The Beginning
Before the arrival of European settlers, the Lenni Lenape Indians inhabited the Delaware Valley region. The explorer Henry Hudson, in 1609, was the first European to set foot in this region, and based on his findings these Indians were considered to be the first inhabitants of the area. The Delaware Indians also lived in this area and received their name by the English, after the Delaware River.

In 1683 land was bought west of the Delaware River from the Indians and named New Sweden by the Swedes. These people lived with the Indians on very friendly terms. By 1645 the Swedes had expanded to the Northeast section of Philadelphia and in 1647 the Dutch came. It was not until the 1680's when the English came with William Penn that the area was actually developed. After 1750, Germans then settled in the area, particularly in Bridesburg and Frankford.

The Holme's Map of the Province of Pennsylvania (1681) identifies the names of the original purchasers of land from William Penn. There were four principle landowners of the area that would become know as Bridesburg. They were Messers. Erik Cock, William Sabray, George Forman and Mouns Cock.

Bridesburg and Oxford (Frankford) was the site of a number of Indian Villages. In what would someday become the Northeast section of Philadelphia, the Indians used the area mainly for hunting and agricultural purposes. They lived in an advanced Stone Age culture, making pottery and growing corn and tobacco. They lived in bark shelters, grouped together in villages, which housed all the members of their large families. Numerous arrowheads and bones have been discovered in the hills of Frankford, providing evidence of the Indian Village that once flourished there.

The Village of Bridesburg was originally called Point No Point. The name was given in consequence of the changes in the appearance of the point by the approaches on the Delaware River. When first seen going northward it appeared to be a point, boldly jutting out into the stream and upon coming nearer, it lost its character and seemed to be an ordinary portion of the right bank; on further approach it seemed to again jut out into a point.  

The village name was shortened to The Point and at the close of the Revolution was again changed to Kirkbridesburg, named for Joseph Kirkbride, for many years the largest landowner here. About one hundred and forty years ago the people of the village decided the name was too long, so Bridesburg was adopted.

The first road was known as Point No Point Road, listed on Scull and Heap's Map­1750, showing all roads, ferries and taverns around Philadelphia. It began at Second and Vine, continuing very nearly the same direction as Richmond Street of today. The terminus was at Parr's Tavern, at the junction of the Frankford Creek and the Delaware River, a distance of six miles.

As the settlement spread along the Delaware it did not extend far inland and the river was the great and only thoroughfare for a number of years. The first steamboat ever seen on the Delaware, or in world, was built by John Fitch and first tried July 20, 1786. The first regular steamboat service for passengers was inaugurated June 14, 1790, from Arch Street ferry every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, price 2 shilling, 6 pence.

The original name of Frankford Creek was "Tankanny" and was given by the Indians. Tacony was derived from this word. The first bridge in this section was erected in 1701 near Frankford over the Frankford Creek. Shortly afterwards a bridge was built over Gunners Run near the Delaware over which the Point Road passed to Point No Point. The name the Indians gave to this run was Tumanaranaming. This creek, located south of Bridesburg is now sewered and gone forever.
 

The Revolutionary War period
With the coming of the Revolutionary War in 1776 and the eventual capture by General Howe, his staff lost no opportunity in locating the best country places, to be entertained to their satisfaction. They visited Frankford and used the Port Royal House located at what is now Frankford Avenue and Orthodox St.
 
From there they came to Bridesburg, then a peaceful little village on the Delaware. During the winter of 1777 and spring of 1778 they used Holly Hall, a mansion located at Richmond and Orthodox Streets, as their headquarters. Holly Hall was quite famous and was built about 1767. The old mansion was torn down eventually in 1906 and the ground was turned into a park, named Neugent Park, which was enjoyed by Bridesburg residents of that time.

Perhaps the most historic association with our community and the Revolution was the home of General Daniel Morgan, the famous rifleman of Washington's army. His home was just south of Buckius Street, facing on Richmond Street, known as "Giltback Grove." In 1664, the Bridesburg Orphan Asylum was established there by the German Reformed Church.

The oldest house in Bridesburg located on the corner of Richmond Street and Wheatsheaf Lane, the old Wheatsheaf Tavern of 1747, is among the historic inns of early colonial fame. The tavern was the most famous on the old Point Road and hundreds of weary travelers were kindly received to its fireplaces. 

