Perkasie, Pennsylvania
Template:Geobox Borough Perkasie is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 35 miles (56 km) north of Philadelphia. Establishments in the borough early in the twentieth century included silk mills, baseballs, brickyards, lumber mills, tile works, a stone crusher, and manufacturies of cigars, tags and labels, wire novelties, etc. The population in 1900 was 1,803; in 1910, 2,779 people lived in Perkasie. The population was 8,828 at the 2000 census. Perkasie is part of Pennridge School District.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 3,463 | — | |
| 1940 | 4,121 | 19.0% | |
| 1950 | 4,358 | 5.8% | |
| 1960 | 4,650 | 6.7% | |
| 1970 | 5,451 | 17.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,241 | −3.9% | |
| 1990 | 7,878 | 50.3% | |
| 2000 | 8,828 | 12.1% | |
| www.dvrpc.org/data/databull/rdb/db82/appedixa.xls.</ref> | |||
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 8,828 people, 3,294 households, and 2,338 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,408.9 people per square mile (1,316.0/km²). There were 3,378 housing units at an average density of 1,304.4/sq mi (503.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.77% White, 0.59% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.
There were 3,294 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the borough the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $52,000, and the median income for a family is $59,413. Males have a median income of $42,388 versus $28,323 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $21,986. 4.7% of the population and 4.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The main school district of Perkasie is Pennridge School District.
Transportation
The borough's nearest airport is located just north of the center of town, and is actually just on the other side of the East Rockhill Township border. Pennridge Airport is a public general aviation airport with one 4,200-foot (1,300 m)-long runway.
Perkasie was once served by the Bethlehem Branch of the Reading Railroad. That main line is now owned by SEPTA, however, passenger service was terminated in the early 1980s. It is still used by CSX and the East Penn Railroad for freight. Proposals for reactivating the line to provide passenger service have been discussed since the 1990s.
The borough is bordered by a state road on each side: PA 563 to the north; PA 313 to the east; PA 113 to the south; and PA 309 to the west. PA 152 runs right through the middle. I-476, I-276, and I-78 are the nearest interstates.
History
Perkasie is home to a former major league baseball factory, now out of business. Between 1920 and 1950, the factory produced millions of baseballs through the Hubbert/Spalding contract. The factory still stands today, at 815 Chestnut Street, but had been converted into the Senior Citizens Center. [1] The Senior Center has since moved to the neighboring borough of Silverdale. The old Senior Center is scheduled to be converted to six two-bedroom condominiums by Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County. The goal of this project is to keep the exterior integrity intact and combine old world charm with green building techniques the new living space. The Pearl S. Buck House at Green Hills Farm, a registered National Historic Landmark, is located near Perkasie.
On June 26, 1988, about 15 percent of the town, including many historic buildings, was burned down in what became known as The Great Perkasie Fire. This massive fire was started by two 12-year-old boys who were playing with a lighter near the coal bins behind the Shelley & Sons lumberyard at Seventh and Market Streets. The fire was fought by about 300 firefighters who came from over 50 fire companies in three counties. Among the historic buildings lost were the American House and the Moyer-Kantner Funeral Home, both dating from 1870, and the Herstine Building. Despite the size of the fire, no fatalities were reported.[2]
Immediately after the fire, a group of concerned business owners, residents and Borough Officials formed a Downtown Restoration Task Force. The Task Force was given the name of the Perkasie Towne Improvement Association (PTIA). This group was the forerunner to the Perkasie Olde Towne Association. The PTIA along with Perkasie's local government were responsible for the three phase town improvement plan that was completed over the next five intervening years. The PTIA's focus was to oversee the reconstruction of not only the area of the town center affected by the fire, but also other retail and residential areas in the central part of the Borough. As a result of these efforts, streetscape enhancements of decorative street lights, underground utilities, new sidewalks with decorative brick borders were built and new benches, trash receptacles and street trees were placed throughout the focus area.
Notable residents
- Perkasie has produced one Major League Baseball player: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jake Eisenhart. (b. October 3, 1922)
- A borough resident, Maureen Victoria Wimmer, was Miss Pennsylvania and third runner-up in the 1971 Miss America Pageant.[3]
- Tom Fulp, creator of the Flash animation site Newgrounds, lives in Perkasie
- Every twenty five years, Perkasie celebrates it's anniversary by crowning a King and Queeen. At the 125th year anniversary in 2004 Joshua Hosier was crowned King, and Rebecca Day was crowned queen. They will pass on their crowns at the 150th anniversary in 2029
External links
References
- ^ [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet
- ^ Kracz, Ed. "The day Perkasie burned." The Intelligencer, June 22, 2008
- ^ "Miss Pennsylvania in Review". Retrieved 2008-01-04.
