County Of Bucks history

1890 Volume II. Chapter XVII. Clearing land; farming; dress; mode of living, &c.

The present community, deriving its name from New Hope Mills (built there in 1790 after a fire had destroyed several other mills), was founded by William Lathrop in 1900 and has gained fame as a refuge for painters, writers, composers, and actors.

Founded in 1939 and one of the nation’s oldest summer theatres, the Bucks County Playhouse (the building itself is a mill dating from the 1780s) is in the borough.

The Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce established in 1946, is now second only in the region after the greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce with memberships of approximately 2,000 businesses and growing.

Bucks County Economic Development Corporation (BCEDC) is a non-profit, non-political economic development organization established in 1958 to support economic growth in Bucks County.

With blue and gold adopted as the official county colors in 1962, the Bucks County Commissioners designed the flag as a "Gold Emblem on Field of Blue." The green band around the seal represents the natural beauty that continues to inspire people who come to Bucks County.

In 1967, the Bucks County Commissioners created the Bucks County Industrial Development Authority ("BCIDA") to provide tax-exempt Industrial Development Bond and Mortgage financing for businesses of all types.

Beginning during the mid-1980's and continuing to this day, governments at the local, state and Federal levels became more creative with economic development programs.

Working hand in hand with funding agencies, government, and business owners, BCEDC is in a position to put attractively financing deals together and help developers take concepts to shovels, bricks and mortar. “In 1983, the unemployment rate was high.

After its successful turnaround, the railroad line was sold in 1993 and remains a mainstay tourist attraction to the New Hope area and still services the manufacturing base associated with rail transportation.