I showed my beautiful PA listing again tonight (that’s the kitchen) and the owners gave me a copy of the original 1682 deed for the land on which this house now stands along with the six acres directly adjacent, which has been left untouched “climax” forest.

You can see exactly what was traded for the land that became the genesis of the state of Pennsylvania. It’s a whole laundry list of tools and household items (and cash, denominated in wampum and Dutch guilders). It includes blankets, kettles, guns and ammo, shirts and coats, shoes and stockings, knives, fish hooks, needles, saws, scissors and combs. And tobacco, rum and beer.

This is considered one of the very few land transfers between Native Americans and colonialists that did not involve bloodshed but was a straight up honest business deal.

See the original deed here:

http://debhornstra.com/deed1682.pdf

and the complete listing here (it’s spectacular!)

http://matrixweb.trendmls.com/matrix/shared/wPT8y7vqbl/840HighlandAve