Hidden away in Chester, PA between junkyards and railroad tracks, you’ll find one of the most consequential historical sites in all of Pennsylvania: the William Penn Landing Site.
The William Penn Landing Site marks the approximate spot where, in late October 1682, William Penn first stepped foot in Pennsylvania at the point where Chester Creek flows into the Delaware River.
He wasn’t the first European to come to this area. In fact, there was a rather large community of mostly Swedish settlers in the area known as Upland. However, his visit marked the start of the Pennsylvania colony.
In 1971, this site was added to the National Historic Register of Places. Then, in 1982, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Penn’s landing, a monument added to the park commemorate this area’s history.
In the 21st century, this spot sits a couple hundreds yards inland due to changes in the river over the years, both natural and man-made. Unfortunately, there is no access to the water from this park as it is surrounded by industrial businesses.
I visited this Delaware County spot on a dreary day in late 2023 excited to see such a historic spot. Sadly, however, the park is bereft of the attention it deserves.
The monument built over 40 years ago is still in place, along with a state historic marker. However, the park’s three flagpoles all lacked flags during my visit, and the sidewalks around the site were starting to get a bit overgrown.
The fact that it is surrounded on two sides by junk yards and on another primarily by a chainlink fence separating the park from train tracks certainly takes away from the ambiance that you’d expect at a site like this.
Nevertheless, the chance to visit where William Penn once stood still made my visit worth while.
The monument placed in 1982 is very well done and stands about four feet tall. Carved into the granite, you’ll see the Penn family crest, as well as text that denotes the importance of this site. It is starting to get a bit worn, but is still perfectly legible.
However, the monument strikes me as a bit small and underwhelming compared to what I would have expected to see at a site such as this one.
The truth is that there isn’t much to see at the William Penn Landing Site in Chester, PA. To me, that’s both surprising and a bit shameful as this is somewhere that I feel really deserves a nice setting and a beautiful monument. Hopefully, this changes in the near future.
So, while I wouldn’t recommend going a long way to visit this spot at this time, it’s still worth a quick visit if you find yourself passing through Chester or exploring Delaware County due to its historical significance.
How to Get to the William Penn Landing Site
The William Penn Landing Site is located in Chester, PA at the intersection of East 2nd Street and Penn Street. You can use this address (151 Penn St, Chester, PA 19013) or these coordinates (39.844111, -75.361500) to find the site.
Free street parking is available along both streets near the park.
Note: Don’t confuse this site with the area in Philadelphia known as Penn’s Landing. Also, at the time of publication, there are two spots noted as William Penn Landing Site on Google Maps. The one you want is located at East 2nd Street and Penn Street.
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Fort Mifflin, and the Caleb Pusey House.
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