In 1943, the building was bought by its present occupants from a Mr. Smith. Before that, the old Wheatsheaf Tavern was used at various times as an inn, a dancehall, and a candy store. In 1944 it became a grocery store and the venerable old edifice served in that capacity until 1975, when it became a residential home.

About 1800 Joseph Kirkbride became the proprietor of a ferry over the Frankford Creek. On March 20, 1811 the Legislature gave him the right to build a bridge and receive toll for passage. On April 1, 1833 the County of Philadelphia bought the Kirkbride bridge and two and a half acres of land annexed for $5500.

The Bridesburg Manufacturing Co
In 1810 Alfred Jenks, having learned from Mr. Samuel Slater all that was then known of Cotton machinery, established at Holmesburg the first regular manufacture of cotton machinery. Mr. Jenks in 1819­20 moved to Bridesburg and commenced the manufacture of woolen machinery. In 1630 Mr. Jenks invented the power loom for weaving checks and introduced it into the Kempton mill at Manayunk. With his son Barton H. Jenks one of the most ingenious of American inventors, he established the Bridesburg Manufacturing Co., the most outstanding manufacturing concern here for three generations. In its best days four to five hundred men were employed. During the Civil War muskets were manufactured and newspapers list Mr. Jenks as a contributor of thousands to war distressed families.

The Lenning Chemical Works
Nicholas Lennig and Co. (begun in 1819) in 1831 established the Tacony Chemical Works at Richmond and Ann Streets in Port Richmond. The firm was Nicholas the father and Charles the son. Nicholas died in 1835 and Charles associated himself with Frederick Lennig, his cousin, the firm remaining Nicholas Lennig and Co. until 1859 when it changed to C.F. Lennig and so remained until 1863, when Frederick died and Charles Lennig became sole proprietor.

In 1842 Charles and Frederick Lennig purchased twenty­seven acres of ground at the junction of the Frankford Creek and the Delaware River for $8,000. In some of the deeds and titles, the Frankford Creek is referred to as'"Quassinneamink Creek". More land was added to the site in 1846, the moving of the manufacturing facilities from Port Richmond did not start until 1847. By 1851, the Port Richmond plant was abandoned.

The Lennig Company was awarded a medal at the Centennial Exposition in 1876 "for the products exhibited coming from the distillation of wood, for metallic salts and especially for the careful manufacture of sulphate of alumina and alum".

In 1864 Charles Lennig acquired the property on the northeast corner of Richmond and Bridge Streets and resided there until 1871. From that time, until 1913, the house was occupied by his son, John, who managed the factory. The Lennig mansion has since been torn down and now the site is used as an employee parking lot for Rohm and Haas Company.

Rohm and Haas Company
Just before the depression of 1921, Rohm and Haas Company purchased the stock from the estate of the late John B. Lennig, who had directed in his will that the stock be sold. Rohm and Haas Company added numerous parcels of property from time to time, the major acquisitions being the following:

In 1930 the plant was expanded to the south and west by the purchase of the former Moorhouse property along the Frankford Creek near Bridge Street. About 1940, the old Peter Cooper Glue Works on­the east side of Richmond Street, south of Kennedy Street, was purchased. The gatehouse was then moved from Kennedy Street south to Brill Street.

Development of the riverfront property progressed with the purchase of the Warner property from Bridge Street to Reynolds Street in 1958, the Smythe Mahogany tract between Reynolds Street and Jenks Street in 1962, and the Foerderer tract from Jenks Street to Buckius Street in 1964.

The main intersection at Bridge and Richmond Streets was formerly the site of many structures. A movie theater, The Elm, occupied the northwest corner was closed as a result of the 1929 depression. The property was purchased by Rohm and Haas and converted to a company gymnasium in 1942 and finally dismantled in 1967. A property on the southwest corner was purchased by the company in 1928 and used as a clubhouse until razed in 1964.

A portion of an old powerhouse now known as Building 5, a part of an old Muriatic Plant now a part of Building 3 and an old steam driven fire pump house known as Building 50 are the oldest known structures in the plant. The pump house dates back to 1882.

Construction over the past ten years has totaled approximately 50 million dollars. Employment just about doubled from 1938 to 1944 when it reached approximately 1200 people. The figure in 1960 was just under 2500 employees. For 1975 the figure was 1670 people, of which 185 employees live in the Bridesburg area.
 
In addition to contributions and programs, which are sponsored on a corporate basis through the Philadelphia headquarters, the Bridesburg Plant makes various contributions to the Bridesburg community groups and its members are active in local civic organizations.