Bedminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Bedminster Township, Pennsylvania
Township
Tohickon Creek
Location of Bedminster Township in Bucks County
Bedminster Township Location in Pennsylvania and the United States Show map of Pennsylvania Bedminster Township Bedminster Township (the US) Show map of the US
Coordinates: 40°26′00″N 75°07′23″W / 40.43333°N 75.12306°W / 40.43333; -75.12306Coordinates: 40°26′00″N 75°07′23″W / 40.43333°N 75.12306°W / 40.43333; -75.12306
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Bucks
Area[1]
• Total	31.24 sq mi (80.91 km2)
• Land	30.46 sq mi (78.89 km2)
• Water	0.78 sq mi (2.02 km2)
Elevation	341 ft (104 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	6,574
• Estimate (2016)[2]	7,044
• Density	231.25/sq mi (89.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)	215
FIPS code	42-017-04976

Bedminster Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,574 at the 2010 census. Bedminster is part of Pennridge School District.

History

Deep Run Presbyterian Church was established before 1725, Reverend William Tennant served as pastor from 1726 to 1738. In 1741, thirty-five residents, mostly Irish and German, petitioned the Court of Quarter Sessions to lay out the township which was granted and the land was surveyed by John Chapman. The name was taken from the town of the same name in Somersetshire, near Bristol, England. In 1841, the original church building was replaced, the new building was commonly called the 'Irish Meeting House', which still stands today. By 1746, enough Mennonites moved into the township to build a log church in the southeastern part of the township. The Tohickon Reformed Church was organized probably in June, 1745, the first pastor was Reverend John Conrad Wirtz, of Zurich, Switzerland. Keller's Church was founded by Lutherans in 1744.^[3]

The Stover-Myers Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.^[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 31.1 square miles (81 km²), of which, 30.2 square miles (78 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) of it (3.18%) is water. It is drained by the Tohickon Creek, which forms its northern boundary and drains eastward into the Delaware River. Lake Nockamixon forms much of the NW boundary.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the township was 93.6% White, 0.8% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.9% Asian, and 1.7% were two or more races. 2.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.^[6]

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 4,804 people, 1,788 households, and 1,333 families residing in the township. The population density was 159.3 people per square mile (61.5/km²). There were 1,868 housing units at an average density of 61.9/sq mi (23.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.13% White, 0.58% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.92% of the population.

There were 1,788 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.6% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the township the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $56,281, and the median income for a family was $64,338. Males had a median income of $42,015 versus $28,024 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,153. About 2.8% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

During the summer months, frequent episodes of high humidity occur. Occasionally, heat index values exceed 100 °F (38 °C). On average, the wettest month of the year is July which corresponds with the annual peak for thunderstorm activity. During the winter months, wind chill values occasionally fall below 0 °F (-18 °C). On average, the snowiest month of the year is February which corresponds with the annual peak for nor'easter activity.

References