Stockertown, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Stockertown is a borough in Northampton County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is located in the Lehigh Valley
region of the state.
The small borough contains large industries, such as, Hercules Cement, Polymer Products, and Praxair
. The Borough is located within a 2-mile radius and provides services for a population of 687 residents. Stockertown is at the hub of five surrounding second-class townships, providing the closest access to Pennsylvania Route 33
for many industrial parks in these townships. Since 2006, Forks Township has been contracted to provide fire services to the borough, and the borough maintains its own police department. It is located in Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District
, and in Pennsylvania's 137th (State House of Representatives) and 18th (State Senate) Legislative Districts.
In 1906, a cement plant (which later became Hercules Cement) was constructed as The Nazareth Works of Atlantic Portland Cement Company. It acquired the name of Hercules Cement Company in 1916 after its holdings after Atlantic Portland Cement filed for bankruptcy. It has changed owners many times through mergers, and as of 2008 is owned by Buzzi Unicem
.
Liberty Hose Fire Company #1 formed in 1922, and the borough bought their first firetruck in 1925. After World War II
, Liberty Hose opted to build a memorial in honor of the war's veterans. The building became the borough's Memorial Hall. In the late 1990s, Liberty Hose moved from its original building on Main Street to a new facility along State Street. This building is now the home to Stockertown's police offices and other emergency vehicles. In 2006, Liberty Hose Fire Company was disbanded.
The freeway now known as Route 33
, which runs through Stockertown, began construction in 1959 from Wind Gap
to Saylorsburg. Meetings were first held with residents of Stockertown in the mid 1960s, and the Stockertown portion of the highway was constructed in 1971, opening in 1972.
of 2010, there were 927 people, up from 687 in 2000. The population density
was 927 people per square mile (265.3/km²). There were 293 housing units at an average density of 294.1 per square mile (113.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.56% White, 0.15% African American, 0.15% Asian, 0.15% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.
There were 279 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,542, and the median income for a family was $59,375. Males had a median income of $39,926 versus $26,500 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $20,984. About 5.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is land and 0.99% is water.
Belts of limestone lie under a part of the borough that borders Palmer Township and the nearby borough of Tatamy. This along with Hercules Cement's nearby quarrying makes these areas prone to sinkholes (see Karst Topography
), and led to the closure of a bridge that carried a state road (Bushkill Street) over the Bushkill Creek
. This bridge remains closed as of 2009.
, which, once fully developed, is slated to link the Plainfield Township Trail
and the Palmer Bikeway
. The existing unpaved trail is about a mile long, starting at Lincoln School Park, and extending to Main Street at the North edge of the borough (Belfast Junction).
A missing link of the trail, which is still in the planning stages, would be a major step towards a regional trail system by connecting Stockertown and Tatamy. Another proposed trail would extend from the Northern hub of the Stockertown Rail Trail to Jacobsburg State Park
, adding connections to Bushkill Township.
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
, 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 is located in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of the state.
The small borough contains large industries, such as, Hercules Cement, Polymer Products, and Praxair
Praxair
Praxair, Inc. is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide. The company supplies atmospheric, process and specialty gases as well as high-performance coatings and related services to a wide diversity of customers around the world...
. The Borough is located within a 2-mile radius and provides services for a population of 687 residents. Stockertown is at the hub of five surrounding second-class townships, providing the closest access to Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33 is a -long limited-access state highway in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. South of the US 22 interchange, the route is called the Gen. Anthony Clement McAuliffe 101st Airborne Memorial Highway....
for many industrial parks in these townships. Since 2006, Forks Township has been contracted to provide fire services to the borough, and the borough maintains its own police department. It is located in Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District
Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District is located in eastern Pennsylvania, comprising all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County, and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties...
, and in Pennsylvania's 137th (State House of Representatives) and 18th (State Senate) Legislative Districts.
History
The Borough of Stockertown was named for the Stockers, who settled on the land in the late 18th century. The post village was referred to as Stockersville as of 1845, and described as a very fertile area. In late 1900, by which time the village was being called Stockertown, a group of the village's citizens petitioned Northampton County Court to grant the community the status of a borough. That petition was granted and, early in 1901, the Borough government was organized.In 1906, a cement plant (which later became Hercules Cement) was constructed as The Nazareth Works of Atlantic Portland Cement Company. It acquired the name of Hercules Cement Company in 1916 after its holdings after Atlantic Portland Cement filed for bankruptcy. It has changed owners many times through mergers, and as of 2008 is owned by Buzzi Unicem
Buzzi Unicem
Buzzi Unicem S.p.A. is an Italian company, quoted on the Borsa Italiana, which produces cement, ready-mix concrete and construction aggregates. Its headquarters are in the town of Casale Monferrato which was once known as the Italian ‘cement capital’...
