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A Brief History of the Wissahickon Valley |
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Page 1 of 6 The Wissahickon Valley Historical Society draws its name from the stream which flows through the Townships of Lower Gwynedd and Whitpain as well as the Borough of Ambler. The Wissahickon is a 25 mile long stream with headwaters in the area now covered by the Montgomery Mall. It winds its way through Upper and Lower Gwynedd, Whitpain, Ambler, and Whitemarsh Townships before emptying into a deep Alpine-like gorge as it enters the city of Philadelphia. After a 6.5 mile trip through some of the region's most scenic landscape, the stream joins the Schuykill River just below City Line Avenue.
The Wissahickon draws its name
from the region's first settlers,
the Lenni-Lenape Indians. Although it's doubtful that these Indians
(also known as the Delaware) ever inhabited the immediate area, it is probable that the Wissahickon was frequently used as a hunting ground and it is known that Bethlehem Pike was cut from the Minsi Path
which ran from present day |  | Philadelphia to Kingston, New York region would be drawn to the stream itself, since the name Wissahickon means the catfish stream. An added benefit would have been the area now known as Blue Bell (formerly Pigeontown) which was known to attract passenger pigeon flocks of as many as two billion birds at one time. | |
 Willy Penn, with hat  Charles II, with hair
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