Tyler State Park

Tyler State Park, located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, encompasses over 1,700 acres and features a network of over 23.5 miles of interconnected trails, including more than 10.5 miles of paved trails, 4 miles of hiking trails, and over 9 miles of bridle paths in Newtown and Northampton Townships, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Tyler State Park has a rich history rooted in farming, milling, and the Tyler family’s estate. Originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape and later settled by colonists, the area saw agricultural development and the construction of mills along Neshaminy Creek. The Tyler family acquired a large portion of the land in the early 20th century, eventually leading to the creation of the state park in 1974.

Before becoming a park, the Tyler Estate consisted of 21 farms and over 2,000 acres. Many of these properties have disappeared over time due to a combination of vandalism and neglect, or were removed to protect the safety of park visitors. The 14 original barns/dwellings that remain today stand as fine examples of early rural Pennsylvania architecture. Today, these historic homes are maintained by the individuals who lease and reside in the Commonwealth-owned structures.

HISTORICAL WAYSIDE MARKERS

The Newtown Historic Association worked with members of the Tyler family and the DCNR to create the following historical wayside markers for historically significant sites within Tyler State Park:

1. The Tyler Estate
2. Agriculture
3. Neshaminy Farms Dairy
4. The Tyler Stables
5. Spring Garden Mill
6. The Buckman Quarry
7. Early Mills
8. Root Cellars
9. Farmhouses
10. Bucks County Barns
11. Lenni Lenape Indians & Indian Council Rock
12. Solly House
13. Schofield-Ford Covered Bridge
14. Dams

Help Us Improve the Visitor Experience

The first six signs have been completed and installed. Click here to donate and help fund the remaining historical markers planned throughout the park.

For more information about Tyler State Park, click here.

History of Tyler State Park Book

First published in 2021, this limited-edition, 100-page book contains rare photographs and detailed descriptions of the many historic properties and farmhouses, including the construction of the Tyler mansion, and how they were acquired by the Tyler family in the early 1900s.

To order copies, please click here.

Bucks County’s Benevolent Squire: In Search of George Frederick Tyler

by Daniel Tyler

George Frederick Tyler (GFT) was born in 1883 into an enormously wealthy Philadelphia family whose money was made during the post-Civil War industrial era. Daniel Tyler, his grandson, explores GFT’s life with no small degree of bias against what the author thought was an ostentatious lifestyle during the Great Depression when many were suffering. Subsequent research confirmed and challenged his predispositions.

Established by GFT, Neshaminy Farms shipped Ayrshire heifers all over the world and produced high-quality Hereford cattle as well as wheat sought after by the Jewish community for its purity. A very private person, GFT enjoyed the privileges connected to wealth, yet he served as board president of the Abington Memorial Hospital, State Commander of the American Legion, and promoted the Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife Stella, as well as their heirs, made large gifts to Temple University, Bucks County Community College, Tyler Park, and Abington Memorial Hospital, to name a few.

This is the story of a man who had everything and only needed to oversee his estate. Instead, George Frederick Tyler decided to create something worthwhile for the benefit of his fellow citizens.

To order copies, visit the following site:
springcedars.com/bookstore/bucks-countys-benevolent-squire