Bedminster Township

Mention Bedminster township and I immediately picture driving along quiet country roads with long views of beautiful farmland and through a few tiny, historic hamlets.  It's located "below the lake" to those of us that live north of Lake Nockamixon, right in the middle of the northern half of the county.  Tinicum creek is its northern and eastern border and the lake was created by damming the creek in the northwest corner of the township.  The northern border actually extends to the creek bed out in the middle of the lake.  The western edge follows the Old Bethlehem road from where it's submerged in the lake to route 313.  The line then turns southeast and follows route 313 down to and around Dublin.  The final border runs northeast and follows Applebutter road from Dublin to just above Plumsteadville, then it continues northeast along Township Line Road to Durham Road.  The line then continues this same direction all the way east to Tinicum creek, just below Stover-Myers Mill.

The township was mostly farmland until very recently.  There's still a considerable amount of farms, if including equestrian farms and orchards, along with traditional working farms.   There are also a few historic villages and hamlets within the township that served the agricultural community that still maintain much of their historic character.  Bedminsterville, located about the center of the township is one of those villages.  In addition to a post office, school and a large chair making shop, there was a popular general store that operated throughout much of the 19th century and well into the 20th.  Now shortened to Bedminster, the village has many fine historic homes and is also home to Architectural Antiques, that carries old building parts and some other restoration supplies.

Hagersville and Keelersville are small villages on the Old Bethlehem road, a major stage coach route.  Hagersville, south of Ridge road at one time had two coach factories, a wheelwright and blacksmith, a store and the Hagersville Hotel.  Keelersville, just north of Ridge Road had several shops, a store, a tannery and leather factory, and also had a hotel.

Pipersville is the most visible village due to its location at the northern termination of route 413 at 611, near the eastern corner of the township.  It's the home of the Piper Tavern, having a long history dating back to the original building's construction date of 1759.  This village, being located at the merge of the old Durham road and the Philadelphia-Easton Post road also had a store, post office, chapel, library (still there) and a large clothing factory.

Elephant is a hamlet of only two homes and the old Elephant Hotel, built in 1848.  It is at the intersection of Ridge and Elephant roads.  The hotel is currently undergoing a major renovation.  The original hotel sign hangs in the mercer museum in Doylestown.

Deep Run is not a village or hamlet, but a large area  with historic significance to the township.  Deep Run creek runs across most of the southeastern part and flows into the Tohickon just above Pipersville.  The first settlers to the area were "Scotch-Irish" and settled in the creek valley.  The inhabitants of "Deep Run Territory" petitioned to form a township in 1742, which was named Bedminster.  Many of the original settlers moved out of the area and "German" Mennonites Purchased much of the land, mostly for farming.  This area of Bedminster township is home to the historic Presbyterian "Irish Meeting House", the Deep Run East and Deep Run West Mennonite meetinghouses and the well-preserved "German school".

There are other smaller streams that include Cabin Run, Deer Run, Wolf Run, Mink Run, that flow east to the Tohickon and the beginning of the East Branch Perkiomen Creek that flows west.  At one time there were numerous mills along some of these creeks, and some creameries,  serving the needs of the farmers in the township.