William Penn, the founder and first governor of the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania, originally owned the land that is present-day Upper Providence.

After selling off most of the land, he kept a large tract on the east side of the Schuylkill River, which included Upper and Lower Providence and parts of Perkiomen and Worcester.

The first person to settle in this area was Edward Lane, who bought 2,500 acres of land from William Penn in 1701.

Edward and his wife established the Episcopal church in Lower Providence.

[3] Muhlenberg was the founder of the Lutheran church in the United States, the first of which was founded in Trappe.

Lumberville thrived with stables for mules, and a general store for boat supplies.

[5] With the ascendancy of railroads in the mid 19th century, boat traffic diminished.

In the 1950s, the Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Schuylkill River to remove coal silt from upriver.

The Black Rock Bridge and Schuylkill Navigation Canal, Oakes Reach Section were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

[13] U.S. Route 422 is the main highway serving Upper Providence Township.

SEPTA provides Suburban Bus service to Upper Providence Township along Route 93, which runs between the Norristown Transportation Center in Norristown and Pottstown, Route 99, which runs between the Norristown Transportation Center and Phoenixville, and Route 139, which runs between the King of Prussia Transit Center at the King of Prussia mall and Limerick.

[14] Upper Providence Township is a member of the Spring-Ford Area School District.