Newtown Heritage Walk

The Newtown Heritage Walk is a self-guided walking tour consisting of thirty-four 18” x 24” wayside markers at historically significant sites along State Street (Newtown Borough) and Sycamore Street (Newtown Township). Each stop has been selected because of its historical value to the Newtown community, featuring sites from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The Heritage Walk is modeled after similar wayside programs in Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Carlisle, the Delaware Canal, and other historic locations in Pennsylvania.

Marker Sites and Sponsors

1. Half Moon Inn – 101 Court Street (Newtown Historic Association)
2. Newtown Library Company – 114 East Centre Avenue (Newtown Library Company)
3. Edward Hicks House – 122 Penn Street (Newtown Friends Meeting)
4. White Hall Hotel – 127 South State Street (Capital Franchise Group and the Casey Family)
5. Friends Meeting – 219 Court Street (Newtown Friends Meeting)
6. Stocking Works – 301 South State Street (Newtown Historic Association)
7. Newtown Cannery & China Factory – 451 South State Street (M&T Bank)
8. Olde Church of Saint Andrew – 138 South Sycamore Street (Callanan Stained Glass Studio)
9. Twining Farm – South Sycamore Street & Cambridge Lane (The Corners at Newtown Place – Managed by The Quaker Group)
10. McMasters House – 13 West Centre Avenue (Paul Allen & Jack Lacey)
11. Washington’s Headquarters – 2 South Sycamore Street (LukOil)
12. Buckman Farm – 2 Swamp Road (Cotswold Group)
13. Old Presbyterian Church – 76 North Sycamore Street (Historic Church Committee)
14. William Penn’s New Town – North Sycamore Street – Near Jefferson Avenue (Newtown Rotary Club)
15. Saloon – 203 North Sycamore Street (Saloon)
16. Brooks House – 221 North Sycamore Street (Carriage House Collection / Robert & Sandra Thomas)
17. Boyd-Yardley House – 223 North Sycamore Street (Tyrol Insurance)
18. Goodnoe Farm & Dairy Bar – 2865 South Eagle Road (Goodnoe Family)
19. a. Durham Road Toll House – 298 North Sycamore Street (J.W. McGrath Organization)
19. b. Durham Road Toll House – 2987 South Eagle Road (Joint Historic Commission)
20. Macedonia Baptist Church – 218 North State Street (Macedonia Baptist Church)
21. North State Street – 156 North State Street (Randall Carriage Realty Group)
22. Newtown Theatre – 120 North State Street (Knights of Pythias & Mr. & Mrs. James M. Baniewicz & Family)
23. Newtown Common & Creek – 30 North State Street (Newtown Creek Coalition)
24. Newtown Borough Hall – 23 North State Street (Newtown Borough)
25. St. Mark AME Zion Church – 136 North Congress Street (Friends of St. Mark)
26. Wesley Hall – 35 Liberty Street (Newtown United Methodist Church Memorial Fund)
27. Newtown Fire Association – 14 Liberty Street (Newtown Fire Association)
28. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church – 100 East Washington Avenue (Mary Benedict Callahan & Mary Roberts Hunter)
29. Brick Hotel – 1 East Washington Avenue (Brick Hotel)
30. Paxson-Croasdale Building & Newtown Trolley – 2-4 South State Street (Stuckert & Yates)
31. Temperance House – 5-11 South State Street (Temperance House)
32. Newtown – The County Seat – 35 South State Street (Newtown Business & Professional Association)
33. First National Bank – 40 South State Street (First National Bank)
34. Bird-in-Hand – 111 South State Street (Newtown Reliance Company and Jonathan & Elizabeth Hunt)

About The Project

The Newtown Historic Association coordinated all aspects of the project, including: selecting the sites, developing the signs and brochures, obtaining the necessary HARB, Borough and Township approvals, confirming site sponsors, coordinating the installation with the property owners and the official launch of the Heritage Walk program.

All site selections were made by a committee consisting of representatives from the Newtown Historic Association, the Borough of Newtown and Newtown Township. The general site selection criteria were:

1. Historical Significance – Sites must be considered historic, preferably have been built in either the 1700s or early 1800s, and have contributed to the historical character and/or cultural development of the Newtown community (Borough & Township).
2. Location – Sites must be located on either State Street (Borough) or Sycamore Street (Township), or within a one- or two-block radius, to maintain the contiguous flow of an historic walking tour of the downtown Newtown community.
3. Architectural Merit – Sites must exemplify, embody or exhibit the unique architectural, construction and design features that have come to define the Newtown (Bucks County) community.
4. Sponsorship – Sites must be funded by a sponsor(s) to help cover the fixed costs of the site marker, brochure and marker installation. Newtown Township installed the signs along Sycamore Street.
5. Total Number – Every effort has been made to be judicious and equitable during the site selection process, so as to place a practical and reasonable limit on the total number of signs and not to overly “clutter” the streets of Newtown.

Sample diagram of a site marker.

ADA Compliance – The law does not consider interpretive signage to be essential; therefore, ADA regulations do not apply. However, the National Park Service recognizes 30″ to 34″ above standing grade to be wheelchair friendly for low profile interpretive exhibits. Therefore, the Heritage Walk wayside signs have been installed at a height of approximately 34″ above grade to be both compliant with NPS standards, suitable for handicapped and young walking tour attendants, and as elevated as possible for the unimpaired. The wayside sign panels are mounted at a 30-degree angle for ease of viewing at all heights.

The design and layout of the individual wayside sign panels was donated by Mike DiFiori, DiFiori Design Group (fomerly Buzz Graphic Design). For more information on this project, please contact Brian Rounsavill.