located in an attractive historic mill, The Bucks County Playhouse features a constant stream of plays and musical productions. New Hope was once a popular spot for Broadway shows to be tested and fine tuned, and many notable stage actors bought weekend homes in the area. It was also home to an art colony, founded by Edward Redfield and William L. Lathrop, that produced important regional work. Other members or associates with the colony included George Sotter. The area later grew to become a popular gay resort in the 1950s and today New Hope still has an active and large gay community. A common joke among locals was that the town had no hardware store, but three gay bars (although the town now has a hardware store and only one gay bar remains). Ironically, New Hope also has somewhat of a reputation as a hangout for hard-core motorcyclists (bikers) on weekends in the warmer months.

New Hope is also a terminal point on the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad. On weekends, tourists can ride the historic and scenic line through Bucks County.

Union Camp Corporation had a bag production facility in New Hope until the late 1980s, which employed around one hundred people total and was located uphill from the New Hope Ivyland railroad. The former factory complex has been recycled as a series of shops and businesses aimed at the teeming tourist industry, known as Union Square.

In August 2007, Forbes.com named New Hope Borough as one of the best places in the Northeast to buy a summer vacation home.

History
New Hope is located along the route of York Road, the former main highway between Philadelphia and New York City. It was generally regarded as the half way point, where travelers would stay overnight and be ferried across the river the next morning. Though this route is largely obsolete, the section of U.S. Route 202 that passes through town still bears the name York Road.

During these early days, the town was known as Coryell's Ferry, after the owner of this business. The current name came into use following a large fire that burned down several mills in the area—their reconstruction was considered a "new hope" for the area.

The night prior to his famous crossing of the Delaware several miles to the south, George Washington is said to have lodged in New Hope. Historic former residents include James A. Michener and Aaron Burr.

New Hope was in the news in 1983 when NBC network anchorwoman Jessica Savitch and her boyfriend drowned after their car overturned into the Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal. The canal passes by Odette's Restaurant, where the couple had dined on a rainy evening and visibility was poor.

New Hope has also recently been in the news regarding major flooding of the community when the Delaware River overflowed its banks in 2004 and 2006. Each time, the downtown businesses reopened within several days; however, many riverside homes remained severely damaged for quite a while longer.

Famous people from New Hope

 * Mickey Melchiondo (Dean Ween)
 * Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween)
 * Chad Ginsburg of CKY
 * George Nakashima, artist
 * Christian Bauman, writer
 * Ted Tally, Oscar-winning screenwriter
 * Sim Cain, Former Rollins Band Drummer
 * Becky Blasband, singer, songwriter, and screenwriter
 * Leon Redbone, singer, songwriter, actor

Points of interest

 * Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve
 * Washington Crossing Historic Park