Yardley was founded by William Yardley, who made an agreement with William Penn, before leaving England, to buy 500 acres for ten pounds. He and his family settled in an area called "Prospect Farm," located just outside of the present Yardley Borough. The family's burial plots are located in Slate Hill Cemetery, one of the oldest Quaker burial grounds in the state. Yardley's development started in the early 1800's, and by 1880 had 820 inhabitants. Early industries included a spoke and handle factory, sawmill, felloe factory, plate and plaster mill, and two flour mills. The first post office in 1828 was named "Yardleyville", shortened to "Yardley" in 1876 when the Reading Railroad arrived. Yardley was a waystation for the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape to the North. Several hiding places still exist: the Continental Tavern, in warehouses on the Delaware Canal, and at a general store which is now Worthington Insurance.
Check out our comprehensive directories to area businesses, restaurants, and much more. Looking for something to do? Our events calendar is always buzzing with thousands of events in and around Bucks County! Explore Yardley with the help of YardleyAlive.com.
To sign up for our monthly email newsletter and/or weekly event email, CLICK HERE. See our NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES HERE.
