Sweden Township is a

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

in Potter 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 871 at the 2020 census.

History

Sweden Township was formed on February 26, 1828, from Eulalia Township. It was named for the nation of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, the native country of its early pioneer settlers. In 2023, the township voted 2–1 to abolish its

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

force after the township's police chief, Bryan Phelps, resigned to become a county judge, citing low crime and a lack of space in the budget to support an independent police force. As such, the

Pennsylvania State Police The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is the state police, 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 ...

holds jurisdiction over the township.

Coudersport Area Municipal Authority Treatment Plant Controversy

The Coudersport Area Municipal Authority (CAMA) became involved in a controversial proposal for a fracking wastewater plant in early 2018. CAMA services Sweden Township. JKLM Energy intends to truck "produced water" (fracking wastewater) to a centralized plant for treatment to be located adjacent to the CAMA plant in Eulalia Township, Pennsylvania, when and if the plant is approved and licensed by governmental authorities. The treated wastewater then will be transferred to CAMA for disposal into the headwaters of the Allegheny River. The plant proposal is opposed by many residents Potter County as well as by the Seneca Nation of Indians who reside downriver from the proposed plant location. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection fined JKLM $472,317 in 2016 for groundwater contamination caused by the use of an unapproved surfactant during the drilling of a natural gas well. The contamination impacted six private drinking water wells in Sweden and Eulalia townships, Potter County. The Cattaugus County, New York, legislature as well as New York State Senator Catharine Young have joined the Seneca Nation in opposition to the proposed fracking wastewater plant. Additionally, the Coudersport Bourough (PA) Council voted to oppose the siting of the plant near Coudersport. The Coudersport Borough Council's resolution of opposition was forwarded to the Coudersport Area Municipal Authority (CAMA), who has not yet considered it in a public forum.

Geography

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 township has a total area of 33.7 square miles (87.4 km), of which 33.7 square miles (87.3 km) is land and 0.03% is water. Sweden Township is bordered by Allegany Township to the north, Ulysses Township to the east, Summit Township to the south and Eulalia Township to the west. The Coudersport Ice Mine is located in Sweden Township.

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 775 people, 299 households, and 232 families residing in the township. 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 23.0 people per square mile (8.9/km). There were 575 housing units at an average density of 17.1/sq mi (6.6/km). The racial makeup of the township was 96.90%

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 ...

, 0.52% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.26%

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 ...

, 0.65% from other races, and 0.77% 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 1.16% of the population. There were 299 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% 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, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.94. In the township the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.9 males. The median income for a household in the township was $42,750, and the median income for a family was $47,188. Males had a median income of $35,568 versus $25,208 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 township was $18,780. About 6.0% of families and 7.6% 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 13.6% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

* {{authority control Populated places established in 1808 Swedish-American culture in Pennsylvania Townships in Potter County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania