Folcroft, Pennsylvania
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Folcroft 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 Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,606 at the 2010 census, down from 6,978 at the 2000 census.


History

The origin of Folcroft can be traced back to the mid 1600s and early settlements of New Sweden. Delmar Drive was once part of Calcon Hook Road. ''Calcon'' is the Swedish word for "turkey", and ''Hook'' is the Swedish word for "road". The original road was a Leni Lenape trail called "Turkey's Neck Trail" by the settlers, and was no more than wide. Originally productive farmlands, it became a residential suburb of
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
with the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad through the area in 1874. A passenger stop was built and named Folcroft, or "leafy fields". Originally part of Darby Township, Folcroft was incorporated as a borough in 1922. In August 1963, the Baker family became the first African-American family to purchase a house in Folcroft in the Delmar village complex. When local white residents learned of the purchase, the house was vandalized and a crowd of over a thousand people prevented the Baker family from entering their home. 100 Pennsylvania State Troopers were required to control the crowd and allow the Bakers to enter their home. The harassment and vandalism continued and forced the Bakers to sell the home and move in 1966. In July 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, Folcroft became the first municipality in Delaware County to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. On January 3, 2022, Franny DiCicco was sworn in as the first female Mayor of Folcroft in its 100 year history. The incoming Mayor won election along with Democratic candidates in a clean sweep of the open seats of the borough on Election Day 2021.


Geography

Folcroft is located in southeastern Delaware County at (39.893212, -75.280881). It is bordered to the south by Darby Creek and to the west by its tributary, Muckinipattis Creek. To the south across Darby Creek is Tinicum Township. Neighboring boroughs are Norwood to the west, Glenolden to the northwest, Collingdale to the north, and Sharon Hill to the northeast. Darby Township is also to the northeast, and the city of
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
is to the east, across Darby Creek. 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 ...
, Folcroft has a total area of , of which is land and , or 12.38%, is water. Folcroft Station is a stop on the Wilmington/Newark Line of the SEPTA Regional Rail commuter railroad system.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Folcroft has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The borough straddles the boundary between hardiness zones 7a and 7b
Interactive Map , USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map


Demographics

According to the most recent 2019 ACS, the racial makeup composition of Folcroft was 55.21% White, 39.32% Black or African American, 1.90% Asian, and 2.76% two or more races. Folcroft has a growing Hispanic and African population in recent years. Origin of naturalized citizens are 61% African, 12% Asian and 6.6% Latin American. As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the borough was 67.1%
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 ...
, 26.0%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.4% 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 4.6% of the population. 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 6,978 people, 2,530 households, and 1,862 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,629 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 93.1%
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 ...
, 4.0%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.09% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...
, 0.29% from other races, and 0.80% 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 1.10% of the population. There were 2,530 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.24. In the borough the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $44,443, and the median income for a family was $50,791. Males had a median income of $38,105 versus $27,098 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 $17,727. About 7.8% of families and 8.4% 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 8.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.


Transportation

As of 2008, there were of public roads in Folcroft, of which were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and were maintained by the borough. U.S. Route 13 is the only numbered highway serving Folcroft. It follows Chester Pike along a southwest-to-northeast alignment across the northwest corner of the borough. Folcroft Station is a SEPTA train station on the Wilmington/Newark Line.


Environmental issues

Through the grassroots support of local citizens, organizations and politicians, Congress declared Tinicum Marsh along Darby Creek a
National Wildlife Refuge The National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) is a system of protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an agency within the United States Department of the Interior, Department of the Interi ...
in 1972. The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is just one of over 530 national wildlife refuges managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In the shadow of Philadelphia, visitors can watch pintail ducks feeding, red-bellied turtles basking, butterflies flitting, and foxes play. With just of marshes, fields, streams and forests, the refuge is small in area but significant biologically. Tinicum's Marshes, along with other wetlands in the Delaware estuary, are the nursery for commercial and sport fisheries along the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed the Lower Darby Creek Area on the National Priorities List in June 2001. The site consists of two
landfill A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was ...
s: the Clearview Landfill and the Folcroft Landfill and Annex. EPA held a meeting in September 2001 to inform the community that the Lower Darby Creek Area is now a
Superfund site Superfund sites are Pollution, polluted locations in the United States requiring a long-term response to clean up hazardous material contaminations. Sites include landfills, mines, manufacturing facilities, processing plants where toxic waste h ...
. The Lower Darby Creek Area site consists of two landfills, the Clearview Landfill and the Folcroft Landfill and Annex, along Darby Creek in Philadelphia and Delaware counties. Clearview Landfill is on the east side of Darby Creek, and about downstream is the Folcroft Landfill/Annex on the west side of Darby Creek. The Folcroft Landfill/Annex is part of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The two landfills operated from the 1950s to the 1970s and were eventually closed in the mid-1970s. During operation they disposed of a variety of waste including municipal, demolition, and hospital waste. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service owns the Folcroft Landfill/Annex and, accordingly, they will have the lead on cleaning it up. Presently, EPA is in discussions with potentially responsible parties to form a group to perform the RI/FS at the Folcroft Landfill/Annex.


Media

Trinity Broadcasting Network's Delaware Valley area station, WGTW-TV (Channel 48), broadcasts from studios on Columbia Avenue.


Education

Southeast Delco School District operates public schools for the municipality. Most K-8 school residents in Folcroft are zoned to Delcroft School, while some are zoned to Sharon Hill School. All residents of the school district are zoned to Academy Park High School.


References


External links


Video - Library of Congress "White Backlash in the North"
{{authority control Populated places established in 1725 Boroughs in Delaware County, Pennsylvania 1725 establishments in Pennsylvania 1892 establishments in Pennsylvania