Concordville is one of the first established historic villages in Concord Township. Geographically, it consists of the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Concord Road, which were both laid out by William Penn’s surveyors. The original path of Baltimore Pike lay roughly along the driveway that separates today’s Concord Friends Meetinghouse from the ‘Grange’ building (today’s Senior Center). The buildings on Concord Road at the intersection of Thornton Road and the Concord Friends Meeting constitute the Concordville National Register Historic District. Modern Concordville is larger, including houses and businesses along Route One, and extending further down Concord Road. Many of these buildings qualify for inclusion on the National Register.
The oldest buildings in Concordville represent colonial architecture and play a vital role in communicating the historical significance of the village. Many of them are included in the National Register Historic District of Concordville, and several of them are stand-alone National Register buildings. The Concord Friends Meeting House was built in 1728, and is a prime example of colonial Quaker architecture, as well as an important role in the religious background of Concordville. The Concord Friends Meeting is one of the oldest Quaker meetings in the country, and is still an active meeting today. The Orthodox Friends Meeting house was established next door in 1837. The Nicholas Newlin House (and the Sam Trimble-Norris Scott House are both other examples of colonial-period architecture in the village, and represent important historic figures in the township.
While the historic district of Concordville contains buildings dating back to colonial times, the village at large developed rapidly around the mid to late 1800s, when tradesmen and business owners moved to homes along Baltimore Pike and Concord Road and opened various businesses and institutions from general stores, an inn, schools, and trades businesses.
The portion of the village along Baltimore Pike represents various homes with Victorian architecture, and housed prominent members of Concord Township society. The Robert A. Hance House represents Victorian architecture, and was home to the son of Samuel Hance, the founder of the Brandywine Camp Meeting and president of the Board of School Directors Robert Hance himself was a church sexton, and important member of Concordville society. The Lewis P. Green House is another example of a modest Victorian home along Baltimore Pike, and was home to one of the first Concord Township Supervisors. Several other Victorian houses along Baltimore Pike were home to skilled laborers. The Joseph Wells House was home to Mr. Wells, a prominent carpenter and builder who employed many men from the township. The E.W. Green House was home to another local carpenter, while the Jesse Kersey Jester House was home to a well-known stonemason, and his father in law, Henry Boozer, who was a local shoemaker. The Isaac Cornogg House is an example of an upper middle class Victorian home, and housed one of the most influential families in Concordville. The Cornoggs were blacksmiths, grocery store owners, postmasters, and Concord Township supervisors.
Other important historical buildings stood as stores, an inn, and schools. The Isaac Cornogg General Store was built in the 1870s, and served as both a bustling grocery and dry goods store as well as the Concordville Post Office. The Joseph Derry House was a private home and ice cream shop in the village. Two schools were built in Concordville: one public and one private. The #1 School was built along Baltimore Pike, while the Maplewood Institute was a private boys school that enrolled many children from prominent upper-middle class Concordville families. Later, this property was used for a Catholic orphanage and school known as Dante’s Orphanage beginning in the 1920s and operating until the late 1960s. The Concordville Inn was developed out of a 1794 home during the 1820s, and served as both a hotel and tavern within the village.
Today, Concordville is a mix of residential, commercial, and municipal buildings. Baltimore Pike is a major road with heavy traffic, and many of the buildings along the Pike are a commercial. The Concord Road portion of Concordville represents more residential buildings.
Looking down Concord Road from Route 1 — St. John’s Chapel; photo c. 1910-1912
Route 1 south through Concordville, 1940
Concordville Fire Department, 1928. Canby Darlington and Pete Robinson, founders of Concordville Fire Co.
Concordville Post Office, 1944
