Solebury Township is a
township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
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, ...
, United States. The population was 8,709 at the
2020 census.
History
Migrating
English Quakers
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
began to settle down in an area of
Buckingham Township. Around 1702, this area was incorporated into a new township called Solebury—carved out of lands deeded to
William Penn
William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...
. Records indicate that sometime in 1703, Solebury Township had 24 landowners and farmers owning 28 tracts of land, each averaging about 414 acres. Solebury Township once included the area of present-day New Hope until the incorporation of
The Borough of New Hope in 1837.
Settlers began to move to Solebury Township after hearing about the township's fertile soils and location on the Delaware River. At first, moderately-sized log homes were constructed, followed by more traditional fieldstone houses. These fieldhouses can still be found in the township today.
Solebury Township's resources were put to use, and industries began to spring up. While farming continued as a significant industry, mills meant to cut wood, ground grain, pulverize paper, produce silk, and ground limestone were constructed along streams through the township. When villages started to form in the township, they contained a church, store, post office, and blacksmith shop, making the villages self-sustaining.
The artist community soon discovered Solebury Township. In the 1900s, New Hope and the surrounding area in Solebury Township hosted landscapes used in the
Pennsylvania Impressionism
Pennsylvania Impressionism was an American Impressionist movement of the first half of the 20th century that was centered in and around Bucks County, Pennsylvania, particularly the town of New Hope. The movement is sometimes referred to as the ...
movement.
[http://www.phillipsmillfoundation.org] Impressionists
William Lathrop,
Edward Redfield
Edward Willis Redfield (December 18, 1869 – October 19, 1965) was an American Impressionist landscape painter and member of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is best known today for his impressionist scenes of the New Hope area ...
,
Daniel Garber
Daniel Garber (April 11, 1880 – July 5, 1958) was an American Impressionist landscape painter and member of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is best known today for his large impressionist scenes of the New Hope area, in which he o ...
,
Fern Coppedge
Fern Isabel Coppedge (July 28, 1883 – April 21, 1951) was an American impressionist painter.
Life
Born in the small town of Cerro Gordo near Decatur, Illinois to John L. Kuns and Maria Dilling Kuns, Fern Coppedge spent much of her life in Penn ...
,
Morgan Colt
Morgan Colt (11 September 1876 – 12 June 1926) was an American metalworker, furniture craftsman, impressionist painter, and architect. He helped found the New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania colony of painters—the leading landscape school ...
, and
Mary Elizabeth Price
Mary Elizabeth Price (March 1, 1877 – February 19, 1965), also known as M. Elizabeth Price, was an American impressionism, Impressionist painter. She was an early member of the Philadelphia Ten, organizing several of the group's exhibitions. Sh ...
all resided in Solebury Township, as well as illustrator
Charles Hargens
Charles William Hargens, Jr. (1893−1997) was an American painter. He created over 3000 covers for magazines such as ''The Saturday Evening Post'', '' Collier's'', ''Country Gentleman'', ''Farm Journal'', ''Boys' Life'', '' The Open Road for Boys ...
, a resident of
Carversville
Carversville is an unincorporated community and geographically isolated area in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately 45 miles north of Philadelphia. It was originally a Lenape gathering placed called Aqueto ...
, a village in Solebury Township. Today, Solebury Township remains an enclave to artists.
American woodworker
George Nakashima
George Katsutoshi Nakashima ( ja, 中島勝寿 ''Nakashima Katsutoshi'', May 24, 1905 – June 15, 1990) was an American woodworker, architect, and furniture maker who was one of the leading innovators of 20th century furniture design and a fathe ...
's home and studio are in Solebury Township. The studio is still in operation today through his daughter Mira. The George Nakashima Woodworker Complex is a National Historic Landmark.
Solebury Township contains four National Historic Landmarks, six National Historic Districts, and more than 400 homes built in the 18th or 19th century. More than 30% of its land is preserved. Solebury Township continues to have an active farming community.
The
Atkinson Road Bridge
Atkinson Road Bridge, also known as County Bridge 305, is a historic stone arch bridge located in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It spans Pidcock's Creek. It has three spans, each approximately 20 feet long, and was constructed i ...
,
Center Bridge Historic District
Center Bridge Historic District is a national historic district located in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 60 contributing buildings, 2 contributing sites, and 3 contributing structures in the village of Cen ...
,
Cuttalossa Valley Historic District
Cuttalossa Valley Historic District is a national historic district located in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 23 contributing buildings, 10 contributing sites, and 4 contributing structures along the narrow ...
,
George Nakashima House, Studio and Workshop
The George Nakashima House, Studio and Workshop is a historic artist's compound at 1847 and 1858 Aquetong Rd. in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The compound consists of houses and studio buildings designed and built by artist Ge ...
,
Honey Hollow Watershed
The Honey Hollow Watershed is a watershed on the south side of the Delaware River a few miles north of New Hope, Pennsylvania. It is the site of the first privately owned soil conservation district in the United States. Created by five landowne ...
,
Isaiah Paxson Farm
Isaiah Paxson Farm, also known as Burgess Lea, is a historic farm complex located in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The complex consists of a house, double barn, carriage house, springhouse, shed, smoke house, and small barnyard bu ...
,
Phillips Mill Historic District
Phillips Mill Historic District is a national historic district located in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 34 contributing buildings, one contributing site, and six contributing structures in the village of ...
,
Upper Aquetong Valley Historic District
Upper Aquetong Valley Historic District is a national historic district located in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 55 contributing buildings, 3 contributing sites, and 11 contributing structures along Meetin ...
, and
Van Sant Covered Bridge
The Van Sant Covered Bridge (Van Sandt Covered Bridge), also known as the Beaver Dam Bridge, is a historic covered bridge located in Solebury Township, near New Hope in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Built in 1875, the 86 foot, town truss span cr ...
are places in Solebury Township that are 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 ...
.
Geography
According to the
United States 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 ...
, Solebury Township has a total area of 27.2 square miles (70.6 km
2), of which 26.6 square miles (69.0 km
2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km
2) is water. It is drained by 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 ...
, which separates Solebury Township from New Jersey. Past and present villages include
Aquetong, Bowman Hill (also in Upper Makefield Township), Carversville (also in Plumstead Township),
Center Bridge, Clayton, Cottageville, Fleecyville, Glendale,
Highton
Highton is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. With views across Geelong, Corio Bay and the surrounding region, Highton is located along the banks of the Barwon River (Victoria), Barwon River and across t ...
(also in Buckingham Township,)
Lahaska
Lahaska is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in central Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies east of Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Buckingham and west of New Hope, Pennsylvania, New Hope on U.S. Rou ...
, Limeport, Lumberton,
Lumberville, Naylors Corner, Peters Corners,
Phillips Mill, Rosenthal, Ruckmans,
Solebury, Stony Hill, Tooqueminsey, and Winnahawchunick.
[MacReynolds, George, ''Place Names in Bucks County, Pennsylvania'', Doylestown, Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA, 1942, P1.]
Natural features include
Aquetong Creek, Aquetong Spring, Brun Bridle Hill and Forest, Canada Hill, Coppernose (hill),
Cuttalossa Creek
Cuttalosa Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Course
Cuttalosa Creek rises from two springs just over a mile to the west of the village of Solebury in Solebury Township at an elevation of and is oriented to ...
,
Dark Hollow Run, Honey Hollow (valley), Kitchens Hill,
Lahaska Creek, Little Buckingham Mountain,
Paunacussing Creek, Phillips Creek,
Pidcock Creek,
Rabbit Run, and Solebury Mountain.
[
]
Neighboring municipalities
* Upper Makefield Township (southeast)
* Buckingham Township (southwest)
* Plumstead Township (northwest)
*Kingwood Township, New Jersey
Kingwood Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Hunterdon Plateau. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 3,845, reflecting an increase of 63 (+1.7%) from the 3,782 count ...
(north)
*Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Delaware Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. Part of the township is on the Hunterdon Plateau, while the southern portions are in the Amwell Valley. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's popul ...
(northeast)
*Stockton, New Jersey
Stockton is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. The borough sits on the Delaware River at the western end of Amwell Valley. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 538, (northeast)
* Lambertville City, New Jersey (east)
* New Hope Borough (east)
*West Amwell Township, New Jersey
West Amwell Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 3,840, reflecting an increase of 1,457 (+61.1%) from the 2,383 counted in the 2000 Census, wh ...
(east)
*Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hopewell Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Located within the Raritan River, Raritan Valley region, the township is an exurb of New York City in the New York me ...
(east)
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, Solebury Township, Pennsylvania has a hot-summer, wet all year, 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 ≤ 32.0 °F (≤ 0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (≥ 10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 71.6 °F (≥ 22.0 °C), and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months, episodes of extreme heat
A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
and 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 ≥ 100 °F (≥ 38 °C). On average, the wettest month of the year 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. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill
Wind chill or windchill (popularly wind chill factor) is the lowering of body temperature due to the passing-flow of lower-temperature air.
Wind chill numbers are always lower than the air temperature for values where the formula is valid. When ...
values < 0 °F (< -18 °C). 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 -1.3 °F (-18.5 °C). The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total is between 30 and 36 inches (76 and 91 cm), and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in 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 o ...
activity.
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 beco ...
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, Solebury Township would have an 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'') vegetation type with an 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'') vegetation form.
Demographics
As of the 2020 census, there were 8,709 people and 3,633 households 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 320.8 people per square mile (123.9/km2). There were 3,747 housing units at an average density of 138.0/sq mi (53.3/km2).
Ethnically, Solebury Township was approximately:
* 88.3% White alone
* 1.0% African American
* 0.1% Native American or Alaskan Native
* 4.2% Asian
* 0.01% Pacific Islander
* 5.2% from two or more races
* 1.3% of some other race
Of the population, 3.4% were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. Of the 3,498 occupied housing units (not households):
* 63.7% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together
* 2.8% had a male householder with no spouse present
* 5.1% had a female householder with no spouse present
The remaining are either family groups (families without a householder), or people living alone. The average household size was 2.36, and the average family size was 2.65. Of the 3,633 households, 31.6% had one or more children under 18 years old, and 52.7% had one or more adults at least 60 years old. Solebury Township is approximately:
* 20.6% under the age of 18
* 2.7% from 18 to 24
* 12.7% from 25 to 44
* 38.6% from 45 to 64
* 25.3% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median age was estimated to be 52.7 years. The estimated male-to-female ratio was 1.061 to 1.
The approximate median income for a household in the township was $139,879, and the median income for a family was $160,739.
Of the 8,513 whose poverty status could be determined, approximately 2.9% were below the poverty level
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 ...
. This includes 1.6% of males and 4.4% of females. Approximately 3.6% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those aged 65 or older were below the poverty level.
Education
The Solebury School
Solebury School is a co-educational private boarding and day school located on a campus in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Solebury School's academic program features a college-preparatory curriculum with cour ...
, a private co-educational day and boarding school, is located in the township.
Attractions
The New Hope-Lambertville Winter Festival takes place in Solebury Township yearly. Solebury Township contains a portion of the Washington Crossing Historic Park
Washington Crossing Historic Park is a 500-acre (2 km2) state park operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in partnership with the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. The park is divided into two sectio ...
across the river from the larger Washington Crossing State Park
Washington Crossing State Park is a New Jersey state park that is part of Washington's Crossing, a U.S. National Historic Landmark area. It is located in the Washington Crossing and Titusville sections of Hopewell Township in Mercer County, ...
.
The Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow maintains a nature preserve with six miles of hiking trails open to the public from dawn to dusk every day for hiking and birdwatching.
Bowman's Hill Wild Flower Preserve contains over 700 of Pennsylvania's 2,000 native plant species that grow naturally on 134 acres.
Notable people
*Peter H. Kostmayer
Peter Houston Kostmayer (born September 27, 1946) is a Democratic politician who served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Early life and career
Kostmayer was born in New York City, graduated fro ...
, Congressman
A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivalen ...
who lived in Solebury Township while in office
* Jay Schulberg, advertising executive
*Dean Ween
Michael Melchiondo Jr. (born September 25, 1970), better known by his stage name Dean Ween, is an American guitarist, singer and a founding member of the alternative rock group Ween. He is currently active in the groups Ween, Moistboyz and The ...
and Gene Ween
Aaron Freeman (born March 17, 1970), better known by his stage name Gene Ween, is an American singer, guitarist and a founding member of the experimental alternative rock group Ween. Freeman, along with childhood friend Dean Ween (Mickey Melch ...
of the American rock band Ween
Ween is an American rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an alternative rock band, the band are ...
resided at an apartment on Van Sant Road in Solebury Township during the early 1990s, where they recorded their albums ''The Pod
''The Pod'' is the second studio album by American rock band Ween. It was released on September 20, 1991, by Shimmy-Disc.
Production
The album was recorded from January to October 1990, at the Pod on Van Sant Road in Solebury Township, Pennsylva ...
'' and ''Pure Guava
''Pure Guava'' is the third studio album and major label debut by American rock band Ween, released on November 10, 1992 by Elektra Records.
Background
The album features one of Ween's most well-known songs, "Push th' Little Daisies". The song w ...
''.The Pod in New Hope
/ref>
*Abbie Hoffman
Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman (November 30, 1936 – April 12, 1989) was an American political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ("Yippies") and was a member of the Chicago Seven. He was also a leading proponen ...
, one of the Chicago 7, had an apartment where he committed suicide in 1989.
References
External links
Solebury Township
{{authority control
Townships in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania populated places on the Delaware River