Locust Grove

The village of Locust Grove was the dream of businessman Pennock Marshall, who wanted to establish a settlement that would resemble William Penn’s “greene country towne.”  He laid out three streets in a stand of locust trees and planned a total of twenty-nine lots.  But he was to be disappointed, and the village never had more than two dozen families. By 1847, the village could boast only a smithy and wheelwright shop, a shoemaker shop and a general store. 

The village lacked a post office until the late 1800’s.  With 53 people living in the village, an application was made for a post office to be named “Locust Grove.”  But the Postal Department would not accept that name because of possible confusion with existing post offices like Locust Grove in Fulton County, Locust Valley in Lehigh County, Locust Dale in Schuylkill County, and Locust Gap in Northumberland County.

So the settlers tried the name “Maple Grove” on their application, but that was rejected as well.

The issue was settled when one resident went to Philadelphia to see a play whose heroine was named “Corinne.”  Apparently stricken by the play (or the actress), he returned to suggest that the new post office be called “Corinne.”  That name was accepted, and the Corinne Post Office was established in 1889.  The post office was closed in 1915, but the name lingers as Corinne Road.