Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Wyomissing is a borough
in Berks County
, Pennsylvania, United States, established on July 2, 1906. The population was 8,587 at the 2000 census, but after the January, 2002 merger with neighboring Wyomissing Hills, the combined 2000 Census estimate was 11,155 making it the most populous borough in Berks County. The borough is recognized as a Tree City USA
and selected as a "Contender" for the best places to live in Pennsylvania by Money magazine.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.52%) is water.
(Delaware) Native Americans who lived along the banks of the Wyomissing Creek. The name "Wyomissing" is from the Delaware language, meaning "the land of flats". Much of Berks County was transferred from the Native Americans to William Penn in 1685. Title to the land that much of Wyomissing is built upon was in two parcels, an eastern tract and a western tract, which were divided by a northwesterly line in the vicinity of Lake Avenue. One of the earliest industries in the area was the Evans Grist Mill. This building still stands at the corner of Old Mill Road and Old Wyomissing Road.
In 1896 present day Wyomissing began to take form when Thomas P. Merritt (a Reading lumber dealer) acquired six hundred acres. Albert Thalheimer, David H. Keiser, Marthias Mengel, and Levi Walter Mengel
joined Thomas R. Merrit in organizing the Reading Suburban Real Estate Company. Shortly afterwards Wyomissing Industries, manufacturer of textile machinery, was established by the firm of Thun & Janssen along the Reading Railroad just west of Van Reed Road (today named Park Road). This spurred development and soon there were many developers working to build Wyomissing.
In 1904 and 1905, Thun and Janssen called town meetings to discuss setting up a Borough government. Eventually petitions were filed with the courts for the establishment of a Borough, signed by 61 resident property owners and 39 non-resident property owners.
On July 2, 1906, the court issued the final decree of the incorporation of the Borough of Wyomissing.
From that point forward, the Borough has changed from farmland to a large residential and commercial community. The last farmland worked in the Borough was part of the Hartman Farm at the intersection of Woodland and Papermill Roads. This land was sold into commercial development in the early 1990s. This includes the area now called "Woodmill Commons," where Toys R Us, Old Navy and other businesses now are located.
In 2002, Wyomissing merged with its smaller neighbor, Wyomissing Hills.
. The Berkshire Mall
is located in Wyomissing. As crime soared in Reading throughout the 1990s, companies and corporations relocated from the city to newer, Class A office space in the borough. In addition to a suburban layout, the greater Wyomissing area is at the crossroads of U.S. Routes 422 and 222, providing immediate highway access to the rest of the greater Philadelphia and Berks County Region. Several large corporations are headquartered in Wyomissing, including, Penn National Gaming
, the second largest gaming company in the U.S., Boscov's
Inc., currently the largest family-owned department store chain in the U.S., Carpenter Technology Corp., and Sovereign Bank
. UGI Corp. and VF Corp.
have major operations in the borough. Wyomissing continues to outpace the rest of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Region in job growth, registering an average job growth of 13.3% per year from 2000 to 2006. Financial giants Merrill Lynch
, Goldman Sachs
, and Citibank
are developing data backup centers using the region's close proximity to major fiber optic lines running down the Eastern Coast of the U.S.
was 2,246.0 people per square mile (867.9/km²). There were 3,539 housing units at an average density of 925.7 per square mile (357.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.76% White, 1.50% African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races
, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.
There were 3,359 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 17.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $54,681, and the median income for a family was $78,112. Males had a median income of $54,167 versus $34,815 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $37,313. About 1.4% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Athletes
Writers
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in Berks County
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania, United States, established on July 2, 1906. The population was 8,587 at the 2000 census, but after the January, 2002 merger with neighboring Wyomissing Hills, the combined 2000 Census estimate was 11,155 making it the most populous borough in Berks County. The borough is recognized as a Tree City USA
Tree City USA
Tree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States.- Requirements :...
and selected as a "Contender" for the best places to live in Pennsylvania by Money magazine.
Geography
Wyomissing is located at 40°19′58"N 75°57′53"W (40.332742, -75.964603).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 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.52%) is water.
1685 to 1906
The original inhabitants of Wyomissing were LenapeLenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
(Delaware) Native Americans who lived along the banks of the Wyomissing Creek. The name "Wyomissing" is from the Delaware language, meaning "the land of flats". Much of Berks County was transferred from the Native Americans to William Penn in 1685. Title to the land that much of Wyomissing is built upon was in two parcels, an eastern tract and a western tract, which were divided by a northwesterly line in the vicinity of Lake Avenue. One of the earliest industries in the area was the Evans Grist Mill. This building still stands at the corner of Old Mill Road and Old Wyomissing Road.
In 1896 present day Wyomissing began to take form when Thomas P. Merritt (a Reading lumber dealer) acquired six hundred acres. Albert Thalheimer, David H. Keiser, Marthias Mengel, and Levi Walter Mengel
Levi Walter Mengel
Levi Walter Mengel was an entomologist from Reading, Pennsylvania. He was director of the Reading Museum. He was a member of the Peary expedition to Greenland of 1891-1892.-Biography:...
joined Thomas R. Merrit in organizing the Reading Suburban Real Estate Company. Shortly afterwards Wyomissing Industries, manufacturer of textile machinery, was established by the firm of Thun & Janssen along the Reading Railroad just west of Van Reed Road (today named Park Road). This spurred development and soon there were many developers working to build Wyomissing.
In 1904 and 1905, Thun and Janssen called town meetings to discuss setting up a Borough government. Eventually petitions were filed with the courts for the establishment of a Borough, signed by 61 resident property owners and 39 non-resident property owners.
On July 2, 1906, the court issued the final decree of the incorporation of the Borough of Wyomissing.
