'Chester Creek' is a
tributary of the
Delaware River in
Delaware County,
Pennsylvania in the
United States.
East Branch
Rising near
Kirkland, it crosses under the junction of
U.S. Route 202 and
Pennsylvania Route 100. Just below, it is dammed to form the 'West Chester Reservoir'. Flowing southward, it is dammed just above the
Pennsylvania Route 3 crossing to form the 'Milltown Reservoir'. It flow south from there to
Westtown, where
Goose Creek enters and the former
West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad (now owned by
SEPTA) runs alongside it. The stream runs easterly about two miles, then turns south and passes a large stone quarry at
Glen Mills. It turns southeasterly and meanders slightly, passing through
Darlington and
Wawa and meeting the East Branch at
Lenni.
West Branch
The West Branch originates near
Dillworthtown, in
Chester County and flows generally eastward. Just before entering Delaware County, it is dammed to form 'Brinton Lake'. At
Markham,
Webb Creek enters at the site of the historic Newlin Grist Mill. From here to
Chester Heights, the creek is paralleled by the abandoned right-of-way of the Octoraro Branch, damaged in flooding from
Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The creek loops southward in a deep gorge to skirt the "Heights" and comes north to meet the East Branch below Lenni.
Main Stream
The two branches converge between Lenni and
Glen Riddle. The main stream winds southward and eastward through a rocky gorge, formerly the site of many mills that tapped its power. The
Chester Creek Railroad (later the Chester Creek Branch of the
Pennsylvania Railroad), built 1869, paralleled it from Lenni to
Upland, where it turned away from the creek, until 1972, when it was destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Agnes. Chester Creek joins the tidal Delaware River near
Chester.
Tributaries
East Branch
★
Goose Creek
★
Westtown Run
★
Hickman Run
★
Forsythe Run
★ Rocky Run
West Branch
★
Green Creek
★
Webb Creek
★
Deborahs Run
Main Stream
★
Crum Run
★
Chrome Run
★ Baldwin Run
See also
★
List of Pennsylvania rivers
References
★ Gertler, Edward. ''Keystone Canoeing'', Seneca Press, 2004. ISBN 0-9749692-0-6