.
Liberty Hose Fire Company #1 formed in 1922, and the borough bought their first firetruck in 1925. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Liberty Hose opted to build a memorial in honor of the war's veterans. The building became the borough's Memorial Hall. In the late 1990s, Liberty Hose moved from its original building on Main Street to a new facility along State Street. This building is now the home to Stockertown's police offices and other emergency vehicles. In 2006, Liberty Hose Fire Company was disbanded.
The freeway now known as Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33 is a -long limited-access state highway in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. South of the US 22 interchange, the route is called the Gen. Anthony Clement McAuliffe 101st Airborne Memorial Highway....
, which runs through Stockertown, began construction in 1959 from Wind Gap
Wind Gap, Pennsylvania
Wind Gap is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Wind Gap is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt .The population of Wind Gap was 2,720 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
to Saylorsburg. Meetings were first held with residents of Stockertown in the mid 1960s, and the Stockertown portion of the highway was constructed in 1971, opening in 1972.
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 2010, there were 927 people, up from 687 in 2000. 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 927 people per square mile (265.3/km²). There were 293 housing units at an average density of 294.1 per square mile (113.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.56% White, 0.15% African American, 0.15% Asian, 0.15% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.
There were 279 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% 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, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,542, and the median income for a family was $59,375. Males had a median income of $39,926 versus $26,500 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 borough was $20,984. About 5.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
Land Use
| Land Use (as of 2006) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 161.0 | (25.3%) |
| Commercial | 37.7 | (5.9%) |
| Industrial | 102.4 | (16.1%) |
| Transportation and Utilities | 112.2 | (17.7%) |
| Public Spaces | 12.2 | (2.0%) |
| Parks and Recreation | 38.4 | (6.0%) |
| Agriculture and Vacant | 171.9 | (27.0%) |
Geography
Stockertown is located at 40°45′15"N 75°15′53"W (40.754064, -75.264775).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 borough has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is land and 0.99% is water.
Belts of limestone lie under a part of the borough that borders Palmer Township and the nearby borough of Tatamy. This along with Hercules Cement's nearby quarrying makes these areas prone to sinkholes (see Karst Topography
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
), and led to the closure of a bridge that carried a state road (Bushkill Street) over the Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania in the United States.A portion of Bushkill Creek passes through Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. The confluence with the Delaware River is in Easton.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Keystone Canoeing, Seneca...
. This bridge remains closed as of 2009.
Rail Trail
Stockertown is home to an unpaved, grassy rail trailRail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, which, once fully developed, is slated to link the Plainfield Township Trail
Plainfield Township Trail
The Plainfield Township Trail is a rail trail in Plainfield Township, Pennsylvania that extends from Stockertown to Pen Argyl . The trail follows the former Conrail railroad line which was abandoned in 1981....
and the Palmer Bikeway
Palmer Bikeway
The Palmer Bikeway is a system of trails in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania. These include a towpath adjacent to the Lehigh River, along with extensions that go up through residential areas of the township. The bikeway is connected to other trails which extend into the cities of Easton and...
. The existing unpaved trail is about a mile long, starting at Lincoln School Park, and extending to Main Street at the North edge of the borough (Belfast Junction).
A missing link of the trail, which is still in the planning stages, would be a major step towards a regional trail system by connecting Stockertown and Tatamy. Another proposed trail would extend from the Northern hub of the Stockertown Rail Trail to Jacobsburg State Park
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is a Pennsylvania state park near Wind Gap, in Bushkill Township, Northampton County in Pennsylvania, in the United States. The Jacobsburg National Historic District is almost entirely surrounded by the park...
, adding connections to Bushkill Township.
See also
- Karst TopographyKarst topographyKarst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
- Tatamy, PA
- Palmer Township, PA
- Forks Township, PA
- Plainfield Township TrailPlainfield Township TrailThe Plainfield Township Trail is a rail trail in Plainfield Township, Pennsylvania that extends from Stockertown to Pen Argyl . The trail follows the former Conrail railroad line which was abandoned in 1981....
- Palmer BikewayPalmer BikewayThe Palmer Bikeway is a system of trails in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania. These include a towpath adjacent to the Lehigh River, along with extensions that go up through residential areas of the township. The bikeway is connected to other trails which extend into the cities of Easton and...
- State Route 2025