Easttown Township, Pennsylvania

Easttown Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,477 at the 2010 census.

History

The land that eventually became Easttown Township was once part of the Welsh Tract, a large expanse of land promised by William Penn to a group of Welsh Quaker settlers in which they would be able to speak and conduct business in the Welsh language. Whilst the autonomous entity envisaged by some was never formed, it left its mark in the many Welsh place names that still exist, such as the census-designated place (CDP) Berwyn in Easttown and adjacent Tredyffrin Township. The township is believed to have been incorporated in 1704 since that is the earliest date it has been found to be referred to in official records. However a delineated community of that name appears in Thomas Holme's ca. 1687 map.

Whilst the originators of the Welsh Tract were Quakers, the earliest settlers in the portion that became Easttown Township were mostly Anglicans. St. David's Episcopal Church, just past the eastern edge of the township, was constructed in 1715 by Welsh Anglicans when the original church sent them a minister.

Revolutionary War leader Anthony Wayne was born and lived in Waynesborough house, in the western part of the township. He—or at least part of him—is buried at St. David's.

A Revolutionary War skirmish that occurred along a ridge in the center of the township was the only engagement of that war in the township. The name of the British commander, Banastre Tarleton, was later given to a nearby mansion: Tarleton.

Two sites in the township are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Waynesborough and Roughwood. The cluster of buildings that forms the village of Leopard, identified as a ‘Significant Historic Cluster’ in the Chester County Historic Sites Survey (1979–1982), is eligible for listing as well. In addition, the Waterloo Mills Historic District has been designated. Although St. David's Church is just over the line in Newtown Township, the church building and its graveyard (most of which is in Easttown) are listed together in the National Register.

Easttown Township is said to have the most-litigated zoning law in Pennsylvania, largely as a result of its efforts to avoid being swallowed up by the expansion of the suburbs of Philadelphia. At least two major cases about minimum lot size were handed down by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court: ''Bilbar Construction'' upheld the township's minimum lot sizes, while ''National Land and Investment Co.'' struck them down as ‘exclusionary’ seven years later. ''National Land'' further held that a municipality may utilize zoning measures that are substantially related to the protection and preservation of the municipality's proper interest in providing for the general welfare of its residents, but Easttown's zoning did not pass the test. Ironically, despite the developer-litigants' claimed interest in allowing poor people to live in Easttown, they built only houses that sold at well over the average value in Pennsylvania.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which 0.12% is water.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, the township was 89.5% non-Hispanic White, 2.0% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.3% Asian, and 1.1% were two or more races. 2.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,270 people, 3,758 households, and 2,848 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,248.8 people per square mile (482.4/km). There were 3,862 housing units at an average density of 469.6/sq mi (181.4/km). The racial makeup of the township was 93.77% White, 2.51% African American, 0.11% Native American, 2.78% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 3,758 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $95,548, and the median income for a family was $109,103. Males had a median income of $80,341 versus $40,955 for females. The per capita income for the township was $51,028. About 0.7% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The township is governed by a Board of Supervisors. The present board consists of:
* Betsy Fadem
* Erik Unger
* Alex Bosco
* Beth D'Antonio
* Michael Wacey

Education

Easttown Township lies within the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. Students residing within township boundaries attend Conestoga High School for grades 9-12. Hillside Elementary School, Beaumont Elementary School and Devon Elementary school serve students in grades K-4. Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School and Valley Forge Middle School serve students in grades 5–8.

Tarleton School, a private elementary school, is located on Waterloo Avenue.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia manages area Catholic schools. St. Norbert School is in the township, and is outside of the Paoli CDP,2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Paoli CDP, PA
" U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 9, 2018. but has a Paoli mailing address. It was established in 1956, with the school building built the following year. In 2012 the Catholic grade school St. Monica in Berwyn closed.

Easttown Township has its own public library.

Parks

The township has two parks, Hilltop Park and Frank Johnson Memorial Park. Hilltop, with a Devon address but outside of the Devon CDP, has a pavilion with toilets, a picnic area, two soccer fields, a "tot lot", and trails for walking purposes. Johnson, in the Berwyn CDP, has a pavilion with toilets, basketball courts, an open field, a "tot lot", and volleyball courts.Johnson Park
" Easttown Township. Retrieved on October 9, 2018. "The park is located at 122 Bridge Avenue in Berwyn." - See:
2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Berwyn CDP, PA
" U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 9, 2018.

Notable people

*Isaac Van Leer (1772-1821), ironmaster
*Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), United States Army officer, statesman, member of the United States House of Representatives
*Isaac Wayne (1772-1852), U.S. Congressman
* Isaac Wayne (1699-1774), Member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, Captain for the Pennsylvania Provincial Forces during the French and Indian War

Media

The HBO miniseries ''Mare of Easttown'', which premiered on April 18, 2021, is set in a fictionalized version of Easttown Township, although it moves the location to neighboring Delaware County. The series was filmed in surrounding communities in southeastern Pennsylvania but not within Easttown Township itself. Series creator Brad Ingelsby was born and raised in Berwyn, which is partially located in Easttown Township.

References

External links

Easttown Township

{{authority control

Philadelphia Main Line
Townships in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Populated places established in 1704
Townships in Pennsylvania
1704 establishments in Pennsylvania