WHEREAS, On March 4, 1681, Samuel Clift arrived from Burlington, New Jersey and founded the borough of Bristol; and
WHEREAS, Clift had received a grant from Governor Andros of New York which was to become effective at the same time as William Penn’s Charter for Pennsylvania from King Charles II of England; and
WHEREAS, Bristol was first called Buckingham and following English tradition, the county was named for its principal town, Buckinghamshire. Shire means county and the name was abbreviated which resulted in the county being called Bucks; and
WHEREAS, In the early 18th Century, Buckingham became known as New Bristol and by 1720 it became incorporated as Bristol, the 3rd oldest town in Pennsylvania, as only Philadelphia, which was settled after Bristol and Upland, currently Chester, had earlier incorporation dates; and
WHEREAS, Bristol also served as a marketplace for the surrounding territories as many of the timber and gristmills located in the Borough of Bristol processed and shipped numerous products from area farms; and
WHEREAS, In the late 18th Century, Bristol became popular as a resort as many people were attracted to the area by the cooling breezes and magnificent scenery of the Delaware River; and
WHEREAS, Bristol continued to grow in the 19th Century with the construction of the Delaware Canal and the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the 20th Century the Borough also aided in both of the World Wars with the construction of ships and aircraft; and
WHEREAS, At present, Bristol is home to numerous manufacturing and commercial facilities and the central business district in the center of town is now experiencing a revitalization. The Borough has seen an upswing in redevelopment throughout the entire area, including land situated along the Delaware River; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we honor and congratulate the Borough of Bristol on the occasion of its
325
th Birthday celebration.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mayor Joe Saxon as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End