Ridley Creek - History

History

Olof Persson Stille, a Swedish millwright who arrived in the area in 1641, settled on the north bank of the creek in present day Eddystone, and the creek was called Olle Stille's Creek. Thomas Holme's map of 1687 labeled the creek "Preest Cr." next to a land grant at the mouth of the creek labeled "Preest" and shows land grants from William Penn extending the length of the creek, into the Welsh Tract at the source.

Water mills were established along the creek early in its history, including the Providence Mills gristmill in 1718, and the Old Mill in Rose Valley in 1789. Providence Mills, located in present day Ridley Creek State Park and now known as Sycamore Mills, expanded to include a nail factory and a saw mill which operated until 1901. The Old Mill started as a snuff mill, then became a paper mill, and finally a woolen textile mill, which operated until about 1880.

In 1826 there were 15 mills operating on the creek, including gristmills, sawmills, cotton mills rolling and slitting mills, snuffmills, a tilt mill, and a woolen mill.

The Leiper Railroad, which has a claim to be America's first railroad, operated from 1810-1828 between Thomas Leiper's quarry on Crum Creek to tidewater on Ridley Creek, a distance of about three-fourths mile.

From 1906-1956 the Baldwin Locomotive Works operated north of the mouth of the creek along the Delaware in Eddystone. Today an Exelon generating plant operates in the area. In 2006 Harrah's Chester established a harness racing track and casino near the south bank of the creek at its confluence with the Delaware River.