Tredyffrin 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 ...

located in eastern

Chester County, Pennsylvania Chester County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Tscheschter Kaundi''), colloquially referred to as Chesco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in ...

, United States. The population was 29,332 at the 2010 census. Settled in the late 17th century, Tredyffrin is bounded by

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 ...

and Montgomery counties. It includes on its northern boundary a small part of

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 ...

, where

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 ...

encamped during the

American War of Independence 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 ...

. Tredyffrin and the entire Great Valley region also have many

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

deposits. Tredyffrin is the most populous township in Chester County. Unincorporated communities within Tredyffrin Township include Chesterbrook, Strafford, a portion of Paoli, and a portion of Wayne, Howellville at the intersection of Swedesford and Howellville Roads, and East Howellville, along Howellville Road, west of the intersection of Howellville Road and the border between Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships. Tredyffrin is bordered by Easttown, East Whiteland, Willistown, Charlestown, Upper Merion, Radnor and Schuylkill townships.

History

On March 13, 1684,

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...

decided to set aside a portion of what was then the

Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn, who received the land through a grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania was derived from ...

for settlements for Welsh immigrants. This area, known as the " Welsh Tract", was surveyed in 1684 and included several modern-day townships, including Tredyffrin. Although the Welsh Tract was originally meant to be a self-ruling municipality, it was divided between Chester County and

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 ...

when that county was created in 1685, and the Welsh subsequently submitted to the authority of Chester County. In 1707, Tredyffrin was incorporated as a township. This name comes from the Welsh '' tre(f)'', which means "town", joined to '' dyffryn'', which means "wide, cultivated valley". Tredyffrin was quick to develop into a thriving township. In 1710, the first mill in Tredyffrin was started by Thomas Jerman on what is now North Valley Road. Swedesford Road, one of the first roads in the township, was created by 1718. As the population of the township grew, with 30 resident landowners in 1722 and 83 in 1774,

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

es sprung up to meet the demand by religious residents. In 1710, the

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

minister Hugh Davis moved to the Great Valley from Britain and, there being several Baptist families in this area, the Baptist Church in the Great Valley was formed on April 22, 1711. The church originally met in Radnor. However, there were enough members of this Baptist church that by 1722, a log building was erected in Tredyffrin to serve the congregation. As Tredyffrin includes part of

, there are many Revolutionary War-related sites in the township, especially the park and houses where various generals were quartered. Development in the township was sparked in the 19th century by construction and advertisement of the "Main Line" railroad service, which terminated in Paoli, which straddles the western border of the township. Tredyffrin-Easttown school district was unusual for the area in being racially integrated during the early part of the century. In 1932, the district planned to segregate after building a new school, and African Americans in the township boycotted the school system for two years in protest (the "School Fight"). In 1934 a negotiated settlement was reached whereby the schools remained integrated, and helped kill school segregation in Pennsylvania. During the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

, a Nike anti-aircraft missile site was active in the township. It was located off Le Boutillier Road, near Swedesford Road.

Historic buildings

County Bridge No. 171,

Cramond Cramond Village (; ) is a village and suburb in the north-west of Edinburgh, Scotland, at the mouth of the River Almond where it enters the Firth of Forth. The Cramond area has evidence of Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Roman activity. In modern ...

, Cressbrook Farm, Federal Barn, Great Valley Mill, Greenwood Farm, David Havard House, Lafayette's Quarters, Maj. Gen. Lord Stirling Quarters, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, Strafford Railroad Station,

, Joseph Walker House, Van Leer Cabin, and Wetherby–Hampton–Snyder–Wilson–Erdman Log House 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 ...

. In addition, the Wharton Esherick Museum is listed as a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

; it was built starting in 1926. Other notable buildings are: * Diamond Rock Schoolhouse, an octagonal one-room school built in 1818. * Seven colonial log houses and cabins. * Knox Covered Bridge in Valley Forge National Historical Park. * Revolutionary War sites: Quarters of Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling; Quarters of Major General Marquis de Lafayette; Quarters of Brigadier General

Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and a Founding Father of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military expl ...

; Quarters of General Charles Cornwallis, and a number of other generals. * Old Eagle School, built in 1788

Geography

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 township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.15%, is water. Tredyffrin's climate borders upon hot-summer

humid continental Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

(''Dfa'') and

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''). 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 as in almost all of Chester County
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map , USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Transportation

As of 2018, there were of public roads in Tredyffrin Township, of which were maintained by the

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension). The commission consists of five members. Four memb ...

(PTC), were maintained by the

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 ...

(PennDOT) and were maintained by the township. 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 ...

( I-76) is the most prominent road serving Tredyffrin Township. It follows a southwest-northeast alignment across the northwestern portion of the township.

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 ...

follows a similar alignment across the center of the township. U.S. Route 422 begins at US 202 in the northeastern corner of the township and follows the County Line Expressway northwestward. U.S. Route 30 follows Lancaster Avenue along an east-west alignment through the southern section of the township. Finally, Pennsylvania Route 252 follows Leopard Road, Bear Hill Road, Swedesford Road, Valley Forge Road and Valley Creek Road along a north-south alignment through the middle of the township.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, the township was 83.3% non-Hispanic White, 3.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 9.8% Asian, and 1.4% were two or more races. 2.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of the 2000 United States census, there were 29,062 people, 12,223 households, and 7,834 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 12,551 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 90.88%

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 ...

