The  Poquessing Pathfinder Online
The Friends of Poquessing Watershed Inc. of Philadelphia and Bucks County
Dedicated to the Conservation and Beautification of the Poquessing Creek and Its Environs

The President’s Corner

 
Dianne Welsh-Retzback

Ed. Note:  This article appeared in the newsletter of the Fairmount Park Commission’s Natural Lands Restoration and Environmental Education Program and is reprinted with their permission.

  When William Penn arrived in Philadelphia,  he was excited by the forests that covered the area. He described the forest as “the natural produce of the country, of vegetables, is trees, fruits, plants, flowers.”

  In an effort to preserve and enhance the City’s remaining forests, the Fairmount Park Commission works with contractors and volunteers to remove invasive plants and install thousands of beneficial native plants each year. Native plant species are adapted to specific environmental conditions such as climate and soils that have existed historically in a particular region. Additionally, native plants provide ecological benefits which introduced plants may not. One of the primary benefits of native plants is that they provide food, shelter and breeding sited for animals. Many animals have very specific relationships with a particular native plant species and could become extinct without them.  For example, Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritaceae) is the host plant for the Painted Lady butterflies and Milkweeds (Asclepias incarnata, A. syrica, A. tuberosa)  are hosts for Monarch butterflies. Without these plants, these lovely butterflies would not exist.  Many songbirds rely on the fats contained in dogwood (Cornus florida, C. racemosa, C. amomum, C. sericia) , spice bush (Lindera benzoin) and vibernum (Vibernum dentatum, V. lentago, V.  prunifolium, V. acerfolium) fruits to support their long fall migrations. Without these plants, songbird populations may begin to dwindle. 

  To advance the awareness of native plants and their benefits the Park Commission has produced two new brochures: Selected Trees and Shrubs Native to Philadelphia County and Selected Wildflowers, Ferns, Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes Native to Philadelphia County. These brochures are guides to assist homeowners and interested individuals with landscape and restoration projects. The brochures present the plants in alphabetical order by the most updated scientific name and include common names as well as characteristics and habitat information to assist in choosing the best plant for a particular situation. Also included are resources used to create the brochures and helpful websites to assist in finding more information about the plants.

  The development of the brochures began two years ago when NLREEP prepared a list of commercially available native plants to use in restoration projects. The lists contained in the brochures are not comprehensive of all plants native to Philadelphia. Only native plants that are commercially available as determined by researching local nursery catalogues (PA, NJ, DE, MD, NY, VA) and websites are included.

  The FPC would like to acknowledge and thank the following individuals for their assistance in reviewing and editing the brochures. Dr. Ann Fowler Rhoads (Botanist, Morris Arboretum) Dr. Alfred E. Schuyler (Botanist, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia), John Munro (Ecologist, Munro Ecological Services), Homer Elliott (Horticulturalist, Temple - Ambler Campus) and staff members at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. The brochures were researched and written by Amy Hutchinson, NLREEP project coordinator and were designed by Lynda Cloud Weber of Cloud Weber Design.

  Park Executive Director Karen Borski noted that “we are pleased to distribute these informative brochures and hope that they will be useful to individuals when choosing plants for landscape and restoration projects.”

  The brochures are available at no cost. To obtain copies, please contact Amy Hutchinson at 215-685-0279 or amy.hutchinson@phila.gov. Copies may also be downloaded at http://www.nlreep.org, or picked up locally at these locations:

 Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Road

Cobbs Creek Environmental Center, 700 Cobbs Creek Parkway

Wissahickon Environmental Center, Tree House, Northwestern Ave

Lloyd Hall, 1 Boathouse Row

Memorial Hall, 4231 North Concourse Drive

Tell It Like It Is

       Suzanne Zlotnick, Vice President Education

  Students in Diane O’Fee Powers’ class at the Benjamin Rush Middle School observed Poquessing Creek conditions near their school during a stream bank assessment project last spring. Academic components included an examination of soil samples, water testing, and erosion assessments. Here are some of the students’ thoughts: “People are stupid for taking shopping carts and throwing them anywhere they want.” “Teenagers love to party up there. I can tell because there were beer cans all over. I also learned that people don’t know how to clean up after themselves.” “I think we should go and clean the park a little so it won’t look so trashed.” “I learned that the park should be cleaned because it affects everyone in the neighborhood, because we use the water every day.”  Future plans for service learning projects include stream-side site adoptions, invasive plant removal and clean-ups. Thanks to FOPW member Diane O’Fee Powers and new student members from her class, as well as FOPW partners Kathleen Geist of Earth Force and Jackie Olsen our Volunteer Coordinator from Fairmount Park. 

FOPW Partners with

         Philadelphia Academy Charter School

     Suzanne Zlotnick, Vice President Education

Tim Beaver’s class at the Philadelphia Academy Charter School did a fabulous job caring for their newly adopted site at the Old Lincoln Highway Bridge in Benjamin Rush  Park. During a site assessment led by FOPW partner Kathleen Geist of Earth Force, students saw trash left by homeless park dwellers near the bridge. On the trails, Kathleen taught us all about native plant species found on the trail. Back at school,  students analyzed macroinvertebrates and ran chemical tests on water samples taken from the Poquessing Creek. Authorities were contacted and action was taken to start controlling the trash problem in this portion of the park. Thanks again, Tim!

Problem-Free Gardening

       Jo Edwards, Vice President Ways and Means

It is important for gardeners to try to protect plants from injuries. Cuts, bruises, cracks and insect damage are often sites for infection because they attract disease-causing organisms.

If fruits, such as cucumbers, watermelons and peppers are difficult to remove, cut them off instead of pulling them from plants. When cultivating gardens, plant roots should not be cut.

Friends of Poquessing Watershed Welcomes

New Members!

From the Philadelphia Academy Charter School:

Tim Beaver and Family

Mr. Kronberger

Tim Beaver's Students:

Hayley Barthus

Andrew Bernstin

Justina Cwenar

Tom Cwenar

Rachael Gleeson

Rian Glennon

Tessa Glennon

Taylor Lewis

Alexa Livingston

Johnny Saybolt

Rachel Saybolt

Tara Stockeye

Tiffany Walsh

From the Benjamin Rush Middle School:

Diane O'Fee Powers' students:

Miranda Checkavage

Asad Ali

Gregory Hester

 From the School Lane Charter School:

 Janai Nelson

 Associations:

Historical Society of Bensalem Township

East Torresdale Civic Association

 Families and Individuals:

Michael & Lisa Hatala

Mike Pahides (Life membership)

Update on our Glen Foerd Tour

Jo Edwards, Vice President Ways and Means

Our fund-raising tour of Glen Foerd was held June 25. It was a beautiful evening and the tour was interesting and informative. Seven people attended and we had a $35 profit from the tour for our organization.

Bloody Run

       Donna Remick, Vice President

  
 Bloody Run is a tributary of the Poquessing located in Somerton which runs across Bustleton Avenue near Denise Drive, then along Trevose Road into Feasterville, where it joins the Poquessing.  Legend has it that the name Bloody Run stemmed from a skirmish during the Revolutionary War when the creek ran red with the blood from those killed and injured. We’re often asked about the skirmish—when it occurred and why — and here is what I’ve found out about it.

 During the winter of 1778, the British occupied Philadelphia and General Washington was camped at Valley Forge with his troops. In January of 1778, Brigadier General John Lacey Jr. was sent to the Bucks County area with commands from General Washington which stated in part  “Protecting the Inhabitants is one of the ends designed, and preventing supplies and intercourse with the Enemy is the other…I am well informed that many Persons, under pretence of furnishing the Inhabitants of German Town and near the Enemy's Lines, afford immense supplies to the Philadelphia Markets, a conduct highly prejudicial to us and contrary to every order.… P.S. You will strive to suffer no more provision to go into German Town, but what is absolutely necessary for its Inhabitants.”  For 6 months, with his troops numbering as low as 60 men at times to a high of about 300 men, General Lacey fought to keep supplies from the British.  It was during this period that two skirmishes at Smithfield (now Somerton) took place. The location of the 1st skirmish is unknown, but the 2nd skirmish reportedly took place at Vanhorns Hotel, which was located on the west side of Bustleton Avenue, behind the old Somerton Nurseries, near Denise Drive and the banks of Bloody Run.

 The first skirmish in Smithfield occurred on February 14, 1778:

 On February 15th, 1778, General Lacey reported from his camp at Warwick Township:  “Yesterday another party of Foot and Horse advanced up the Newtown Road as far as Smithfield, took, it is Reported, near fourty [sic] Prisoners, the Collectors and Militia Officers. I hear they are yet in the Neighborhood.”  ---Pennsylvania Archives, 1st Series, Vol. IV

Another account of this skirmish reads “On January 20th, General Lacey, who had been ordered to occupy this locality about January 1st, stationed eighty men at Smithfield to keep a closer watch on the enemy. Here, on February 14th, they were surprised and about one-half were either taken prisoners or slain by Captain Thomas and his Bucks County Tories.”    --- "A History of the Townships of Byberry and Moreland" by Joseph C. Martindale, M.D. revised by Albert W. Dudley, B.S

 The second skirmish in Smithfield occurred on April 8, 1778:

 General Lacey sent this account to General Washington from Lacey’s camp at Doyls Town  on April 9th, 1778:

“About two oClock in the morning of the 8th instant Capt. HUMPHREY with a small party of Continental Troops were surprised at Smithfield by a body of the Enemy supposed to be about 300 the greatest part of which were Refugees and new Levies;

Capt. HUMPHREY narrowly made his escap [sic] out of a house where he was lodging, got part of his men out of another House by the back way just as the Enemy entered in at the Front leaving their Arms behind them he run to another little party he had at some little distance had them paraded which number was about twelve men, from this number he kept up such a warm fire as obliged the Enemy to leave the houses and retire

 the Capts. loss was one man killed & two wounded and one Officer taken Prisoner.

The loss of the Enemy is not known, but from the blood found on the road next morning their loss must have been considerable.”  ---  Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 4, Reel 48, 17 March 1778 — April 1778.

And another account reads:

"There is no account of our fair fields having been deluged with blood, nor of any battle having occurred except the skirmish at Smithfield; and of that it is said that about twenty-five Americans were, on a certain occasion, in the vicinity of Bustleton, when they were pursued by a company of seventy-five British soldiers. As the pursuit did not continue farther than Bustleton, the Americans thought the danger had passed, and accordingly halted at Vanhorn's hotel, in Smithfield, to spend the night. This company was under the command of Jacob Humphreys, and on that very night allowed themselves to be surprised by one hundred British infantry and twenty cavalry; and, in the engagement which followed, one-half of them were either slain or captured. The Americans scattered, and were pursued by the enemy. One person, named Glentworth, while trying to escape, fell over the fence just as a soldier discharged his musket at him, and, as he was supposed to be killed, the enemy retired, and he escaped unharmed. On that occasion, several bullets were shot through the front door of a house in the village, which belonged to a person named Vansant. He escaped only by hiding himself under a hogshead. In the morning, several of the British went to Esquire Comly's house, where they demanded breakfast, which was at length furnished, much against his will. They had with them a man named Krewson, whom they had taken prisoner the preceding night. The same night the British visited the house now belonging to Jacob Saurman (footnote: Unfortunately this house no longer exists, it having been replaced by a handsome modern structure.), and a person named Boucher, who had not time to escape from the house, crept into the chimney, and his wife pushed the bed against it so as to entirely conceal the fireplace. They searched the house in vain for their prisoner, but were finally compelled to leave without him. They took the best of the horses with them, but did not otherwise molest the family."                       --- "A History of the Townships of Byberry and Moreland" by Joseph C. Martindale, M.D. revised by Albert W. Dudley, B.S