Thousands of years ago Native American Indians lived along the Delaware River in what is now New Hope, Pennsylvania. William Penn arrived from England in 1682, and helped to build a community for his fellow Quakers. Later, General George Washington and his army marched along Old York Road through the center of New Hope and crossed the Delaware River nearby. In the 19th century, mules pulled canal boats along the Delaware Canal to carry food and materials to help build our young country. In the 1920s many artists came to New Hope to paint the beautiful landscapes in the area, and later the Bucks County Playhouse brought Broadway and Hollywood stars to town. Today, all of these wonderful events are still celebrated in New Hope where shops, theaters, restaurants, museums, parks and ice cream parlors all add to the fun of visiting this historic Bucks County town.