Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Middletown Township,
Delaware County,
Pennsylvania
Home Rule Municipality
Giant Sequoia at John J. Tyler Arboretum
Motto(s): "Where all trails lead"

Location in Delaware County and the state of Pennsylvania.

Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Coordinates: 39°54′11″N 75°25′41″W / 39.90306°N 75.42806°W / 39.90306; -75.42806Coordinates: 39°54′11″N 75°25′41″W / 39.90306°N 75.42806°W / 39.90306; -75.42806
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Delaware
Founded 1686
Area[1]
 • Total 13.47 sq mi (34.88 km2)
 • Land 13.47 sq mi (34.88 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation 161 ft (49 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 15,807
 • Estimate (2016)[2] 15,984
 • Density 1,186.73/sq mi (458.21/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s) 610
FIPS code 42-045-49136
Website www.middletowntownship.org

Middletown Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,807 at the 2010 census.[3] The Pennsylvania State University has an undergraduate satellite campus located in the north-central portion of the township, while Neumann University, a private co-educational Franciscan university, is located in nearby Aston Township.

Originally established in 1686, Middletown Township adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1978. The township is governed by the council-manager system, a representative form of government in which the seven elected officials set policy for the township and the manager oversees the delivery of all public services and programs.

History

Middletown Township was probably established as a township in 1686, but it is first mentioned in 1687 when John Martin was established as constable. The name of the township is believed to be derived from its position in the middle or central of Chester County[4] where it resided until 1789 when Delaware County was created from the eastern portion of Chester County.[5]

The John J. Tyler Arboretum and Ridley Creek State Park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Middletown Township is in central Delaware County, west of Media, the county seat, and northwest of Chester. The census-designated place of Lima occupies the north-central part of the township. Other unincorporated communities in the township include Elwyn and Bortondale in the east, Riddlewood near the center, Glen Riddle south of the center, Lenni and Wawa in the southwest.

U.S. Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) passes through the township from southwest to northeast, while Pennsylvania Route 352 crosses it from northwest to southeast. Pennsylvania Route 452 begins at PA 352 in the center of Lima and runs south. The township is 15 miles (24 km) west of Philadelphia's Center City.[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 13.5 square miles (34.9 km2), all of it land.[3] Ridley Creek forms the eastern border of the township, and Chester Creek is the western border. Both creeks flow southeast toward the Delaware River.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
19304,728—
19405,0787.4%
19506,03818.9%
196011,25686.4%
197012,87814.4%
198012,463−3.2%
199014,13013.4%
200016,06413.7%
201015,807−1.6%
Est. 201615,984[2]1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]

As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the township was 92.3% White, 3.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population .

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 16,064 people, 5,524 households, and 3,756 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,192.6 people per square mile (460.5/km²). There were 5,641 housing units at an average density of 418.8 per square mile (161.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.28% White, 3.08% African American, 0.03% Native American, 1.71% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.

There were 5,524 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the township the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $62,949, and the median income for a family was $77,649. Males had a median income of $54,495 versus $39,792 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,418. About 1.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Municipal Building
The Free Library, located next to the Municipal Building

Wawa Food Markets has its main dairy plant and "Corporate University" in Middletown,[9] while its headquarters are in Chester Heights, just to the south of the township.[10][11][6]

Elwyn Inc., a facility caring for the needs of the developmentally disabled and disadvantaged is located in Middletown Township.

An enclosed shopping mall called the Granite Run Mall was located in Middletown Township. The mall closed in 2015 and will be demolished for a mixed-use development consisting of residential, retail, and entertainment called the Promenade at Granite Run, which is expected to open in 2017.

Education

The township is served by the Rose Tree Media School District. The elementary schools serving are Indian Lane, Media, Glenwood, and Rose Tree. The middle school is Springton Lake, located in Upper Providence Township, and the high school is Penncrest, located in Middletown. Local Boy Scouts are part of Troop 85, which meets at Middletown Presbyterian Church, or of Troop 404, which meets at Lima United Methodist Church.

Former train stations

Notable people

Emergency services

Middletown Township is protected by two volunteer fire companies: Middletown Fire Company No. 1 and Rocky Run Fire Company. Police protection is handled by the Pennsylvania State Police. Emergency medical services are handled by Riddle Memorial Hospital's Paramedic Units.

References

  1. ↑ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 13, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Middletown township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ Ashmead, Henry Graham (1884). History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co. p. 611. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  5. ↑ Ashmead, Henry Graham (1884). History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co. pp. 77–83. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Stores Post Billboard Ads for Tobacco, Despite Ban." The New York Times. May 9, 1999. Retrieved on December 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  8. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  9. ↑ Google Street View, June 2012 image
  10. ↑ "About Wawa Archived 2014-03-17 at the Wayback Machine.." Wawa Inc. Retrieved on February 18, 2011. "Headquarters Red Roof, Baltimore Pike Wawa, Pennsylvania 19063."
  11. ↑ "Chester Heights borough, Pennsylvania." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on February 18, 2011.

Further reading

  • Pearson, Henry . (1986). Middleton Township, Delaware County, PA. Media, Pennsylvania. p. 345.
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