Middletown 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 Delaware 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 The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The population was 15,807 at the 2010 census. The

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

has an undergraduate satellite campus called

Penn State Brandywine Penn State Brandywine is a commonwealth campus of the Pennsylvania State University located in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania. The campus was formerly known as Penn State Delaware County. The campus has baccalaureate and associate degrees ...

located in the north-central portion of the township. Originally established in 1686, Middletown Township adopted a

Home Rule Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...

Charter in 1978. The township is governed by the council-manager system, a representative form of government in which the seven elected officials set policy for the township and the manager oversees the delivery of all public services and programs.

History

Middletown Township was probably established as a township in 1686, but it is first mentioned in 1687 when John Martin was established as constable. The name of the township is believed to be derived from its position in the middle or central of

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, th ...

where it resided until 1789 when Delaware County was created from the eastern portion of Chester County. Delaware County played an important role in the anti-slavery movement. Not only did residence advocate for manumission, noted local families such as the Van Leer's bought and sold lots to free black tradesmen or only to people who were supportive of the free black community. The location is now known as Van Leer Avenue. The local community grew with support from local neighbors. The John J. Tyler Arboretum and

Ridley Creek State Park Ridley Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Edgmont, Middletown, and Upper Providence Townships, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park, about north of the county seat of Media, offers many recreational act ...

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

Middletown Township is in central Delaware County, west of

Media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

, 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 ...

, and northwest of

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

. The

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

occupies the north-central part of the township. Other unincorporated communities in the township include Elwyn and Bortondale in the east, Riddlewood near the center, Glen Riddle south of the center, Lenni and Wawa in the southwest.

U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...

(Baltimore Pike) passes through the township from southwest to northeast, while

Pennsylvania Route 352 Pennsylvania Route 352 (PA 352) is a north–south route that runs from U.S. Route 13 Business (US 13 Bus.) in Chester, Delaware County, north to US 30 in Frazer, Chester County. The route passes through suburban areas of Delaware and Chester ...

crosses it from northwest to southeast.

Pennsylvania Route 452 Pennsylvania Route 452 (PA 452) is a state highway in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The route runs from U.S. Route 13 (US 13) in Marcus Hook north to PA 352 in Lima. The route runs through suburban areas, passing through Linwood and Aston To ...

begins at PA 352 in the center of Lima and runs south. The township is west of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

's Center City.Stores Post Billboard Ads for Tobacco, Despite Ban
" ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''. May 9, 1999. Retrieved on December 23, 2011. 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 , all of it land.

Ridley Creek Ridley Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Chester and Delaware counties, Pennsylvania in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Keystone Canoeing'', Seneca Press, 2004. The entire drainage basin is in the suburban Philadelphia area, but ...

forms the eastern border of the township, and

Chester Creek Chester Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ' ...

is the western border. Both creeks flow southeast toward 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 ...

. Middletown Township straddles the boundary between 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'') and a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa''.) The

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 7a.

Demographics

As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the township was 92.3%

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 ...

, 3.4%

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 ...

, 0.1% Native American, 2.8%

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 ...

, 0.6% 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 0.9% 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 1.6% of the populatio

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 16,064 people, 5,524 households, and 3,756 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 1,192.6 people per square mile (460.5/km). There were 5,641 housing units at an average density of 418.8 per square mile (161.7/km). The racial makeup of the township was 94.28%

, 3.08%

, 0.03% Native American, 1.71%

, 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 ...

, 0.16% from

, and 0.72% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.87% of the population. There were 5,524 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% 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, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.05. In the township the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males. The median income for a household in the township was $62,949, and the median income for a family was $77,649. Males had a median income of $54,495 versus $39,792 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 $29,418. About 1.1% of families and 2.5% 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 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Wawa Food Markets Wawa, Inc. ( ) is an American chain of convenience stores and gas stations located along the East Coast of the United States, operating in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Florida. The company's cor ...

has its main dairy plant and "Corporate University" in Middletown, while its headquarters are in

Chester Heights Chester Heights is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,531 at the 2010 census. Most of the borough lies south of U.S. 1, about a mile southwest of Wawa. History The history of Chester Heights predates ...

