6200 Germantown Avenue

Naaman Keyser, Manuscript Notes for v. 2 (north of Chelten), History of Old Germantown, pp. 59-60
Germantown Historical Society

Included are unpublished typewritten notes:

"WEST TULPEHOCKEN STREET. (6200)

"This street was opened on the west side by John C. Fallon about 1848. He also planted the trees that line the sidewalk.

"Dr. D.G. Brinton gives the derivation of the word Tulpehocken from the Lenni Lenape word Tulpenaki meaning 'turtle country;' tulpe meaning 'turtle,' and aki meaning 'land.' It was the name of one of the Indian chiefs. Some have supposed that the name of the street was derived from the stream that runs through the Fallon property, Paper Mill Run being sometimes called the Tulpehocken. It is doubtful if this is correct...

"Mr. Charles Haupt furnishes the following note in regard to this locality:--

'At Tulpehocken Street, the west side of the Main Street was low and swampy. The street was filled in to the depth of five or six feet. The houses on the west side were below the street level, and in some cases it was necessary to descent several steps in order to enter the front rooms. In digging for the purpose of laying water pipes, it was discovered that large quantities of spent tan bark had been used for the purpose of filling in. The east side of Main Street was very high and had to be cut down. Sixty years ago there were many trees standing in front of the houses. There were not many maples, but there were several buttonwood, poplar, black oak, horse chestnut, and paper mulberry trees.'

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