King of Prussia (nicknamed K.O.P.) is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...

in Upper Merion Township in

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Montgomery County, colloquially referred to as Montco, is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 856,553, making it the third-most populous county in Pennsylvania after Philadel ...

, United States. The community took its unusual name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after King

Frederick the Great Frederick II (; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled ''King in Prussia'', declaring himself ''King of Prussia'' after annexing Royal Prussia ...

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

. King of Prussia is considered to be an

edge city An edge city is a concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional downtown or central business district, in what had previously been a suburban, residential or rural area. The term was popularized by the 1991 boo ...

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 ...

, consisting of large amounts of retail and office space situated at the convergence of four highways. King of Prussia is located south of

Allentown Allentown may refer to: Places * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a city in four counties in Georgia * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Tazewell County * Allentown, New Jersey, a boroug ...

and northwest of Philadelphia. It is considered part of the larger

Philadelphia metropolitan area 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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, its population was 22,028. King of Prussia mall is the fourth-largest shopping mall in the US. The headquarters of the

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region I The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has divided the US territory into four regions: Tasks These four regions oversee the operation of 104 power-producing reactors, and 36 non-power-producing reactors. This oversight is done on several levels, ...

and

American Baptist Churches USA The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a mainline Protestant and Baptist Christian denomination. It is a reorganization from 1907 of the Triennial Convention. The Triennial Convention was renamed as the Northern Baptist Convention in ...

are located in King of Prussia.

History

The eponymous King of Prussia Inn was originally constructed as a cottage in 1719 by the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

s William and Janet Rees, founders of Reesville. The cottage was converted to an

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...

in 1769 and did a steady business in colonial times as it was approximately a day's travel by horse from

. Settlers headed west to

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

would sleep at the inn on their first night on the road. In 1774 the Rees family hired James Berry to manage the inn, which henceforth became known as "Berry's Tavern". General

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

first visited the tavern on

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

in 1777 while the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

was encamped at Whitemarsh; a few weeks later Washington and the army bivouacked at nearby

Valley Forge Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army, under the command of George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. The Valley Forge encampment lasted six months, from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. It was the t ...

.J
Michael Morrison, ''King of Prussia'', Images of America series (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2005); Accessed 26 Oct 2016.
/ref> Parker's spy map, created by William Parker, an

American Loyalist Loyalists were refugee colonists from thirteen of the 20 British American colonies who remained loyal to the British crown during the American Revolution, often referred to as Tories, Royalists, or King's Men at the time. They were opposed by ...

, listed the inn as "Berry's" in 1777, but a local petition in 1786 identified it as the "King of Prussia". It was possibly renamed in honor of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

's pro-American satirical essay "An Edict by the King of Prussia". At some point a wooden signboard of the inn depicted King Frederick II (

) of Prussia. The inn is 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 ...

20th century

The inn was forced to move with the expansion of

U.S. Route 202 U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of U.S. Route 2, US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware in the south to Maine in the north and traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, N ...

. U.S. 202 is a major north–south highway that passes through the town from southwest to northeast. Its construction as an expressway would have caused the destruction of the King of Prussia Inn; however, historic preservationists managed to prevail upon the state of Pennsylvania to avoid this important structure by building north and southbound lanes on either side of it. For more than a quarter century, the inn was marooned on a median island, with motor traffic whizzing past on both sides. It was sealed up for years, surrounded by a high fence. The inn was successfully relocated in 2000 and re-opened to the public in October 2002. The extensive

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

an development that has taken place since the 1960s in King of Prussia has led urban planning scholars like

Joel Garreau Joel Garreau (born 1948) is an American journalist, scholar, and author. In 1981, Garreau published '' The Nine Nations of North America''. In 1991, he published '' Edge City: Life on the New Frontier''. In 2005, he published ''Radical Evoluti ...

to label the area as an epitome of the

phenomenon, a situation where the most vibrant economic growth and prosperity in a metropolitan area (in this case,

) no longer occurs in the urban center, but rather at its periphery. Before 1960, the Greater King of Prussia area was known for little more than being the place of Washington's winter respite in 1777-8 (see

Valley Forge National Historical Park Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. The National Park Service preserves the site and interprets ...

). The growth in King of Prussia developed around the convergence of four highways with the construction of the King of Prussia mall, a large business park, and housing developments.

