History of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA

1854 - Doylestown
Doylestown, a pleasant post-borough, capital of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, 100 miles E. from Harrisburg. A turnpike connects this place with Philadelphia. It is pleasantly situated on an eminence, in the midst of a beautiful, fertile, and well-cultivated country. The county buildings are substantial edifices of sandstone. It contains r.n academy, a seminary for young ladies, 8 churches, 6 or 6 newspaper offices, a public library, and a bank. Pop. in 1850 1006. A railroad has been projected, which will connect Doylestown with Norristown and New Hope.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1859
DOYLESTOWN, a town, capital of Buck's co., in the state of Pennsylvania, U.S., 100 m. E of Harrisburg. Its surface is undulating and its soil gravelly loam. Pop. 2,127.
A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859

1895 - Doylestown
Doylestown, a post-borough, capital of Bucks co., Pa., is situated on an eminence, 33 miles by rail N. of Philadelphia, and about 18 miles N.E. of Norristown. It has a stone court-house, a national bank, a trust company, a public library, an academy, a female seminary, and 8 churches. Four weekly and 2 daily newspapers (1 of which is German) are published here. Doylestown has gas-works, an electric-light company, manufactures of farming-implements and cabinet-ware, a tannery, 2 carriage-factories, a foundry, a creamery, and numerous other business concerns. Pop. in 1880, 2070; in 1890, 2519.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1896 - April 9 – The National Farm School (later Delaware Valley College) is chartered in Doylestown, PA.

wikipedia.org
April 9, 1896

1899 - A new artesian well at Doylestown flows at the rate of about 300 gallons a minute.

The Reading Eagle
Reading, Pennsylvania
August 1, 1899

1913 - 2 HURT, $100,000 DAMAGE BY FIRE AT DOYLESTOWN
Three Large Buildings Burned in Blaze of Unknown Origin – Flames Menaced Whole Town

Special to the Times.
DOYLESTOWN, Dec. 24. – Fire destroyed a block of valuable property here this morning when buildings on Ashland Street, between Clinton and Main Streets, burned to the ground. How the blaze started has not been determined.

Two men were injured. E. A. WESTON, a member of the Willow Grove Fire Department, which responded to a general alarm, sustained serious lacerations when thrown from his truck, and CLARENCE BARRETT, son of one of the losers, sprained his leg while carrying out goods from the burning store.

The buildings destroyed were: Dolton Agriculture Works, valued at $75,000; JAMES BARRETT’S hardware store, and the livery stables of JOSEPH H. RHOADS. The total loss is estimated at $100,000 or more. Twelve suburban fire companies fought the flames and it was thought for a time that the whole town would be swept.
Trenton Evening Times
Trenton, New Jersey
December 24, 1913

1916
Doylestown, a banking and residential post-borough, capital of Bucks co., Pa., is situated on an eminence, 28 miles N. of Philadelphia, on the Philadelphia and Reading R. It has a court-house, public library, National Farm School, creameries, and manufactures of farming-implements, wagons, woollen goods, brick and tile, etc. Pop. in 1900, 3034.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher

1932 - Egg Auctions are Popular
Provide Supply of Graded and Inspected Eggs to Customers.

Eleven months operation of the egg auction conducted at Doylestown by the Bucks county co-operative producers' association will be summarized by farm market analysts of the Greater Pennsylvania council, for the benefit of egg-producing groups throughout the state, who may wish to plan similar enterprises.

William R. Whitacre and John F. Ross, the council analysts, have just completed a study of the Doylestown project, started nearly a year ago by the Bucks county group with the co-operation of the state bureau of markets and the department of agricultural economics of the Pennsylvania state college.

Eggs, inspected, graded and packed according to strict state standards, are auctioned twice a week at Doylestown, expenses of the auction being borne by a small charge to the producers. Average sales, when eggs are plentiful, are about 500 cases a week, Whitacre said. An original membership of 30 has grown to about... Read MORE...

1955 - Hurricane Diane - NINE DEATHS REPORTED IN EASTERN PA. 650 YOUNGSTERS MAROONED; RAIN REACHES 9 INCHES.
...The Red Cross said its emergency units were summoned to aid at a Boy Scout camp at Doylestown, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. One worker said he was standing in water up to his armpits when he made the call, the Red Cross said. Further details were unavailable...
Chester Times
Chester, Pennsylvania
August 19, 1955

Here's a list of some of the best places to go and activities to enjoy in and around Doylestown:
1. Fonthill Castle:
Explore the impressive Fonthill Castle, a unique concrete mansion built by Henry Mercer. The castle is known for its distinctive architecture and features tiles, prints, and other artifacts collected by Mercer.

2. Mercer Museum:
Adjacent to Fonthill Castle, the Mercer Museum is another must-visit. It houses a diverse collection of tools and artifacts from early American life. The museum is housed in a six-story concrete castle and offers a fascinating journey through history.

3. Moravian Pottery and Tile Works:
Visit this living history museum where handmade tiles are still produced using the same methods employed by the Moravian craftsmen in the early 20th century. It's a unique experience for art and history enthusiasts.

4. Doylestown Arts Festival:
If you're in town during September, don't miss the annual Doylestown Arts Festival. It showcases a wide range of artists, musicians, and food vendors, turning the streets into a vibrant celebration of... Read MORE...