, just to the south of the township. Elwyn Inc., a facility caring for the needs of the developmentally disabled and disadvantaged is located in Middletown Township. An enclosed

shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...

called the

Granite Run Mall Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...

was located in Middletown Township. The mall closed in 2015 and was demolished for a mixed-use development consisting of residential, retail, and entertainment called the

Promenade at Granite Run The Promenade at Granite Run, formerly known as Granite Run Mall, is a mixed-use development in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a western suburb of Philadelphia. The mixed use development consists of residential, retail, and e ...

, which opened in 2018. Wawa SEPTA station platform August 2022

Middletown Township is served by

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 ...

Media/Wawa Line The Media/Wawa Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail service that runs from Center City Philadelphia west to Wawa in Delaware County. It uses the West Chester Branch, which connects with the SEPTA Main Line at 30th Street Station. Under the Pennsylva ...

Wawa station Wawa station is a commuter rail station on the SEPTA Regional Rail Media/Wawa Line, located adjacent to U.S. Route 1 in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The original station was built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railr ...

, which opened on August 21, 2022, with a 600 car garage, and Elwyn station, providing train service to

Education

Middletown Township lies within the

Rose Tree Media School District Rose Tree Media School District is a school district headquartered in Media, Pennsylvania Media is a borough in and the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is located about west of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in t ...

. It was created by a merger between the Media Borough and Rose Tree Union School Districts in 1966. Public school students residing within township boundaries attend either Glenwood Elementary School, Indian Lane Elementary School (housed in the old Indian Lane Junior High School), Media Elementary School (housed in the old Media Borough High School), or Rose Tree Elementary School for grades K-5, depending on where they live. Springton Lake Middle School serves students in grades 6–8, and Penncrest High School, which is in the township limits, serves students in grades 9–12. The Middletown Friends School is the only private school located within township boundaries. For higher education, the township is home to the Wawa Corporate Training Center, the Williamson College of the Trades, and

The township is also serviced by the Middletown Free Library. Middletown Friends School.JPG, Old school at Middletown Friends Meeting House File:PenncrestHighschool.png, Penncrest High School File:Williamson Free Trade School.JPG, Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades File:Wawa U.JPG, Wawa Corporate Training Center

Former train stations

* Darlington station (SEPTA) * Lenni station * Williamson School station

Notable people

Edward Darlington Edward Darlington (September 17, 1795 – November 21, 1884) was a three term member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from the Anti-Masonic Party. His cousins Isaac Darlington and William Darlington were also both member ...

– U.S. Congressman * Joseph McClellan –

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

officer and

Pennsylvania State Senator The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ever ...

Samuel Riddle Samuel Doyle Riddle (July 1, 1861 – January 8, 1951) was an American businessman and racehorse owner. He was born in Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, a small town southwest of Philadelphia given the family name by his father. Samuel D. Riddle, ...

– textile manufacturer

Fire companies

Middletown Township is served by two fire companies. Middletown Fire Company No. 1 and Rocky Run Fire Company. Middletown Fire Company, currently ran by Chief Duke Nassino and Deputy Chief Eric Mellon has existed since 1922, while Rocky Run Fire Company, led by Chief William Cairns and Deputy Chief David Beresford was chartered in 2013 following a merger between Lima and Lenni Heights Fire Companies. Middletown Fire Company is the designated Rescue company of the Township due to them having Squad-Pumper 50, which is due to be replaced by Rescue 50 in 2022.

Other emergency services

Police protection is handled by the

Pennsylvania State Police The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is the state police agency of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. The Pennsylvania State Police is a full service law enforcement agency which handles both traffic and cr ...

. Emergency medical services are handled by Riddle Memorial Hospital's Paramedic Units. Furthermore, Rocky Run Fire Company possesses an ambulance to serve the township. Brookhaven Fire Company AMB-52a-b also commonly takes medical alarms within the township.

References

External links

Middletown Township official website
{{authority control Townships in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania