The district of Kennet was itself named after a tributary of the Thames called the River Kennet. In 1686, 200 acres of the great swathe of land inhabited by the Lenni Lenape and granted to William Penn by Charles II were acquired by Francis Smith, who hailed from a place called Kennet in Wiltshire County, England. The Lenni Lenape were nomadic hunters and farmers who built circular wooden wigwams and settled in a place, often for a few decades at a time, to till the fertile soil along rivers and creeks. Just as it can be a challenge to see possibilities for new growth when looking at an established built environment, it can also be difficult to imagine the original landscape here on this hill perched above the branches of the Red Clay Creek where the native Lenni Lenape, and later settlers, put down roots. In the beginning, there was something about this place that drew people to settle here. As we’ll see, development decisions that stand the test of time are made by an educated citizenry that appreciates the wisdom inherent in making small bets and building trust and relationships before buildings. In this three-part series, we’ll discover that the story of how Kennett evolved to look as it does today has a lot to teach us as we look towards shaping the future of our community.Ĭreating a legacy that future generations will commend or condemn is a huge responsibility. Like many communities across the country, Kennett Square began as an outpost on a hill, a collection of pop-up shacks built on hopes and dreams.
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