, 2.84%

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 ...

, 0.11% Native American, 5.12% Asian, 0.01%

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 0.74% 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 1.20% of the population. There were 12,223 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% 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, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males. The median income for a household in the township was $82,258, and the median income for a family was $105,183 (these figures had risen to $90,915 and $121,809 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $76,393 versus $46,124 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 $47,584. About 2.2% of families and 3.7% 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 4.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Tredyffrin is governed by a seven-member Board of Supervisors. Four members are elected from the township at-large, while three members are elected from specific districts, though all supervisors are treated equally once on the Board. '':''

Politics

Party registration as of July 2010 were 45% Republican, 39% Democratic, and 16% Independent and third parties. In the

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

presidential election, Tredyffrin voters gave 58% of its votes to Democratic candidate

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

over

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

, a significant change from previous elections.

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

vastly improved upon McCain's performance, but still fell short as Obama carried the township with 52% of the vote in the

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

presidential election. Party registration as of December 2019 stood at 43% Democratic, 39% Republican, 18% Independent and third parties.

Geology

The rocks of Tredyffrin were laid down in the upper

Paleozoic The Paleozoic ( , , ; or Palaeozoic) Era is the first of three Era (geology), geological eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Beginning 538.8 million years ago (Ma), it succeeds the Neoproterozoic (the last era of the Proterozoic Eon) and ends 251.9 Ma a ...

, meaning that they are primarily

metamorphic Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock (protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, causi ...

Limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

is often at the surface in the Great Valley, so many limestone kilns were created in the 18th century. Mine owner William Rennyson sold the fizzy water from his Howellville limestone quarry as "Tredyffrin Water" around 1900. The northern edge of the township is a ridge of

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...

and

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

(the

Cambrian The Cambrian ( ) is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, and the Phanerozoic Eon. The Cambrian lasted 51.95 million years from the end of the preceding Ediacaran period 538.8 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Ordov ...

Chickies Formation) including Valley Forge Mountain (or Mount Misery), which was mined for quartz in the 18th century through the mid-19th century.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Tredyffrin Township lies within the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. Students residing within township boundaries attend Hillside Elementary School, New Eagle Elementary School, and Valley Forge Elementary School for grades K–4. Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School and Valley Forge Middle School serve students in grades 5–8, and Conestoga High School serves students in grades 9–12. Private schools in Tredyffrin Township include: * Delaware Valley Friends School in Paoli *Devon Preparatory School (grades 6–12) in Devon *Woodlynde School in Strafford *Heritage School (preschool) in Wayne address * Vanguard School (ungraded special education), in Paoli

Public libraries

Tredyffrin Township Libraries operates Tredyffrin Public Library and Paoli Library.Home page
Tredyffrin Township Libraries. Retrieved on September 8, 2009. The Tredyffrin Library, with of space as of 1977, is located in the Strafford community."Relating common solutions: two libraries by Mitchell/Giurgola." p. 95. The architectural firm Mitchell/Giurgola developed the Tredyffrin Library. It has an amphitheater that is focused on a park in a southward direction."Relating common solutions: two libraries by Mitchell/Giurgola." p. 93. The library has a single large reading room. The library building has a larger two-story end, while the other end has only one story at the upper level."Relating common solutions: two libraries by Mitchell/Giurgola." p. 94. Offices at the main level are in a separate element of the structure from the main reading room, and this structure juts out from the flue. ''

Architectural Record ''Architectural Record'' is a US-based monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design. Its editor in chief is Josephine Minutillo. ''The Record'', as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, is widely-recognized as an important ...

'' said that this "allows direct access to the reading room from the public entrance." In 1990 a new children's library was created on the lower level of the building in previously unfinished space.http://www.tredyffrinlibraries.org/tredyffrin-public-library/history/ . Tredyffrin Township Libraries. Retrieved on December 14, 2018. As the community continued to grow and change, plans were finalized in 2004 to renovate and expand Tredyffrin Library. In September 2007, the library broke ground for a $6 million renovation and expansion. On January 31, 2009, the entire expanded building was open to the public for the first time. ''Architectural Record'' stated that Tredyffrin Library and the library built in Condon Hall of the

University of Washington School of Law The University of Washington School of Law is the law school of the University of Washington, located on the northwest corner of the main campus in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington. The school is fully accredited by the American Bar Asso ...

, which was also designed by Mitchell/Giurgola, have common underlying concepts. According to the publication, the shared concepts were "unusual sensitivity in using natural light to best advantage while warding off the sun," a "quickly apparent organization of functions," and being "responsive to the varying situations in which it is built."

References

Sources

*Futhey, J. Smith, and Gilbert Cope. History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1881.
Geologic Map of Pennsylvania
. 2000. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey. December 16, 2002.

. Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, PA. December 16, 2002.
Limestone and Dolomite Distribution in Pennsylvania
. 2000. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey. December 16, 2002. * "Relating common solutions: two libraries by Mitchell/Giurgola." ''

''. August 1977. Volume 162. p. 93-98. .

External links

Tredyffrin Township official website

Tredyffrin/Easttown School District

Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
{{PA Home Rule Municipality * 1707 establishments in Pennsylvania Philadelphia Main Line Populated places established in 1707 Townships in Chester County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania