Doylestown Township is a township in
Bucks County
Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Doylestown. The county is named after the English ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. The population was 17,565 at the
2010 census. Adjacent to the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
, many county offices and the county correctional facility are located in this township.
Doylestown Central Park
Doylestown Central Park is a 125.5-acre area of land currently owned by Doylestown Township in Pennsylvania. It is the largest park owned by Doylestown Township, 30 of these acres are being leased to the neighboring Delaware Valley College for far ...
is a park in the township.
History
Doylestown includes a number of villages which were formerly independent communities, including
Bennetts Corner, Castle Valley, Cross Keys, Dyerstown, Edison, Fountainville, Furlong, Greers Corner, Paul Valley, Tradesville, The Turk, and Vauxtown.
[MacReynolds, George, ''Place Names in Bucks County, Pennsylvania'', Doylestown, Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA, 1942.] Fordhook Farm
Fordhook Farm, also known as Burpee Farm, is an historic farm and national historic district located at Doylestown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses 12 contributing buildings and 2 contributing structures. They include the house ...
and
Tabor Home for Needy and Destitute Children
The Tabor Home for Needy and Destitute Children, also known as the Philip H. Fretz Mansion, is an historic, American home that is located in Doylestown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places ...
were listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1987.
It was also the location of the formerly listed
Fretz Farm.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (0.51%) is water. It is drained by the
Neshaminy Creek
Neshaminy Creek is a United States Geological Survey. National Hydrography DatasetThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 stream that runs entirely through Bucks County, Pennsylvania, rising south of the borough of Chalfont, where its north a ...
into the
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
.
Natural features include Almshouse Hill, Featherbed Hill, Flatiron Hill, Fretz Valley, Iron Hill, Little Buckingham Mountain, Mill Creek,
Neshaminy Creek
Neshaminy Creek is a United States Geological Survey. National Hydrography DatasetThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 stream that runs entirely through Bucks County, Pennsylvania, rising south of the borough of Chalfont, where its north a ...
, Pebble Hill, and Pine Run.
[
]
Neighboring municipalities
* Warwick Township (southeast)
* Warrington Township (south)
* New Britain
New Britain ( tpi, Niu Briten) is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi the Dam ...
(west)
* New Britain Township (northwest)
* Plumstead Township (north)
* Doylestown (north)
* Buckingham Township (northeast)
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the township was 92.4% White, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 1.5% were two or more races. 2.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 17,619 people, 5,999 households, and 4,445 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,136.7 people per square mile (438.9/km2). There were 6,200 housing units at an average density of 400.0/sq mi (154.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.22% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.59% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.06% Native American, 1.25% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.20% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.40% of the population.
There were 5,999 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $81,226, and the median income for a family was $93,984. Males had a median income of $62,853 versus $36,180 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the township was $38,031. About 1.6% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Doylestown Twp has a Hot-summer, Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(''Dfa''). ''Dfa'' climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ , at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid in Doylestown Twp, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index
The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is als ...
values > . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on 07/22/2011, and the highest daily average mean dew point
The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will cond ...
was on 08/12/2016. The average wettest month is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on 09/16/1999. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is . Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on 01/22/1984. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < . The average annual snowfall (Nov-Apr) is between and . Ice storm
An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on e ...
s and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow occur once every few years, particularly during nor’easter
A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below), or an East Coast low is a synoptic-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. The original use of ...
s from December through February.
Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 1907–1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system in widespread use in the United States. Some of this database has bec ...
U.S. potential natural vegetation
In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...
types, Doylestown Twp would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
(''104'') with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
Forest (''25''). The plant hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
is 6b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . The spring bloom typically begins by April 11 and fall color usually peaks by October 30.
Transportation
Major roads in Doylestown Township include U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware to Maine, also traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massa ...
, which runs southwest–northeast through the township along a two-lane expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
-grade parkway
A parkway is a landscaped thoroughfare.''"parkway."''Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002. http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com (14 Apr. 2007). The term is particularly used for a roadway in a park or ...
before becoming a four-lane freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
that bypasses Doylestown to the south; Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611 (PA 611) is a state highway in eastern Pennsylvania running from Interstate 95 (I-95) in the southern part of the city of Philadelphia north to I-380 in Coolbaugh Township in the Pocono Mountains. Within Philadelphia, P ...
, which runs north–south along Easton Road before becoming a four-lane freeway that bypasses Doylestown to the west, U.S. Route 202 Business, which runs along State Street from New Britain
New Britain ( tpi, Niu Briten) is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi the Dam ...
east to an interchange with the PA 611 freeway, where State Street continues into Doylestown; Pennsylvania Route 263
Pennsylvania Route 263 (PA 263) is a north–south state highway located in southeast Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at PA 611 in Willow Grove, Montgomery County. The northern terminus is at the Centre ...
, which runs north–south along York Road along the eastern border of the township; Pennsylvania Route 313
Pennsylvania Route 313 (PA 313) is a mostly 2-lane, state highway entirely within Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The western end of PA 313 is at an intersection with PA 309 and PA 663 in Quakertown. The eastern end is at an intersection with PA ...
, which runs northwest–southeast along Swamp Road on the northeastern border of the township; Almshouse Road, which runs east–west through the southern portion of the township; and Lower State Road, which runs southwest–northeast through the township and heads into Doylestown. SEPTA
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five coun ...
provides bus service to Doylestown Township along the SEPTA City Bus
The City Transit Division of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) operate almost all of Philadelphia's public transit, including all six trolley, three trackless trolley, and 70 bus lines within city limits. Some of th ...
Route 55 line, which follows Pennsylvania Route 611 and Easton Road through the Township, heading north to Doylestown and south to Willow Grove and Olney Transportation Center in North Philadelphia
North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either ...
. SEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system is a commuter rail network owned by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and serving the Philadelphia Metropolitan area. The system has 13 branches and more than 150 active stations in Philadelphi ...
's Lansdale/Doylestown Line
The Lansdale/Doylestown Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line connecting Center City Philadelphia to Doylestown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Until 1981, diesel-powered trains continued on the Bethlehem Branch from Lansdale to Quakertown, Bet ...
stops at the Delaware Valley University station
Delaware Valley University station is a small station along the SEPTA Lansdale/Doylestown Line. It is located on the campus of Delaware Valley University, just off of U.S. Route 202. This stop is often referred to as "Del Val". It was origina ...
in Doylestown Township along its route between Doylestown and Center City Philadelphia
Center City includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of Philadelphia. It comprises the area that made up the City of Philadelphia prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854, which extended the city borders to be coterminous wi ...
.
Notable residents
* Władysław Bortnowski
Władysław Bortnowski (12 November 1891 – 21 November 1966) was a Polish historian, military commander and one of the highest ranking generals of the Polish Army. He is most famous for commanding the Pomorze Army in the Battle of Bzura during ...
, high-ranking Polish general during World War II
* Clarence Buckman
Clarence Bennett "C.B." Buckman (April 1, 1851 – March 1, 1917) was an American farmer, lumberman, and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives for Minnesota's 6th congressional district from 1903 to 1907. He also ...
, U.S. and State Representative in Minnesota
* William Godshalk, U.S. Representative
* Anthony Green, singer-songwriter (Circa Survive
Circa Survive is an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that formed in 2004. The band, led and founded by Anthony Green, consisted of former members from This Day Forward and Taken.
Circa Survive quickly made a name for the ...
, Saosin
Saosin is an American rock band formed in Orange County, California in 2003 by Beau Burchell, Justin Shekoski, Zach Kennedy, and Anthony Green. The band released their first EP, '' Translating the Name'', in 2003. That year, vocalist Anthony G ...
)
* Annie Haslam
Annie Haslam (born 8 June 1947) is an English vocalist, songwriter and painter. She is best known as the lead singer of progressive rock band Renaissance since 1971, and for her long and diverse solo singing career. She has a five-octave vocal r ...
, singer-songwriter (Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
)
* Irene Molloy
Irene Molloy is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She is best known for her roles on television series ''Andy Richter Controls the Universe'' and ''Grosse Pointe''. She has also appeared in Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, televisi ...
, singer and actress
* Alecia Moore
Alecia Beth Moore Hart (born September 8, 1979), known professionally as Pink (stylized as P!nk), is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She was originally a member of the girl group Choice. In 1995, LaFace Records saw potential ...
(Pink), singer
* Jon Simmons
Jon Simmons is an American film and television talent manager and acting coach operating out of Los Angeles. He is the co-founder of Simmons and Scott Entertainment.
Early life
Jon was born in Bonne Terre, Missouri to William C. and Marcille ...
, singer-songwriter (Balance and Composure
Balance and Composure was an American alternative rock band from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. They formed in the winter of 2007, after the breakup of two local Doylestown bands.
The band's music was often suggested having similarities to Title Fig ...
)
References
External links
Doylestown Township
Kids Castle Doylestown Township
{{Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Townships in Bucks County, Pennsylvania