Editing Delaware County, Pennsylvania (section)

==History==
[[File:Map of the early settlements of Delaware County, Penna.jpg|thumb|Map of the early settlements of Delaware County, Pennsylvania]]
[[File:Chester Courthouse 1724.JPG|thumb|The [[1724 Chester Courthouse|old Chester Courthouse]], built in 1724]]
Delaware County lies in the river and bay drainage area named "Delaware" in honor of [[Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr]], Governor of the nearby English colony of [[Virginia]]. The land was explored by [[Henry Hudson]] in 1609, and over the next several decades it was variously claimed and settled by the [[New Sweden|Swedes]], the [[New Netherland|Dutch]], and the [[Province of Pennsylvania|English]]. Its original human inhabitants were the [[Lenape]] tribe of American Indians.

Once the Dutch were defeated and the extent of [[Province of New York|New York]] was determined, King [[Charles II of England]] made his grant to [[William Penn]] to found the colony which came to be named [[Pennsylvania]]. Penn divided his colony into three counties: Bucks, Philadelphia, and Chester. The riverfront land south of Philadelphia, being the most accessible, was quickly granted and settled. In 1789, the southeastern portion of [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]] was divided from the rest and named Delaware County for the [[Delaware River]].