Lahaska, Bucks County, Pa

Lahaska is a community in New Hope in central Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It lies just east of Buckingham and west of New Hope on Route 202. Lahaska is home to one of the most popular shopping areas in the region, Peddler's Village, as well as Buckingham Friends School, a private Quaker school for grades K-8.

Homes for Sale in Lahaska

History

New Hope is located along the route of York Road, the former main highway between Philadelphia and New York City. It was generally regarded as the half way point, where travelers would stay overnight and be ferried across the river the next morning. Though this route is largely obsolete, the section of U.S. Route 202 that passes through town still bears the name York Road.

During these early days, the town was known as Coryell's Ferry, after the owner of this business. The current name came into use following a large fire that burned down several mills in the area--their reconstruction was considered a "new hope" for the area.

The night prior to his famous crossing of the Delaware several miles to the south, George Washington is said to have lodged in New Hope. Historic former residents include James A. Michener and Aaron Burr.

New Hope has recently been in the news regarding major flooding of the community when the Delaware River overflowed its banks in 2004 and 2006. Each time, the downtown businesses reopened within several days; however, many riverside homes remained severely damaged for quite a while longer.

Attractions:

New Hope's primary industry is tourism. On weekends the streets are crowded with tourists visiting the many restaurants, antique shops and art galleries, or taking the popular walk along the river and the Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal. Compared to surrounding communities, New Hope has a vibrant night life, although most businesses are required to close for the night by 2:00 AM.

Located in an attractive historic mill, The Bucks County Playhouse features a constant stream of plays and musical productions. New Hope was once a popular spot for Broadway shows to be tested and fine tuned, and many notable stage actors bought weekend homes in the area. It was also home to an art colony, founded by Edward Redfield and William L. Lathrop, that produced important regional work. Other members or associates with the colony included George Sotter. The area later grew to become a popular gay resort in the 1950s and today New Hope still has an active and large gay community.

New Hope is also a terminal point on the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad. On weekends, tourists can ride the historic and scenic line through Bucks County.

Lahaska, is home to Peddler's Village is a 42 acre 18th century style gathering place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It has shopping, dining, lodging, festivals, craft competitions and an antique carousel. The complex is also used for weddings, holiday parties, reunions, retirement parties, picnics, and corporate meetings. Special events and seasonal festivals draw nearly 3 million visitors to Peddler's Village each year. The complex is located in Lahaska, Pennsylvania near Doylestown and New Hope. Yearly events include a watermelon fest, scarecrow competition, apple festival, gingerbread house competition, Christmas festival, quilt competition. The Peddler's Village Strawberry Festival is held on the first weekend in May since 1969.

In August 2007, Forbes.com named New Hope Borough as one of the best places in the Northeast to buy a summer vacation home.

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