Durham Historical Society

Description:

The Durham Historical Society is dedicated to the study and preservation of the history of Durham Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The group proudly shares the significant role played by the township and its residents to ensure that this history is not forgotten.

Durham Township and its residents have played a major role in the development of the United States. The Durham Furnace provided cannon and shot in the Colonial period and Revolutionary War. One of its owners, George Taylor, was a radical member of the Pennsylvania Assembly. He served on committees of correspondence, organized militia companies in Bucks County, and as a Pennsylvania representative in the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. Guests are encouraged to visit the remains of the old Durham Furnace.

The famous Delaware River Canal passes through the eastern section of Durham and opened in 1832. The canal was a marvel of its time but was short lived as a source for transporting goods as other means of transportation, such as the railroad and the steamboat, became more efficient. Records indicate that the first Durham boat was built by Robert Durham on the river bank near the mouth of the cave at Durham, circa 1730, but all of this is hearsay evidence that has been passed down via the generations. Guests to the site will enjoy a replica Durham boat that can be viewed by anyone in its pavilion located on the green next to the Durham Post Office on Durham Road.

In the heart of Durham is an 1820s gristmill, a listed property on the National Register of Historic Places. It has remained almost unchanged with much of the original machinery. It houses the Durham Historical Society’s office.