In early times, Marcus Hook was a Lenape Indian settlement that became a New Sweden trading post and colonization site in the 1640s. Called "Chammassungh" or "Finland", it was on the west side of the Delaware River, between Marcus Hook and the mouth of Naaman's Creek. The settlement was renamed "Marrites Hoeck" after the Dutch conquered the area in 1655. The borough was officially incorporated on March 7, 1892 and calls itself "The Cornerstone of Pennsylvania" because it is situated in the farthest southeastern corner of the state. Marcus Hook is a small, family oriented town; a pedestrian friendly community, where the main business district, public parks and buildings, schools, neighborhoods, and the riverfront are all within close proximity.