In 1682, William Yardley and his family emigrated from England. With an agreement with William Penn to purchase 500 acres for ten pounds, Yardley completed his survey and founded "Prospect Farm", an area just outside present-day Yardley Borough. William Yardley and his family died in 1693.
William's nephew, Thomas Yardley, came from England to settle the estate, and never returned. In 1710, he started a ferry line which ran from Letchworth Avenue to New Jersey. This became an important link between New Jersey and roads leading to Philadelphia via Falls, Langhorne, and Newtown.
In the early 1800's Yardley began its development into a village, with a population of 820 by 1880. The first post office was established in 1828 with the name "Yardleyville." When the Reading Railroad came into the area, the name was changed to "Yardley."
Around the time of the Civil War, Yardley was a station on the escape route known as the Underground Railroad. Stops included the Continental Hotel (now the Continental Tavern), various warehouses on the Delaware Canal, and the General Store (now Worthington's Insurance). A cellar room at Lake House might also have been a hiding place.
Yardley Borough was incorporated in 1895.
Thanks to Yardley Historical Society
