Whitpain Township is a township in Montgomery County,

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. Founded in 1701, it has grown to a total population of 18,875 as of the 2010 census.

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 ...

, the township has a total area of , of which 0.08% is water. Whitpain Township is approximately four and a half miles by three miles. There are two

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

s in the township,

Wissahickon Creek Wissahickon Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, Pennsylvania. Wissahickon Creek rises in Montgomery County, runs approximately 23 miles (37 km) passing through and dividing Northwest ...

(which was once known as "Whitpaine's Creek") and Stony Creek.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the township was 80.0% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 10.9% Asian, and 1.3% were two or more races. 2.6% 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 18,562 people, 6,960 households, and 5,206 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 1,436.3 people per square mile (554.7/km²). There were 7,305 housing units at an average density of 565.3/sq mi (218.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 86.31%

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 ...

, 4.69%

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, 7.82%

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 ...

, 0.23% 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 0.89% 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 ...

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 1.33% of the population. There were 6,960 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% 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, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% 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 3.10. In the township the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males. The median income for a household in the township was $88,933, and the median income for a family was $103,613. Males had a median income of $68,125 versus $44,079 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 $41,739. About 1.7% of families and 3.1% 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 3.7% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

History

Whitpain is one of the oldest townships in Montgomery County. Richard Whitpaine, a London butcher, purchased a tract of land as part of

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 ...

’s "Holy Experiment". His 16-year-old son, Zechariah, travelled to Pennsylvania on the ship ''Welcome'' with Penn in 1682 to settle his father's properties and escape persecution of his

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

beliefs. By 1685, Zechariah had established a plantation house along

near Mount Pleasant, with his bride Sarah Songhurst, whom he had met on the ''Welcome''. In Holme's Map of 1681, Whitpain Township is called "Whitpain's Creek". Whitpain Township has been an independent township since 1701, as it appears as "Whitpain's Township" in the survey of all the townships in the Commonwealth ordered by William Penn. The borders of Whitpain Township changed dramatically in 1733, when Worcester Township was created, taking away a significant portion of its area. For a brief period in 1762, Whitpain and Plymouth Township, by act of the Assembly, became one district with one supervisor from each township. Dissatisfaction by the populace of both townships led the Assembly to repeal the act in 1763. By 1734, Whitpain Township had 24 landowners. It maintained steady growth for more than two centuries, expanding from 771 people in 1800 to 3,063 people in 1950. In recent years, the township has experienced rapid growth. Today, Whitpain Township is home to over 18,000 residents. Early settlers to Whitpain Township were farmers. Industry came to the region in 1727, when Jacob Yost began a

weaving Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal th ...

enterprise in Centre Square. Charles Mather built an additional mill in 1804. Although a rural farming community for decades, the growth of recent years has included business development, making Whitpain Township home to several of the Philadelphia region's largest corporations, including Aetna US Healthcare and

Unisys Unisys Corporation is an American multinational information technology (IT) services and consulting company headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. It provides digital workplace solutions, cloud, applications, and infrastructure solutions, e ...

. Although today Whitpain Township is home to residents of many religions and nationalities, its earliest settlers were

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

and

. Prior to the Revolutionary War, the township had two churches: Boehm's Reformed Church (circa 1740), and St. John's Lutheran Church (circa 1769). Whitpain Township earned a place in history during the Revolutionary War, when

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

and many of his generals spent time in the township.

Dawesfield Dawesfield, also known as Camp Morris, is an historic country house estate located in Ambler in Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The property has eleven contributing buildings, one contributing site, and one contributing stru ...

, a home on Lewis Lane, is considered the most significant historic site in the township because it was Washington's headquarters from October 21 to November 2, 1777. Dawesfield was 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 1991.

Communities within Whitpain Township

Today, Whitpain Township is a composite of several small communities established before and after the Revolutionary War. They include West Ambler, Center Square, Blue Bell, Broad Axe, Custer, Franklinville, Washington Square and Belfry. Most of Whitpain Township is covered by the Blue Bell,

ZIP code. In recent years the name "Blue Bell" has become largely synonymous with much of the township, eclipsing many of the older community designations.