Daniel Berrigan Daniel Joseph Berrigan (May 9, 1921 – April 30, 2016) was an American Jesuit priest, anti-war activist, Christian pacifist, playwright, poet, and author. Berrigan's protests against the Vietnam War earned him both scorn and admiratio ...

and his brother

Philip Berrigan Philip Francis “Phil” Berrigan (October 5, 1923 – December 6, 2002) was an American peace activist and Catholic priest with the Josephites (Maryland), Josephites. He engaged in nonviolent, civil disobedience in the cause of peace an ...

began their Plowshares Movement at the

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

Weapons Plant in King of Prussia in 1980. That event and the subsequent court proceedings surrounding the 'Plowshares Eight' were dramatically depicted by Emile de Antonio in the 1983 motion picture ''In the King of Prussia''. In the late 1980s, developer Dennis Maloomian acquired a golf course near the King of Prussia mall and planned a mixed-use residential and retail development that would include a town center for King of Prussia. The proposed development needed to be rezoned but Upper Merion Township officials and local residents were opposed to the plans. After several court battles, the

Pennsylvania Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System. It began in 1684 as the Provincial Court, and casual references to it as the "Supreme Court" of Pennsylvania were made offici ...

ruled in Maloomian's favor in 2003. The planned development became known as the Village at Valley Forge and would include a suburban downtown, apartments, townhouses, and offices. The retail area would be known as the King of Prussia Town Center. The first part of the town center was completed in 2014 with the opening of a

Wegmans Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a privately held American supermarket chain. It is now headquartered in Gates, New York, but was founded on January 30, 1916, in Rochester, New York. As of late 2024, Wegmans had 111 stores in eight states (New Yo ...

grocery store. This was followed by the construction of the downtown area with several stores and restaurants. Offices are being constructed and residential areas are in development.

21st century

By the 2000s, the business park in King of Prussia was outdated and was losing tenants. By 2009, several office building owners pushed for Upper Merion Township to improve the business park. Improvements were made to King of Prussia including landscaping the median of US 202, installing King of Prussia signs at the borders to the community, creating a shuttle service connecting the business park to nearby train stations, and changing the zoning laws to allow for apartments and townhouses to be constructed in the business park. The vacancy rates at the business park have since dropped. In 2016, the two sections of the King of Prussia mall, The Plaza, and The Court, were joined to create one large shopping mall after an expansion corridor was built.

Geography

There is no incorporated city of King of Prussia, although the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

office there has carried that name since 1837. Its ZIP Code is 19406. King of Prussia's boundaries, as defined by the

Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, are the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river in eastern Pennsylvania. It flows for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map(). accessed April 1, 2011. from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Pottsville ...

to the north, U.S. Route 422 to the west,

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Is ...

to the east, and

I-76 Interstate 76 or I-76 may refer to: Transportation * Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska) (I-76), US * Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey) (I-76), running through Pennsylvania, US Other uses * ''Interstate '76'', a vehicular combat video game for W ...

to the south. However, the Greater King of Prussia Area is often cited to include Bridgeport, parts of Wayne and Radnor Township, King Manor, as well as most of Gulph Mills and extreme eastern Tredyffrin Township, Chester County. The local fire department carries the King of Prussia name, whereas the police department and the school district carry the Upper Merion name. King of Prussia is located northwest of

. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.83%, is water. The area is served by

area codes 610 and 484 Area codes 610, 484, and 835 are telephone overlay area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the eastern and southeastern regions of Pennsylvania. The numbering plan area (NPA) includes regions to the west of Philadelphia and th ...

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the CDP was 69.4% White Non-Hispanic, 5.7% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 18.6% Asian, and 2.1% were two or more races. 4.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. 22.4% of the population was foreign-born. 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 18,511 people, 8,245 households, and 4,773 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were about 8,705 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.70%

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 ...

, 10.62% Asian, 4.26%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

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 ...

, 0.16% Native American, 0.04%

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 ...

, 0.84% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 1.91% of the population were

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. There were 8,245 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.89. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 17.6% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $62,012, and the median income for a family was $75,882. Males had a median income of $50,803 versus $37,347 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 CDP was $32,070. 3.2% of the population and 1.6% 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 ...

. 1.8% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and cool to cold 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, King of Prussia had a

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 cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps. The most recent numbers show all months averaging above freezing so that the climate is now

humid subtropical 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 la ...

(''Cfa''). Three months are above 22°C (71.6°F) and seven months are above 10°C (50°F). 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 widely ...

is 7a bordering 7b to the east

Economy

King of Prussia has an unemployment rate of 4.30% and an annual job growth of about 1.44% and 38% over the next ten years. A large portion of that comes from King of Prussia (shopping mall), the King of Prussia mall, the third largest shopping complex in the United States by shopping area square footage and the numerous employers in the area. The King of Prussia mall consists of over 450 stores, including several luxury retailers, and 8 anchor stores. The mall attracts 22 million visitors annually and produces $1.1 billion in annual sales. A large business park is located to the northwest of the King of Prussia mall, with over 60 commercial and industrial companies on 676 acres. There are about 60,000 people employed in King of Prussia, which is three times the resident population. King of Prussia is home to the headquarters of

, which oversees 25

nuclear power reactor A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction. They are used for commercial electricity, marine propulsion, weapons production and research. Fissile nuclei (primarily uranium-235 or plutonium-239 ...

s at 16

nuclear power plant A nuclear power plant (NPP), also known as a nuclear power station (NPS), nuclear generating station (NGS) or atomic power station (APS) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power st ...

s in the

Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...

. According to Upper Merion Township's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, In addition, major commercial property owners in King of Prussia formed an organization in 2010 called the King of Prussia District (KOP-BID) that works to improve the physical environment, market the area, and advocate for zoning, tax and transportation policies that will keep King of Prussia competitive in the region.

Sports

The

Philadelphia Freedoms The Philadelphia Freedoms was a tennis team currently competing in World TeamTennis. Overview The team traces its origins to WTT's inaugural season, in 1974. The original team starred tennis legend and social pioneer Billie Jean King, who h ...

tennis team of

World TeamTennis World TeamTennis (WTT) was a mixed-gender professional tennis league played with a team format in the United States, which was founded in 1973. The league's season normally took place in the summer months. Players from the ATP and WTA would ...

played in King of Prussia in 2008 and 2009. Whenever a tennis event was to occur, a temporary tennis stadium that seated 3,000 was constructed in the parking lot of the King of Prussia mall. Eventually, the Freedoms left for The Pavilion at

Villanova University Villanova University is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842 and named after Thomas of Villanova, Saint Thom ...

in 2010.

Education

Schools

Public school students in the King of Prussia area attend schools in the

Upper Merion Area School District The Upper Merion Area School District provides education to Upper Merion Township, Bridgeport, and West Conshohocken in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It consists of seven schools. Schools *Upper Merion Area High School (grades 9-12) *Uppe ...

.
Text list
/ref> The district is currently served by five elementary schools: Bridgeport, Caley, Candlebrook, Gulph and Roberts. Belmont Terrace Elementary School, which was built in 1958, closed as an elementary school in 1982. All students in the Upper Merion Area School District also attend Upper Merion Area Middle School and

Upper Merion Area High School Upper Merion Area High School is a comprehensive public high school, operated by the Upper Merion Area School District, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. A buildin ...

. King of Prussia also has a private school,

Mother Teresa Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, ; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa or Saint Mother Teresa, was an Albanian-Indian Catholic Church, Roman Catholic nun, founder of the Missionaries of ...

Regional Catholic School. It was formed in 2012 by the merger of Mother of Divine Providence in King of Prussia and St. Teresa of Avila in

West Norriton West Norriton Township is a township that is located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Norristown Area School District. The population of the township was 15,663 at the time of the 2010 census. History On ...

Colleges

The

Penn State Great Valley The Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies (branded as Penn State Great Valley) is a special-mission graduate school of Pennsylvania State University located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Academic offerings include master's ...

campus was once located in King of Prussia from 1963 to 1974 before relocating to Great Valley. In 1982, the college opened up a new facility called Penn State King of Prussia Center.

Points of interest

King of Prussia is home to the

King of Prussia The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia. The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order, a Roman C ...

mall, which is the third largest mall in the United States in terms of leasable space. The mall consists of over 450 stores, 8 anchor stores, and over 40 restaurants. The mall has several luxury stores that have their only Philadelphia area location in King of Prussia. The King of Prussia mall is surrounded by several big-box stores, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses, including a

United Artists Theatres Regal Cinemas (also Regal Entertainment Group) is an American movie theater chain that operates the second-largest theater circuit in the United States, with 5,720 screens in 420 theaters as of December 31, 2024. Founded on August 10, 1989, it ...

and an iFLY indoor skydiving center. The King of Prussia Town Center is a

lifestyle center A lifestyle center (American English), or lifestyle centre (Commonwealth English), is an open-air shopping center which aims to create a "pedestrian-friendly, town-like atmosphere with sidewalks, landscaping, ambient lighting, and park benches. ...

that consists of

, multiple other big-box retailers, and a downtown area with dining, retail, and service establishments and a Town Square. The town center is part of the Village at Valley Forge, a 122-acre mixed-use development under construction that consists of retail, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, office space, and the

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, also known by its acronym CHOP, is a children's hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its primary campus is located in the University City, Philadelphia, University City neighborhood of West Philadelph ...

's "Specialty Care and Surgery Center". King of Prussia is also the location of the Valley Forge Casino Resort, which has over 500 hotel rooms, 600 slot machines, table games, sports betting, seven restaurants, a spa, nightlife, a convention center, and a seasonal poolside club called Valley Beach.

, which consists of the site where General

and the

made their encampment at

during the winter of 1777–78 in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, is located to the west of King of Prussia. King of Prussia is home to the King of Prussia Volunteer Fire Company 9/11 Memorial honoring the lives lost in the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

. The memorial, which was dedicated by the King of Prussia Volunteer Fire Company on the 10th anniversary of the attacks in 2011, consists of two steel beams recovered from

Ground Zero A hypocenter or hypocentre (), also called ground zero or surface zero, is the point on the Earth's surface directly below a nuclear explosion, meteor air burst, or other mid-air explosion. In seismology, the hypocenter of an earthquake is its p ...

at the

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are the hundreds of sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may also refer to: Buildings * World Trade Center (1973–2001), a building complex that was destroyed during the September 11 at ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. The 9/11 Memorial is located adjacent to the King of Prussia Volunteer Fire Company station on Allendale Road across from the King of Prussia mall.

Infrastructure

Transportation

King of Prussia has retained its role as an important crossroads throughout United States history. In addition to the Inn, from the earliest days, the intersection supported two general stores. Today, four major

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...

s meet in or near the center of King of Prussia. The Schuylkill Expressway (

), which leads to

Center City Philadelphia Center City includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It comprises the area that made up the City of Philadelphia prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854, which extended the ci ...

away, ends in King of Prussia at the

Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...

, an east–west toll road across the southern portion of the state that heads west towards

Harrisburg Harrisburg ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat, seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50, ...

as part of I-76 and east across the northern suburbs of Philadelphia towards

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

as I-276. The

US 422 U.S. Route 422 (US 422) is a spur route of U.S. Route 22, US 22 split into two segments in the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The western segment of US 422 runs from downtown Cleveland, Ohio, east to Ebensburg, Penns ...

freeway begins at

US 202 U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware in the south to Maine in the north and traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ne ...

near the center of town and heads northwest to Pottstown and

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

; thanks to reconstruction in 2003, motorists can now travel directly from Reading to Philadelphia without passing onto US 202. US 202 is the only major highway that becomes a surface road through the area, heading southwest towards West Chester as a freeway and northeast towards Norristown as Dekalb Pike, a surface road. Important local roads in King of Prussia include PA 23, which runs through King of Prussia between

and

along Valley Forge Road; Gulph Road, which runs from PA 23 near

and heads southeast to junctions with I-76 and US 202 near the King of Prussia mall before leading to Gulph Mills; and Henderson Road, a north–south road through King of Prussia that intersects PA 23 and US 202 before ending at Gulph Road near an interchange with I-76.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, Michael B. Carroll. PennDOT ...

District 6, which serves Bucks,

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

, Montgomery, and

counties, is headquartered in King of Prussia. King of Prussia Transit Center January 2018

King of Prussia is served by

SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people througho ...

, and at the King of Prussia Transit Center at the King of Prussia mall, with the routes providing service to West Chester, the

Norristown Transportation Center Norristown Transit Center is a two-level multimodal public transportation regional hub located in Norristown, Pennsylvania and operated by SEPTA. It opened in 1989, replacing the older M terminus one block away at Main and Swede Streets, and ...

Phoenixville Phoenixville is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek (Schuylkill River tributary), French Creek an ...

, the

69th Street Transportation Center 69th Street Transit Center is a SEPTA terminal in the Terminal Square area of Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. It serves the SEPTA Metro L, M, D, and multiple SEPTA bus routes. It is located at the end of 69th Street, a major retail corr ...

, Chesterbrook,

, and

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

. In addition, SEPTA Suburban Division bus route runs from Gulph Mills to the

Willow Grove Park Mall Willow Grove Park Mall is a three-story shopping mall located in the community of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, Willow Grove in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Abington Township, Pennsylvania at the intersection of Easton Roa ...

in Willow Grove. The Gulph Mills station is served by

SEPTA SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people througho ...

Norristown High Speed Line The M, formerly known as the Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL), is a interurban light rapid transit line in the SEPTA Metro network, running between the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby and the Norristown Transportation Center ...

, which runs between the 69th Street Transportation Center and the Norristown Transportation Center. The Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association operates The Rambler as a community shuttle around the King of Prussia area Monday through Saturday, serving residential areas, shopping centers, the King of Prussia mall, medical facilities, the Upper Merion Senior Center, and the Upper Merion Township Municipal Building. Taxicab and limousine service in King of Prussia is provided by three companies.

Carpooling Carpooling is the sharing of car A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather ...

is available in King of Prussia, with the

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is the metropolitan planning organization for the Delaware Valley. Created in 1965 by an interstate compact, DVRPC is responsible for transportation and regional planning in the greater Phi ...

offering a service that can match commuters with transit services, carpools, vanpools, and walking and bicycling options.

OurBus OurBus is an intercity bus network in the United States and Canada. The company serves as a broker between passengers and charter bus operators, marketing bus routes under its brand. Its intercity and commuter bus routes serve cities in New York, ...

provides intercity bus service from King of Prussia to

Park Avenue Park Avenue is a boulevard in New York City that carries north and southbound traffic in the borough (New York City), boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the wes ...

in the

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

section in

as part of a route running from

Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

to New York City. The bus stop in King of Prussia is located at the King of Prussia Park and Ride, a

park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...

lot on King of Prussia Road. The route started on December 21, 2017.

Fullington Trailways The Trailways Transportation System is a public transport bus service in the United States. It operates a network of approximately 70 independent bus companies. The company is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. History The predecessor to Tra ...

provides intercity bus service from the King of Prussia Park and Ride along a route serving

State College State College is a borough and home rule municipality in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a college town, home to the University Park campus of The Pennsylvania State University. State College is the largest designated borou ...

, and DuBois.

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. is an American operator of Intercity bus service, intercity bus services. Greyhound operates the largest intercity bus network in the United States, and also operates charter and Amtrak Thruway services, as well as interci ...

also has a bus stop at the King of Prussia Park and Ride. King of Prussia is from

30th Street Station 30th Street Station, officially William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, is a major intermodal passenger transport, intermodal transit station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The station opened in 1933 as Pennsylvania Station– ...

in Philadelphia, which has intercity rail service provided by

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

, and from

Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is the primary international airport serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It served 30.8 million passengers annually in 2024, making it the busiest airport in Pennsylvania and the 21st-busies ...

, which has flights to domestic and international destinations.

Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...

operates freight trains through King of Prussia along the

Harrisburg Line The Harrisburg Line is a railroad, rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in the United States, U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Philadelphia (HP 5.2) west to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg (HP 112 ...

that follows the

and the Dale Secondary that follows US 202 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Abrams Yard operated by Norfolk Southern Railway is located in King of Prussia on the Harrisburg Line. There are several

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or a small paved road (though it can also be a route along a navigable waterways) generally not intended for usage by motorized vehicles, usually passing through a natural area. Ho ...

s for hiking and bicycles that serve the King of Prussia area, some of which are under development. Valley Forge National Historical Park has a network of trails that total over , including the Joseph Plumb Martin Trail and the Chapel Trail. The

Schuylkill River Trail The Schuylkill River Trail ( , ) is a multi-use trail along the banks of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania. Partially complete, the trail is ultimately planned to run about from the river's headwaters in Schuylkill County, Penns ...

connects Valley Forge National Historical Park via Sullivan's Bridge across the Schuylkill River to the Manayunk section of

, following the riverbank. When complete, the Schuylkill River Trail will follow the river between Pottsville and Philadelphia for a total length of about . A section of the Chester Valley Trail passes through King of Prussia; when complete, the trail will run between Norristown, where it will connect to the Schuylkill River Trail, and Exton.

Utilities

Electricity and natural gas in King of Prussia is provided by

PECO Energy Company PECO, formerly the Philadelphia Electric Company, is an energy company founded in 1881 and incorporated in 1929. It became part of Exelon Corporation in 2000 when it merged with Commonwealth Edison's holding company Unicom Corp. The company ...

, a subsidiary of

Exelon Exelon Corporation is an American public utility headquartered in Chicago, and incorporated in Pennsylvania. Exelon is the largest electric parent company in the United States by revenue and is the largest regulated electric utility in the Uni ...

. Water in the King of Prussia area is provided by Aqua Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of

Aqua America Essential Utilities (formerly Aqua America and Peoples Natural Gas) is an American utility company that has stakes in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. The company provides drinking w ...

, and Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water. The Upper Merion Township Public Works Department provides wastewater service to King of Prussia. Trash and recycling collection in King of Prussia is provided by private haulers.

Health care

Einstein Healthcare Network Einstein Healthcare Network is a private non-profit healthcare organization part of Jefferson Health based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The healthcare network serves Greater Philadelphia and its flagship hospital is Einstein Medical Center ...

operates an outpatient healthcare facility in King of Prussia. The

's "Specialty Care and Surgery Center" opened in King of Prussia in 2015. The Gulph Road facilities includes practices in sports medicine, oncology, and pediatric imagery. The facility is part of a larger site known the Village at Valley Forge. On January 26, 2022, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia opened the Middleman Family Pavilion, an hospital, in King of Prussia.

Notable people

The Bloodhound Gang The Bloodhound Gang is an American rock band formed by James "Jimmy Pop" Franks and Michael "Daddy Long Legs" Bowe in 1992 in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Pop is the sole constant member of the band. Its line-up since 2009 has consisted of Pop ...

– A comedic rock band originating in the early '90s from King of Prussia. * Jobriath Boone – Folk and glam rock musician and actor, and the first openly gay rock musician signed to a major record label. *

Charlie Brenneman Charles Brenneman (born February 9, 1981) is an American former mixed martial artist. A professional from 2007 until 2014, he competed for the UFC, ShoXC, and was the winner of the first season of the television show '' Pros vs Joes''. Backgroun ...

– Mixed martial arts competitor. * Brianna Butler – Basketball player in the

Women's National Basketball League The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is a professional women's basketball list of basketball leagues, league in Australia composed of eight teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the Women's sports, women's counterpart to the Na ...

. *

William Colepaugh William Curtis Colepaugh (March 25, 1918 – March 16, 2005) was an American who, following his 1943 discharge from the U.S. Naval Reserve ("for the good of the service", according to official reports), defected to Nazi Germany in 1944. While a c ...

– American seaman who became a German spy during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. * Michael J. Fitzgerald – Roman Catholic priest who is an auxiliary bishop of the

Archdiocese of Philadelphia The Archdiocese of Philadelphia () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia originally included all of Pennsylvania and Dela ...

. *

Greg Gianforte Gregory Richard Gianforte ( ; born April 17, 1961) is an American politician, businessman, and software engineer serving as the 25th governor of Montana since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Gianforte served as the U.S. representativ ...

– Businessman, former

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

, and

Governor of Montana A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

. *

Kathy Jordan Kathryn Jordan (born December 3, 1959) is a former American tennis player. During her career, she won seven Grand Slam titles, five of them in women's doubles and two in mixed doubles. She also was the 1983 Australian Open women's singles runn ...

– Professional tennis player. * Ann Li – Tennis player.Player profile: Ann Li.
International Tennis Federation. Accessed on August 28, 2017. * Bill Nuttall – Former soccer player and owner of Golden Viking Sports. * Bob Odell – Former football halfback and coach. * Rafael Robb – Economist and former college professor who confessed to murdering his wife. * Jonathan Roberts – U.S. Representative and

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

from Pennsylvania in the 19th century. *

Lisa Salters Alisia "Lisa" Salters (born March 6, 1966) is an American journalist and former college basketball player. She has been a reporter for ESPN and ESPN on ABC since 2000. Salters previously covered the O. J. Simpson murder case for American Broadc ...

–

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

sports reporter. * Fred Sherman – Economist, businessman, and business commentator. * Artie Singer – Songwriter, music producer, and bandleader. * Jay C. Smith – Former principal at Upper Merion Area High School who was convicted of murder. *

Blair Thomas Blair Lamar Thomas (born October 7, 1967) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina ...

– Former

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

running back.

References

External links

Upper Merion TownshipKing of Prussia Historical SocietyKing of Prussia Chamber of Commerce at Valley ForgeKing of Prussia District
{{DEFAULTSORT:King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania 1719 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1719 Census-designated places in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Census-designated places in Pennsylvania Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania Prussia–United States relations