Conyngham Township is a township in

Luzerne County Luzerne County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county by total area. As of ...

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 1,309 at the 2020 census.

History

Conyngham Township was formed in 1875 (after breaking away from Hollenback Township). The first settler was Martin Harter (who came in 1795). His immediate followers were James McNeil, James Santee, Philip Fenstermacher, John Andreas, Michael Weiss, John Fenstermacher, and Jeremiah Hess. These individuals, who were mostly of German descent, came from Northampton County. In 1804, the first white child was born in the township. His name was John Fenstermacher, Jr., the grandson of the first settler (Martin Harter). In 1797, Martin Harter built the first frame house. The first store was opened in 1805 by Philip Fenstermacher. He went on to build the first sawmill in 1811. A schoolhouse was later erected in 1813.

Geography

Conyngham Township hugs the eastern

bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Because ...

of the Susquehanna River. 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 t ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 5.73%, is water. Mocanaqua is a village in the northern half of Conyngham Township (near Shickshinny Borough). The village of Wapwallopen is located in the southernmost section of the township. Most of Conyngham Township is

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...

. It is made up of farmland, dense forests, mountains, streams, and lakes (e.g., Lily Lake in eastern Conyngham Township). The only major highway in the township is

PA 239 Pennsylvania Route 239 (PA 239) is a state highway located in Luzerne, Columbia and Lycoming Counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 93 in Nescopeck Township. The northern terminus is at PA 42 in North ...

, which runs north to south along the Susquehanna River.

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 1,385 people, 600 households, and 385 families in the township. The population density was . There were 691 housing units at an average density of . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the township was 98.19% White, 0.72% Black or African American, 0.58% Asian American, 0.22% from other races, and 0.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79%. There were 600 households, 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 30.0% of households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.86. The age distribution was 19.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males. The median household income was $31,667 and the median family income was $38,681. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $22,917 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,946. 10.3% of the population and 6.1% of families 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 ...

. 11.2% are under the age of 18, and 10.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Gallery

Wilderness in Conyngham Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.JPG, Wilderness in Conyngham Township West-central Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.JPG, View from the Mocanaqua Loop Trail Lily Lake 1.JPG, Lily Lake Main St, Mocanaqua, PA.jpg, Mocanaqua, Conyngham Township Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania from Council Cup 1.JPG, Wapwallopen, Conyngham Township

References

{{authority control Townships in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania