Haverford Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Haverford Township is a home rule
township in Delaware County
, near Philadelphia, in southeastern Pennsylvania
, United States
. It maintains its legal name as the Township of Haverford, presumably for historic reasons. Despite being under a home rule charter since 1977, it continues to operate under a Board of Commissioners divided into wards, as do "First Class" townships that are still under the Pennsylvania Township Code.
Haverford Township contains portions of the communities of Haverford
, Bryn Mawr
, Ardmore
, Drexel Hill
, and Wynnewood
. The unincorporated "town" of Havertown
lies wholly within Haverford Township. The initial 2010 US Census population was 48,491.
. The first three families arrived in Haverford Township in 1682. Nitre Hall
Powder Mills was in operation before 1810 and provided gunpowder for the War of 1812
. Swell Bubble Gum, the township's last major industry, was closed in 2004. The township is currently in the final stages of its preliminary construction of the Haverford State Hospital
land.
, the township has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), all of it land. The township is part of the Pennsylvania Main Line
and of the Welsh Tract
.
of 2000, there were 48,498 people, 18,061 households, and 13,021 families residing in the township. The population density
was 4,844.6 people per square mile (1,870.6/km²). There were 18,378 housing units at an average density of 1,835.8 per square mile (708.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.99% White
, 2.12% African American
, 0.10% Native American
, 2.76% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.20% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos
of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 18,061 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.
The age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,714, and the median income for a family was $76,813. Males had a median income of $52,471 versus $38,852 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $29,749. About 2.0% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Public school students living in Haverford Township attend schools in the School District of Haverford Township
. Haverford High School is in the township.
Haverford College
is partially located within Haverford Township and partially within Lower Merion Township
.
Home Rule Municipality (Pennsylvania)
A Home Rule Municipality in Pennsylvania is one incorporated under its own unique charter, created pursuant to the state's Home Rule and Optional Plans Law and approved by referendum. "Local governments without home rule can only act where specifically authorized by state law; home rule...
township in Delaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, near Philadelphia, in southeastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It maintains its legal name as the Township of Haverford, presumably for historic reasons. Despite being under a home rule charter since 1977, it continues to operate under a Board of Commissioners divided into wards, as do "First Class" townships that are still under the Pennsylvania Township Code.
Haverford Township contains portions of the communities of Haverford
Haverford, Pennsylvania
Haverford is an unincorporated community located partially in Haverford Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA, but primarily in Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, about west of Philadelphia. It is on the Main Line, which is known historically for its wealth. As of August 2009,...
, Bryn Mawr
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
, Ardmore
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
, Drexel Hill
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located southwest of Center City, Philadelphia and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
, and Wynnewood
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General...
. The unincorporated "town" of Havertown
Havertown, Pennsylvania
Havertown is a residential suburban unincorporated community in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately 9 miles west of the center of Philadelphia. Havertown's ZIP Code is 19083. Havertown is notable for being the birthplace of Swell Bubble Gum, which closed...
lies wholly within Haverford Township. The initial 2010 US Census population was 48,491.
History
Haverford Township was founded by Welsh Quakers in 1681 from land purchased by William PennWilliam Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
. The first three families arrived in Haverford Township in 1682. Nitre Hall
Nitre Hall
Nitre Hall is a 19th-century building in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Built shortly after 1800 on the banks of Cobbs Creek, the hall was the residence of the master of the Nitre Hall Powder Mills, which has long since been torn down. With the ground floor reserved for custodians, the upper two floors...
Powder Mills was in operation before 1810 and provided gunpowder for the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Swell Bubble Gum, the township's last major industry, was closed in 2004. The township is currently in the final stages of its preliminary construction of the Haverford State Hospital
Haverford State Hospital
The Haverford State Hospital was an abandoned mental hospital outside of Philadelphia. Its extensive former grounds occupy the northern sections of Delaware County west of the city of Philadelphia, in Haverford Township....
land.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), all of it land. The township is part of the Pennsylvania Main Line
Pennsylvania Main Line
The Main Line is an unofficial historical and socio-cultural region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising a collection of affluent towns built along the old Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad which ran northwest from downtown Philadelphia parallel to Lancaster Avenue , a road...
and of the Welsh Tract
Welsh Tract
The Welsh Tract, also called the Welsh Barony, was a portion of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania settled largely by Welsh-speaking Quakers. It covers 40,000 acres to the west of Philadelphia...
.
Adjacent Municipalities
- Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County - northeast
- City of Philadelphia - east
- Upper Darby Township, Delaware County - south
- Springfield Township, Delaware CountySpringfield Township, Delaware County, PennsylvaniaSpringfield Township, or simply Springfield, is a township and a Census Designated Place in Delaware County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 23,677 at the 2000 census...
