[Robert S. Grumet (2014)] cite a statement made during the 1740s by Delaware leader Sassoonan (also called Allumapies; see Shamokin in Pennsylvania central in Part 2 below) recalling his attendance at Penn’s first meeting with the sachems at the Perkasie locale when he was a boy (in Myers 1970:83). Perkasie was an established colonial community called Perhaessing by its residents at the time Sassoonan made his statement. It is difficult at this far reBeyond Manhattan, Robert S. Grumet move in time to determine whether Sassoonan was identifying an Indian town of Perkasie as the meeting locale or specifying the colonial settlement of Perkasie as the place where the earlier meeting occurred. Historian Albert Myers thought Penn’s meeting with the Indian kings in the spring of 1683 at an unspecified locale somewhere near Philadelphia was held at an Indian Town he identified as Sassoonan’s Perkasie. form of the name, sounded much like the Delaware Indian words SACONY (Berks County). The place name Sacony in the pakihm-omeak, the cranberry place” and pakiomink, “the place Schuylkill River valley very closely resembles Saucon (see in Pennwhere the cranberries grow.” The Perkiomen River is a 38-mile- sylvania North above). Eighteen-mile-long Sacony Creek and its long tributary of the Schuylkill River. The name first appeared as Little Sacony Creek branch join together several miles south of the Perkaming Creek (see Perkasie above) in a letter to William Penn Borough of Kutztown. The Saucony Shoe Manufacturing Company dated September 8, 1683 (in R. Dunn et al. 1981-1986 2:483-484). named for the creek has operated at Kutztown since 1898. Flowing Subsequently written down in a variety of spellings, the name today westward, creek waters pass Crystal Cave before joining with Onadorns the river, its East Branch, the hamlet of Perkiomenville, and telaunee Creek (see above) to form Maiden Creek at Virginville. a number of roads and other places in the river’s valley. SECANE (Delaware County). Secane was the name of the principal PLAYWICKI (Bucks County). Heckewelder (1834:355) thought sachem signing the July 14, 1683, deed conveying land between the that Playwicky sounded much like a Delaware Indian word, Schuylkill River and Chester Creek (State of Pennsylvania 1838plauwikit, “the habitation (village) of those who are of the Turkey 1935, Pennsylvania Archives, 1st Series 1:65). Developers of the tribe.” Whritenour thinks the name sounds like the Northern Unami Philadelphia Spring Hill railroad suburb established in 1891 word plewikeu, “there are many turkeys (i.e., birds),” or “among changed both its name and that of the railroad station to Secane, evthe turkeys” (in reference to the social or political division). The idently to both take advantage of positive associations connected name first appeared as “an Indyan towne called Playwicky” in one with an Indian name, and to divert attention away from the area’s state of the July 15, 1682, Indian deed (in R. Dunn et al. 1981-1986 tendency to flood when water levels were high. 2:262) to land on the west side of the Delaware River between the Falls of the Delaware and Neshaminy Creek (see above) and noted SHACKAMAXON (Philadelphia County). Heckewelder as Playwickey in another version of the document (State of Penn- (1834:356) thought that Shackamaxon sounded like a Delaware Insylvania 1838-1935, Pennsylvania Archives, Colonial Records dian word, schachaméksink, “place of eels.” The name Shacka1:47-49). The name had been all but forgotten for nearly 300 years maxon is associated with two undocumented events that loom large when it was restored to modern maps to adorn the 110-acre Play- in regional folk traditions. The best known of the two is a treaty of wicki Farm in Feasterville-Trevose and Playwicki Park, a nearby amity and friendship that William Penn is widely thought to have 33-acre facility. concluded with Delaware Indians shortly after establishing his colony of Pennsylvania in 1682. The legend is based upon a 1728 POCOPSON (Chester County). The creek, hamlet, and township speech recounting the origins the province’s chain of friendship with (erected in 1849) currently bearing the name Pocopson are located the Indians. in the Brandywine River valley just north of the PennsylvaniaThe story of the Shackamaxon Treaty has been a psychic Delaware state line. Pocopson Creek was first noted as Peck Creek lodestone that has drawn many icons to itself. These include such in a patent to land in Kennet Township confirmed on October 23, key national symbols as the wampum belt said to have been pre1701 (Futhey and Cope 1881:179-180). The stream was subse- sented at the meeting, the elm treaty tree preserved until 1810 on quently noted as Pocaupsing Creek in a survey of land in the area land where the city of Philadelphia built Penn Treaty Park in 1893 undertaken in March, 1711 (Futhey and Cope 1881:179-180). (Milano n.d.), and its best known representation, the much-celePocopson’s current spelling bears a resemblance to such similar- brated and even more widely