Essington: History at Printzhof and River Views

Essington offers several themes to explore on a trip: settlement history at Printzhof, a statue in Governor Printz Park, and a walk along the Governor Printz Trail. Another natural highlight is in Tinicum Township, home to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. The themes are clearly distinct: Printzhof is about a historic settlement and its visible remains, the trail offers river views on a walk, and the refuge focuses on habitats, wildlife observation, and trails. You can plan your stay around whether history, a walk, or observing nature is your priority.

History at Printzhof

The site of Printzhof in Essington was the capital of New Sweden from 1643 to 1654. This time period places the site in its historical context and connects it to a clearly defined role. The site included a blockhouse called “New Gothenburg,” a house, a log chapel, a warehouse, and a brewery. Together, these features represent various aspects of settlement life: defense, housing, religious life, storage, and brewing. The stone foundations of Printzhof are the only visible remains of the settlement. This gives you two perspectives for understanding its history: the site’s role as a capital and its visible architectural traces.

A statue of Johan Printz stands in Governor Printz Park. It adds a portrayal as a distinct point of interest to Essington’s historical themes. The settlement history at Printzhof and the statue in the park are therefore presented side by side. If you are interested in history, you can take these different themes into account when choosing what to focus on.

A Walk on the Governor Printz Trail

The Governor Printz Trail offers a walk with views of the Delaware River. The river views are an immediate part of the walk, rather than just a general nature theme. The trail also has a playground for young children. These are two distinct aspects to consider when planning your trip: the walking route with its views and the playground. If you are weighing a historical focus against time outdoors, you can choose the trail based on your interest in walking, river views, or the playground.

Nature in Tinicum Township

In Tinicum Township, the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum protects habitats for the benefit of people and wildlife. Visitors can observe hundreds of species of plants, trees, birds, insects, and mammals there. The refuge also has more than 10 miles of trails. This makes its nature focus distinct from that of the Governor Printz Trail: while the latter offers a walk with views of the Delaware River, the refuge focuses on habitat conservation, wildlife observation, and its trail network. This offers a practical comparison for your plans: river views and a playground for young children on one side, nature observation and more than 10 miles of trails in Tinicum Township on the other.

For the broader trip overview: Tinicum Township.