- southwest - Marple Township, Delaware County - west
- Radnor Township, Delaware County - northwest
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 48,498 people, 18,061 households, and 13,021 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,844.6 people per square mile (1,870.6/km²). There were 18,378 housing units at an average density of 1,835.8 per square mile (708.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.99% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 2.12% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.10% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 2.76% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.20% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 18,061 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.
The age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,714, and the median income for a family was $76,813. Males had a median income of $52,471 versus $38,852 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $29,749. About 2.0% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
School District of Haverford Township
The School District of Haverford Township is a school district in Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States.The district serves all parts of the township, including Havertown.-Primary schools:* Chatham Park Elementary School...
. Haverford High School is in the township.
Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
is partially located within Haverford Township and partially within Lower Merion Township
Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania
Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and part of the Pennsylvania Main Line. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 57,825...
.
Notable residents
- Jeff YassJeff YassJeffrey S. Yass is an options trader, managing director and one of the five founders of the Philadelphia-based Susquehanna International Group. In 2001 he was named one of 76 Revolutionary Minds by Philadelphia magazine and joined the Board of Directors of the Cato Institute.- Philanthropy :Yass...
- Billy KingBilly KingBilly King is the general manager of the New Jersey Nets, and former general manager and team president of the Philadelphia 76ers. King grew up in Sterling, Virginia where he played basketball at Park View High School, and received a scholarship to play at Duke University. He was known primarily...
- Glen MacnowGlen MacnowGlen Harry Macnow is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sports talk radio host on 610 WIP.-Background:Macnow was born in New York City, and raised in Buffalo, New York...
- Jack ThayerJack ThayerJohn Borland "Jack" Thayer III was from Philadelphia. He was a first-class passenger on the RMS Titanic who provided several first-hand accounts of the disaster.-RMS Titanic:...
- Jason JohnsonJason JohnsonJason Michael Johnson is starting pitcher for the Camden Riversharksin the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He throws and bats right-handed.-Career:...
- John LeClairJohn LeClairJohn Clark LeClair is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins...
, NHL, former player, Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... - Harold "Spike" Yoh, Former Chairman and CEO of Day & ZimmermannDay & ZimmermannThe Day & Zimmermann company was founded in 1901. Its corporate office is at 1500 Spring Garden St. Philadelphia, PA 19130.The company first came to prominence when the Hershey chocolate company contracted it to produce the foil wrapper for their Hershey's Kisses...
, namesake of Yoh Football Center at Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B... - Atwater Kent
- Brendan Hanson, Olympic Swimmer, and National Interscholastic Swim Coach Association 100 Breaststroke Holder, holds world record in 100 meter breaststroke
- Jameer NelsonJameer NelsonJameer Nelson is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played college basketball at Saint Joseph's University and was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets but was traded to the Orlando Magic, where he has played for his...
, NBA, Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
, St. Joseph's University
Points of interest
- Haverford CollegeHaverford CollegeHaverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
- Haverford College ArboretumHaverford College ArboretumThe Haverford College Arboretum is an arboretum located across the campus of Haverford College, in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It is open daily without charge....
- The Haverford SchoolThe Haverford SchoolThe Haverford School is a private, non-sectarian, all-boys college preparatory day school, junior kindergarten through grade twelve. Founded in 1884 as The Haverford College Grammar School, it is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, nine miles northwest of Philadelphia, on Philadelphia's historic...
- Grange EstateGrange EstateThe Grange Estate, also known as Maen-Coch and Clifton Hall, is a historic mansion in Havertown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Built in 1700 and expanded several times through the 1850s, it was purchased by Haverford Township in 1974...
- Nitre HallNitre HallNitre Hall is a 19th-century building in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Built shortly after 1800 on the banks of Cobbs Creek, the hall was the residence of the master of the Nitre Hall Powder Mills, which has long since been torn down. With the ground floor reserved for custodians, the upper two floors...
- Federal SchoolFederal SchoolThe Federal School is a one-room schoolhouse on the National Register of Historic Places located on Darby Road in an area of Havertown, Pennsylvania known as Coopertown, near the Allgates Estate...
- Lawrence CabinLawrence CabinThe Lawrence Cabin is a log cabin located on Cobbs Creek in Powder Mill Valley Park in Havertown, Pennsylvania, near Nitre Hall. It was originally located on Darby Creek, but was moved in 1961 when threatened with destruction...
- Merion Golf ClubMerion Golf ClubMerion Golf Club is a private golf club located near Ardmore, Pennsylvania that is consistently rated by Golf Digest, among America's greatest golf courses, and will host the U.S. Open in 2013...