Walking Purchase

Walking Purchase is a Pennsylvania historical marker in Northampton County, dedicated 1948.

Indian Trail Rd. (SR 3016) & Kohls Rd.

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Measured 1737, according to a supposed Indian deed of 1686, granting lands extending a day-and-a-half walk. Using picked men to force this measure to its limit, Thomas Penn reversed his father's Indian policy, losing Indian friendship.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library

Historical maps covering this location

1675 · Pascaerte van Nieu Nederland : streckende vande Zuÿdt Revier tot de Noordt Revier en't… (Princeton University Library)
1687 · Amplissimae regionis Mississipi seu Provinciae Ludovicianae â R.P. Ludovico Hennepin… (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1871 · Plate F. East Central Pennsylvania. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1876 · Outline Map of Lehigh County. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1902 · Slatington, Pennsylvania (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Plate F. East Central Pennsylvania, 1871, covering the location of Walking Purchase, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Plate F. East Central Pennsylvania, 1871, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

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The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

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Marker data: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission via data.pa.gov

More markers nearby

The Famous Indian Walk - PLAQUEsame spot
Hockendauqua - PLAQUE2 mi
Walking Purchase2 mi
Portland Cement2 mi