1907 to present
Between 1906 and the 1940s, several additional tracts of land were annexed to the Borough from both Spring and Cumru Townships. However 1949-1950 saw the largest annexation, in the addition of the area north of the railroad tracts known as Berkshire Heights. This drastically changed the Borough map.From that point forward, the Borough has changed from farmland to a large residential and commercial community. The last farmland worked in the Borough was part of the Hartman Farm at the intersection of Woodland and Papermill Roads. This land was sold into commercial development in the early 1990s. This includes the area now called "Woodmill Commons," where Toys R Us, Old Navy and other businesses now are located.
In 2002, Wyomissing merged with its smaller neighbor, Wyomissing Hills.
Economy
Wyomissing is a thriving commercial office and retail center, in large part due to its proximity to ReadingReading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
. The Berkshire Mall
Berkshire Mall (Pennsylvania)
The Berkshire Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, a suburb to the west of Reading in Berks County. The Berkshire Mall is accessible from US 222/US 422 at the Paper Mill Road interchange or the State Hill Road interchange. The main entrances to the mall are located along...
is located in Wyomissing. As crime soared in Reading throughout the 1990s, companies and corporations relocated from the city to newer, Class A office space in the borough. In addition to a suburban layout, the greater Wyomissing area is at the crossroads of U.S. Routes 422 and 222, providing immediate highway access to the rest of the greater Philadelphia and Berks County Region. Several large corporations are headquartered in Wyomissing, including, Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming, Inc. is a diversified owner and operator of casino properties, as well as horse racetracks and associated off-track betting facilities primarily in the United States...
, the second largest gaming company in the U.S., Boscov's
Boscov's
Boscov's is an American department store founded by Solomon Boscov in 1911. The first store was in Reading, Pennsylvania, and today 40 stores are spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Delaware....
Inc., currently the largest family-owned department store chain in the U.S., Carpenter Technology Corp., and Sovereign Bank
Sovereign Bank
Sovereign Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Spanish Grupo Santander. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the bank—whose principal market is in the Northeastern United States—has more than $77 billion in assets, operates 723 retail banking offices, over 2,300 ATMs and employs approximately 8,500...
. UGI Corp. and VF Corp.
VF Corp.
VF Corporation is an American apparel corporation. VF corporation sells jeanswear, intimate apparel, daypacks, and workwear. The corporate headquarters are in Greensboro, North Carolina.-History:...
have major operations in the borough. Wyomissing continues to outpace the rest of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Region in job growth, registering an average job growth of 13.3% per year from 2000 to 2006. Financial giants Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
, Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
, and Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
are developing data backup centers using the region's close proximity to major fiber optic lines running down the Eastern Coast of the U.S.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,587 people, 3,359 households, and 2,096 families residing in the borough. The population densityPopulation 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 2,246.0 people per square mile (867.9/km²). There were 3,539 housing units at an average density of 925.7 per square mile (357.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.76% White, 1.50% African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.89% 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...
, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.
There were 3,359 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 17.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $54,681, and the median income for a family was $78,112. Males had a median income of $54,167 versus $34,815 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 $37,313. About 1.4% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Public education
The Borough is served by the Wyomissing Area School District, which includes Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center, serving grades K-4, West Reading Elementary Center, serving grades 5-6, and Wyomissing Area Jr. and Sr. High School, serving grades 7-12. The Berkshire Heights portion of the Borough is served by the Wilson School District.Notable people
Entertainers- Douglas Carter BeaneDouglas Carter BeaneDouglas Carter Beane is an American playwright and screenwriter. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Beane now lives in New York...
, playwright - Megan GallagherMegan GallagherMegan Gallagher is an American actress.Gallagher was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and grew up in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Aileen Gallagher, was a model.Gallagher has largely worked in television and theatre...
, actress - Jon GosselinJon GosselinJonathan Keith "Jon" Gosselin is an American television personality, known for his appearances with then-wife Kate Gosselin and their eight children on the American reality TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8.-Early life:...
, reality television star - Kate GosselinKate GosselinKatie Irene "Kate" Gosselin is an American television personality. Gosselin achieved national recognition on the reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8, in which she and her then-husband Jon Gosselin are profiled as they raise their atypical family of sextuplets and twins.-Early life:Kate Gosselin was...
, reality television star and Dancing with the StarsDancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
season 10 contestant - Jillian MurrayJillian MurrayJillian Leigh Murray is an American Actress. She perhaps best known for her role as Portlyn on Sonny With a Chance and as Heather in An American Carol .-Life and career:...
, actress - Katrina SzishKatrina SzishKatrina Szish is an American television personality, broadcaster and journalist, who is currently a contributor for The Early Show on CBS News. Szish has a prestigious background in journalism, which she has held numerous positions at fashion magazines, including YM, VOGUE, and GQ magazine. She has...
, Television host and Feature's Contributor for CBS "The Early Show" - Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
, Country Music singer and songwriter and 2011 Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year
Athletes
- Chad HenneChad HenneChad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
, professional football player - Matt LytleMatt LytleMatthew Lytle is a former American football quarterback of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as a street free agent in 2000...
, professional football player - Ross TuckerRoss TuckerRoss Finch Tucker is a former American football offensive lineman, and currently an online journalist for ESPN....
, professional football player
Writers
- Randy CohenRandy CohenRandy Cohen is an American Emmy Award-winning writer and humorist known as the author of The Ethicist column in The New York Times Magazine between 1999 and 2011. The column is syndicated throughout the U.S. and Canada.-Career:...
, former syndicated NY Times columnist, writer
Further reading
- Edmonds, George H. (2006). Wyomissing -- An American Dream: Enterprise Shaping Community. GHE Books. ISBN 1-4276-0102-X.