Fairfield is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

in Adams County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, United States. The population was 526 at the 2020 census.

History

During the Gettysburg Campaign in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, the Battle of Fairfield played an important role in securing the Fairfield pass and the Hagerstown Road, enabling

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

to retreat through Fairfield towards the

Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...

. The actual fighting near Fairfield was between elements of the 6th United States Cavalry under Major Samuel Starr, and elements of General "Grumble" Jones' Brigade of Virginia Cavalry. The Union casualties were treated in the town of Fairfield, specifically in the homes of Mrs. Sarah Amanda Blythe, Rufus Christian Swope, and in what is now St. John's Lutheran Church. For more information on the town of Fairfield, see ''Fairfield In the Civil War'', by Sarah Sites Thomas, Tim Smith, Gary Kross, and Dean S. Thomas. The Fairfield Historic District and Fairfield Inn are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Geography

Fairfield is located at (39.787260, -77.369399). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the borough has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 486 people, 232 households, and 139 families residing in the borough. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 245 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 98.35%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.62% Asian, 0.41% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.62% of the population. There were 232 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.67. In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $31,053, and the median income for a family was $39,219. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $21,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the borough was $17,243. About 0.7% of families and 3.5% 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 ...

, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Fairfield Area School District, which includes the borough, is located in south central Pennsylvania on the Maryland border. It has an elementary, middle, and high school located in Fairfield. Its sports teams are named the Knights.

Transportation

The Mid-Atlantic Soaring Center Airport is located two miles from Fairfield. It has one 2,700-foot asphalt runway.

References

External links

Borough of Fairfield official website
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Fairfield Area School District
{{authority control American Civil War sites Populated places established in 1801 Boroughs in Adams County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania in the American Civil War 1896 establishments in Pennsylvania