Pennsylvania and Penn State's Agricultural Heritage:
A Chronology

1600-1799

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Introduction

The following is a chronology of noteworthy individuals and events in Pennsylvania's agricultural history from 1600 to present, with a special emphasis upon activities and people associated with the Pennsylvania State University, and the Department of Plant Pathology in particular. Whenever possible, names and events mentioned in the chronology are hypertext linked to outside Web pages which provide more detailed information about them.

In order to help situate Pennsylvania's agricultural history within a broader historical context, selected national and international non-agrarian events are also included in the chronology.

We welcome any suggestions that you may have for new entries or other improvements to the site.

1600-1649

1643

"The first gristmill in Pennsylvania is erected by Johan Printz, governor of New Sweden" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 231).

1650-1699

1680

The wild peach tree, the only wild fruit tree in the United States spreads as far north as Philadelphia. The peach tree "is not native to America;" it was "introduced by the Spanish into Florida" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 222).

1681

William Penn secures a charter for Pennsylvania.

1693

"A law is passed requiring cornfields to be enclosed with a fence" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 221).

Late 1600s - Early 1700s

Red clover, white clover, and timothy are introduced for hay and pasture usage. (The Pennsylvania State University. College of Agricultural Sciences,"300 Years of Haymaking in Pennsylvania, 1640-1940: From Seed to Feed," 2006).

1700-1749

1705

A law prohibiting swine to "run at large without rings and yokes" is enacted. Failure to comply with the new law will result in "a heavy fine" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 221).

Circa 1725

The first Conestoga wagons appear in Pennsylvania. "The Conestoga wagon "reached its height of popularity about 1815, continued to be used extensively until about 1860, and became practically extinct about 1870" (Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, "The Conestoga Wagon"; Dunaway, 1948, p. 247).

1728

John Bartram builds America's first botanical garden on the bank of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Environmental Protection).

1735

Harris's Ferry and Wright's Ferry across the Susquehanna River are established (Dunaway, 1948, p. 247).

1750-1759

1750

Pennsylvanians "are making an estimated nine tenths of their own clothes from materials produced on their farms, using wool for the greater part" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 232).

Pennsylvania is the largest manufacture of iron in the colonies (Dunaway, 1948, p. 234).

Construction begins on Durham boats (named for the Durham iron furnace near Easton). The boats, "sharp pointed and decked at the stern and bow, were ordinarily sixty feet long, eight feet wide, and two feet deep, and when laden with fifteen tons of freight, drew 20 inches of water. The boats, which had a mast and two sails, were manned by a crew of five men, one of whom was the steersman, while the other four pushed the craft forward with poles." The boats were used on the Delaware, Schuylkill, and to a lesser extent, Lehigh Rivers (Dunaway, 1948, p. 242-243).

After 1750

Horses come into more general use as draft animals on Pennsylvania farms. Previously, oxen were predominantly used for plowing and other farm work (Dunaway, 1948, p. 220).

Pleasure carriages make their first appearance in Pennsylvania (Dunaway, 1948, p. 248-249).

Circa 1754

Stone lime comes into use on Pennsylvania farms, "the customary application being fifty bushels per acre" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 217).

1755

General Edward Braddock marches against Fort Duquesne. In the process, Braddock's army builds a 12 foot wide road through the forest. The road dubbed Braddock's Road, generally follows the route of an Indian path known as Nemacolin's Path which runs from Cumberland, Maryland to present day Pittsburgh (Dunaway, 1948, p. 246).

1758

Colonel Henry Bouquet builds Forbes Road "in order to enable General John Forbes to advance to the capture of Fort Duquesne." The road extends from Raystown (Bedford) to Pittsburgh (Dunaway, 1948, p. 246).

1760-1969

1765

The average Chester County farm has 2.7 horses, 3.7 cattle, and 7.1 sheep (Dunaway, 1948, p. 221).

A weekly stage line is established between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland (Dunaway, 1948, p. 249).

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1770-1779

Circa 1770

Gypsum (aka land plaster) is introduced into Pennsylvania (Dunaway, 1948, p. 217).

Devore's Ferry on the Monongahela River is established (Dunaway, 1948, p. 247).

1772

A post route is established between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Boston, Massachusetts (Dunaway, 1948, p. 250).

1773

Christopher Colles makes "the first experimental steam engine in America" in Philadelphia (Dunaway, 1948, p. 234).

1779

Ferries are established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Dunaway, 1948, p. 247).

1780-1789

1785

March: "The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture becomes the first agriculture society in the Colonies. It is formed by Dr. Benjamin Rush, Robert Morris,...and others to promote improved agricultural practices"(Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection).

1788

The federal constitution is adopted.

State roads are first constructed in Pennsylvania (Dunaway, 1948, p. 246).

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1790-1799

1790

Pennsylvania's population is 434,373.

"The first [iron] furnace west of the Alleghenies is built on Jacob's Creek, Fayette County (Dunaway, 1948, p. 234).

Pennsylvania manufactures "over 160,000 wool hats and 54,000 felt hats" per year. There are currently 315 hatters in the state (Dunaway, 1948, p. 239).

The first bridges over large rivers in Pennsylvania are constructed (Dunaway, 1948, p. 247).

1791

Pennsylvania leads "all the states in foreign commerce with an aggregate of imports and exports amounting to $3,400,000, out of a total of $9,000,000 for the entire United States" (Dunaway, 1948, p. 259).

Circa 1792

Centre Furnace Mansion (aka "The Evergreens") is built by Colonel John Patton (Centre County Sequi-centennial Committee, 1950).

1794-1795

Prince Talleyrand visits central Pennsylvania.

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