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Upper Salford - This township is bounded, or better say surrounded, by Lower Salford, Frederick, Marlborough
and Franconia townships. It is near the northeast line of the county, with a part of Salford township of to-day
between its territory and Bucks county. Its main streams of refreshing living water include the East Branch, the
Ridge Valley
and Perkiomen creeks. The latter forms the western boundary for about four miles, in which distance it has for
many years propelled four gristmills, besides several other manufacturing plants. The East Branch takes its rise
in Bucks county and forms the eastern boundary fot nearly four miles, and also furnishes ample water usually for
a number of mills. One mile east of Schwenksville, on the east side of Perkiomen creek, is Stone Hill, probably
the highest land in the township. It is 240 feet above the adjacent stream. At one time in the eighties, copper
was mined in this township, but it proved profitless to the owners of the mine. The Spring House and Sumnytown
turnpike crosses this township, while the Perkiomen railroad about one mile above Schwenksville, hugging the east
bank for three miles, in which distance it has stations named Hendricks, Salford Station, Branchville, and Mechanicsville.
The township had a population at these periods as follows: In 1800 it was 676; in 1840, 1,301; in 1880 it was 1,866;
in 1900 it had 876, and in 1920 it was 729.
Originally, Salford township was formed in March, 1727, and contained over thirty thousand acres, including all
the townships of Marlborough, Upper and Lower Salford and a part of Franconia. By 1741 it appeared to be much too
large to the residents, and they asked the court for a division, and the creation of a new township to be known
as Upper Salford. This was granted, and the civil township still exists, as will presently be seen. However, some
time about 1900 the township had Salford taken off. So now there are three townships-Salford, and Upper and Lower
Salford. The townships of Lower Salford and Marlborough were formed at the same time. The earliest wagon road here
was laid out about 1728, known as the Skippack and Salford road. Salfordville, Mechanlcsville and Salford Station
are all small hamlets that have for many years had stores, shops, factories, churches and schools, some of which
are mentioned at other places in this work, None of these ever materialized to any considerable extent, commercially.
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