Government

Under Pennsylvania law, Whitpain Township is a Township of the Second Class. It is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors elected at-large by the electorate. Members of the Board of Supervisors serve six year terms. Every two years, two of the seats come up for election. The exception is in the sixth year in the cycle, when only one seat comes up for election. Most, if not all, of the executive and legislative powers allocated to Whitpain Township in the State Second Class Township Code are vested in the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors is empowered to appoint professionals to assist it in the operation of the Township and to furnish advice and counsel on technical matters. Additionally, the Board appoints all the members of the various boards and commissions as well as the Zoning Hearing Board and the Planning Commission. Also, the Board of Supervisors hears conditional use applications in accordance with the Municipalities Planning Code and the Whitpain Township Zoning Ordinance. The levying of township taxes and the appropriations to the various departments and subsidiary boards and commissions is the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors. During the months of November and December, public hearings are held for the purpose of reviewing the budget for the following year. The current membership of the Board of Supervisors (as of the election of November 2013) consists of: :*Frederick R. Conner, Chairman :*Adam Zucker, Vice Chairman :*Anthony F. Greco, Secretary :*Melissa Murphy Weber, Treasurer :*Ken Wollman, Assistant Secretary The township government is located at 960 Wentz Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422. Federally, Whitpain Township is part of the 4th Congressional District, represented by Democrat

Madeleine Dean Madeleine Dean Cunnane (born June 6, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. The district includes almost all of Montgomery County, a suburban county north of P ...

Economy

and

Kappa Publishing Group Kappa Publishing Group, Inc. is a Blue Bell, Pennsylvania-based publishing company concentrating on adult puzzle books and magazines as well as children's magazines and maps. It is a private company founded in 1955 with $11.5 million in ann ...

are headquartered in Blue Bell in Whitpain Township.

Top employers

According to Whitpain Township's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the township are:

Education

The Wissahickon School District provides public education to the children of Whitpain Township, as well as those from Lower Gwynedd Township and Ambler Borough. Within the township are three of the district's five elementary schools: Blue Bell Elementary School, Shady Grove Elementary School, and Stony Creek Elementary School. Wissahickon Middle School and Wissahickon High School are located outside of the township. Also situated within the township is one college,

Montgomery County Community College Montgomery County Community College (MCCC or Montco) is a public community college in Blue Bell in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. MCCC also has two satellite locations, Pottstown Campus and Culinary Arts Institute in Lansdale. It is accredite ...

Transportation

The major roadways in Whitpain Township are

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 ...

(DeKalb Pike) and

Pennsylvania Route 73 Pennsylvania Route 73 (PA 73) is a long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from PA 61 near Leesport southeast to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge over the Delaware River i ...

(Skippack Pike). The two roadways intersect in Center Square. Both roads are mostly two-lane highways, though US 202 is currently under construction to become a four-lane divided highway throughout the township. Other key roads within the township include Penllyn-Blue Bell Pike and Walton Road. Butler Pike, North Wales Road, Township Line Road and Morris Road are all major roads that mainly form the boundaries of the township.

Interstate 476 Interstate 476 (I-476) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway of I-76 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The highway runs from I-95 near Chester north to I-81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor throu ...

(the Northeastern Extension of the

Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...

) passes through the township but, as it has no interchanges within the township boundaries, is not directly accessible. The township contains one airport, Wings Field. It is used for general aviation. Several train lines cross the township. There are no active passenger train stations within the township borders, but several are located in neighboring municipalities, including

North Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...

and Ambler.

Community associations

Whitpain Township Residents Association

A community association known a
WhitpainResidents.org
was founded in 2006 as a non-profit group with the stated goal of promoting "responsible development and preserving the quality of life in Whitpain Township.""Whitpain residents made difference in 2006," ''The Ambler Gazette'', January 2, 2007
/ref> The group rose to prominence through the vocal opposition to a planned hospital on grounds formerly occupied by

."Neighbors oppose building hospital", ''Philadelphia Business Journal'', May 5, 2006
/ref>

References

External links

*
Wissahickon School District
{{Authority control Populated places established in 1701 Townships in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania 1701 establishments in Pennsylvania