Isabella

Historic Sketch [1]

Both Isabella and Isabella Furnace, a mile apart in northwestern Chester County, were named in honor of Isabella Potts, wife of Henry Potts, who first came to this section in 1830 with John P. Rutter to build an iron furnace along the foot of the Western Brandywine. The village which sprang up around Isabella furnace was given the same name. The other village came into existence in the late 1870's when the Wilmington and Northern railroad before it was acquired by the Reading System laid tracks a mile to the west and used Isabella for the name of its station at that point. The post office of Isabella, however, was opened on April 13, 1871, by Samuel Long, who was its first postmaster.

1. Pinkowski, Edward, Chester County Place Names, Philadelphia: Sunshine Press, 1962.

Street Names: Isabella Potts Road