About New Hope

The charming and historic town of New Hope is nestled along the Delaware River, located where the Aquetong Creek and the River meet. New Hope is full of character, continuously attracting locals and tourists to its artistic and free spirited environment. Come explore our delightfully scenic and unique town, abundant with activities for everyone to take pleasure in!

EVENTS & FESTIVALS

Make sure not to miss New Hope’s numerous events and festivals which feature food, fun, exhibitions, performances, arts and crafts, and contests, including Second Saturday, the Winter Festival, the Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival, and the Automobile Show. Details can be found at the NHBA events calendar.

SHOPPING

Shop at New Hope’s plethora of locally owned galleries, clothing boutiques, antique shops, arts and crafts and specialty shops, which are far from average. These shops are known for their unique merchandise, specializing in an assortment of handcrafted items including, arts and crafts, pottery, and locally made jewelry to vintage and hippie inspired clothing and accessories.

ENTERTAINMENT

Enjoy New Hope’s State Theatre and dynamic performing arts scene. The town’s productions feature theatre, music, dance, and other performing arts.

MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS

The museums in New Hope center on the Town’s rich historical and artistic roots. Historical homes such as the Parry Mansion are run by the New Hope Historical Society and are open to tours by the public, while other museums and exhibitions celebrate the work of local artists.

ACTIVITIES

Being that New Hope is conveniently located along the Delaware River and Canal Path, outdoor activities are endless. There are great locations to hike, bike, golf, fish, canoe, inner tube or even enjoy a ferry boat ride..

History of New Hope

Today, New Hope is a tourist town which mainly thrives due to its wealth of the arts, theatre, and antiques trade. New Hope is the oldest town in Solebury Township and has developed and changed drastically over the years.

New Hope’s economic future began in 1700, when a man named Robert Heath had a thousand acres of land surveyed for him, which is currently New Hope. Heath realized the land’s transportation potential and water powers. This land was divided into two, five hundred sections, which became known as the “Mill Tract” and the “Ferry Tract”. It became an industrial town that housed mills and employed a few hundred citizens. The town’s economy was mainly driven by grinding grain, manufacturing paper, and quarrying stone.

As the cities of Philadelphia and New York grew, communication between the two became progressively more vital. This situation eventually led to the growth of “New Hope” as well because highways connecting the two cities were eventually implemented. The Highway traveled right through “New Hope”. The highways were named Upper York Road and Lower York Road and still exist today. This brought on the necessity of an Inn to accommodate the travelers passing by located across the river, which led to the establishment of the Ferry Tract in 1717.

In 1790 a business man named Benjamin Parry owned mills on both sides of the river and the mill near Lambertville, NJ named Prime Hope Mills burned down. Shortly after, Parry built a new mill at the mouth of Ingham Creek and named it New Hope Mills. The new name of the mill, “New Hope” became attached to the growing town and became the town’s new name.

Parry was a prominent figure in New Hope, helping move the town forward. He helped organize the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company and helped plan the Delaware Canal, which aided in the transportation of natural materials, such as coal and iron.

A couple decades later New Hope developed and thrived even more as boatyards, stores, hotels, new mills, an outlet lock allowing boats to cross the river to Lambertville, and railroads were built.

New Hope Began its transformation from industrial to artistic in the early 1900’s when a group of artists established themselves along the river. The group became known as the New Hope School, attaining a reputation for the town as an artist’s colony. In 1939 a group purchased and transformed the old Parry Gristmill into the Bucks County Playhouse, where many prominent actors/actresses performed and plays were tested before heading to Broadway. Today, the old gristmills are registered buildings and the paper mills have been converted into shops and condominiums. The canal is now a state park and the railroad is mostly used for excursions. New Hope has fully transformed into a tourist town flourishing in the arts.