In Search of the Source of Pennnypack Creek

Fred Moore and Roland Williams – 4/3/2007

 

 

Pennypack Creek has been said to begin in the middle of a cornfield near Maple Glen, PA.  That's not far from the truth.  The headwaters of Pennypack Creek are actually numerous underground springs bubbling to the surface and forming rivulets that become larger streams that come together to form the creek.  One such group of springs and streams form a manmade lake located on the 235-acre College Settlement Camp in Horsham, PA, in the vicinity of the intersections of Norristown Road, Welsh Road, and Limekiln Pike - still indicated on the map as Maple Glen.   Established in 1922, College Settlement Camp is situated on old farmland.  The dam to create the 3-acre recreational camp lake was constructed in the early 1930’s.

 

 

 

 

Friendship Lake at College Settlement Camp, Horsham PA.  Pennypack Creek could be said to start at the overspill of the dam to the left.

 

 

 

The creek continues towards Witmer Road and beyond on it’s 22-mile journey to the Delaware River.

 

 

 

Springs and feeder streams supplying the pond

 

 

 

The ultimate sources of the Pennypack are the springs creating the feeder streams to the pond.  Many of the springs are under the pond itself.  The above is from the start of the pond looking out towards the dam.  The day we were here, the pond seemed to be supplied by four streams, which appeared to come from a half dozen springs oozing out of the ground over a fairly large area – maybe a couple of acres - the furthest away being quite close to the edge of the corn fields shown on the camp map.  Much of the area is wetlands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Springs

 

 

 

 

 

The spring above was the greatest distance (about 300 yards) from the pond, about 50 yards beyond the tree house shown below and close at the edge of the cornfield.  These springs were pretty active from snow melt in the mountains on the early April morning we were there.  During drier months there may be very little evidence of springs.

 

 

 

 

 

Spring House

 

 

The most prominent and historically identifiable spring is under the spring house down from the old farm house and close to the beginning of the pond.  The farm house and spring house date back to ca 1700.