Title
Recognizing and commemorating the 225th Anniversary of the official organization of Delaware County, Pennsylvania to be celebrated on September 26, 2014.
Body
WHEREAS, Originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Lenni-Lenape tribe, European settlers began arriving up the Delaware River in the early 17th century, and the area currently known as Delaware County was claimed by Swedish, Dutch, and English settlers; and
WHEREAS, In 1681, King Charles II included this area into the famous land grant to William Penn, who further divided the land into Philadelphia, Bucks, and Chester counties; and
WHEREAS, On December 7, 1682, Penn met with the General Assembly of Pennsylvania in Chester to adopt the Great Law of Pennsylvania. The Great Law established liberty of conscience, extended manhood suffrage, and limited the death penalty to relatively few offenses, and it's tenants would continue to govern Pennsylvania for many years; and
WHEREAS, Delaware County continued to thrive into the 18th century, with farm sites established inland, and shipbuilding prominent on the river. After the initiation of the Revolutionary War with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Delaware County was the site of the largest land battle of the War at the Battle of Brandywine, fought 237 years ago this month on September 11, 1777; and
WHEREAS, The modern Delaware County was founded on September 26, 1789, when the county split from the larger Chester County to the West, retaining it's County seat in Chester City; and
WHEREAS, The 19th century saw tremendous growth for the County with the expansion of the Pennsylvania Railroad at the northern end, and the Baltimore, Ohio, and Reading Railroads moving North and South; and
WHEREAS, The early 20th century in Delaware County was dominated by industrial expansion on the waterfront, housing companies such as Scott Paper, Ford Motor Company, Westinghouse Electric Company, and the American Viscose Company, which houses the world's first synthetic fiber plant; and
WHEREAS, While de-industrialization has impacted the entire region, Delaware County has continued to thrive. Delaware County is the fourth most populous in the state even though it has the third smallest land mass; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia will continue to be a terrific neighbor for Delaware County. While not always in agreement, Philadelphia and Delaware County have worked together to reach compromises on major projects like the expansion of the Philadelphia International Airport. Here is to many more years of cooperation and success; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby recognize and commemorate the 225th anniversary of the organization of our neighbor, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and Council wishes them many more successful years to come.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Delaware County Council as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End