About Morrisville

Morrisville’s proud history includes of being one of the regional trading outposts established by the famed Dutch West India Company about the same time their Director Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan from the indigenous Lenape and founded New Amsterdam, which later became New York. Trading primarily in furs, the population grew as vessels from Holland, Scandinavia, and England brought settlers and manufactured goods to this area, while returning with furs and foodstuffs. 

Known initially as Colvin’s Ferry, Morrisville was first settled in 1624, Morrisville is of Greystones, the historic site in 1684 where William Penn, the first Governor of Pennsylvania confirmed the first Walking Purchase of Land from the Lenape.

As the influx of settlers grew, so did the area, and Morrisville played a significant part in the American Revolution. Our historic Summerseat mansion was used by General George Washington as he planned the historic march on Trenton, Christmas Day 1776 which embarked from what is now Washington Crossing, PA. Summerseat was jointly owned by Morris along with two signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution: Morrisville’s George Clymer and Philadelphia’sThomas Barclay. Barclay was born in Morrisville, so our town has a direct link to three of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence. 

Today Morrisville has a population of some 8,600 people living within our 1.95 sq miles. We are situated midway between New York City, NY and Philadelphia, PA along the banks of the Delaware River. The historic Delaware and Lehigh State Park Canal flows through Morrisville. Once a major waterway for transporting iron and coal from Easton-area to Bristol and the open river, today the Canal’s towpath is ideal for hikers, cyclists, joggers, canoers, and walkers. Both of these waterways are also favorite spots for fishermen.