Quakertown, Pennsylvania

History

Quakertown was originally settled by members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. The settlement was not officially known as Quakertown until its first post office opened in 1803.

On September 18, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, a convoy of wagons carrying the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown, under the command of Col. Thomas Polk of Charlotte, North Carolina, stopped in Quakertown. The Liberty Bell was stored overnight behind the home of Evan Foulke (1237 West Broad Street), and the entourage stayed at the Red Lion Inn. The John Fries' Rebellion was also started in the Red Lion Inn in 1799.

In 1854, Quakertown elected its first Burgess. The North Pennsylvania Railroad caused a great increase in population, and by 1880, the population of Quakertown had almost reached 1,800.

Liberty Hall, Quakertown Historic District, Quakertown Passenger and Freight Station, and Enoch Roberts House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Industry and population

The American Civil War along with national economic expansion changed Quakertown from a tiny village to a commercial manufacturing center. In the nineteenth century, local industrial establishments included cigar and cigar box factories, silk mills, harness factories, and stove foundries. Until 1969, Quakertown generated its own electrical power. The population of Quakertown in 1900 was 3,014; it rose to 3,801 in 1910. By 1940, the population had reached 5,150 people. At the 2010 census, the borough's population was 8,979.

Today, Quakertown has several restaurants, and businesses that line Pennsylvania Route 309.

Geography

Quakertown is located at 40°26′26″N 75°20′26″W (40.440440, −75.340477), at an elevation of 505 feet (154 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.

Tohickon Creek, which drains into the Delaware River, flows past the northeastern edge of the borough.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,979 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 90.6% White, 2.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,931 people, 3,421 households, and 2,251 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,424.7 people per square mile (1,707.1/km²). There were 3,631 housing units at an average density of 1,798.9 per square mile (694.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.46% White, 1.20% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.51% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.88% of the population.

There were 3,421 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $41,942, and the median income for a family was $51,194. Males had a median income of $33,697 versus $26,988 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,562. About 3.7% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Quakertown is directly served by four state highways. PA 309 passes through the western part of Quakertown as West End Boulevard and runs north to Allentown and south to Montgomeryville and Philadelphia. PA 313 begins at PA 309 in Quakertown and passes through the town on Broad Street, heading southeast to Doylestown. PA 663 heads west from Quakertown at the PA 309/PA 313 intersection and interchanges with I-476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension) at the Quakertown interchange before heading southwest to Pottstown. PA 212 heads northeast from PA 313 in Quakertown and provides access to Riegelsville.

Quakertown has intercity bus service provided by Trans-Bridge Lines to Bethlehem, Doylestown, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City, and by Bieber Tourways to Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Allentown, and Reading.

Quakertown had passenger rail service to Bethlehem and Philadelphia until July 27, 1981, when SEPTA ended service on all its intercity diesel-powered lines. Due to the numerous industrial complexes in Quakertown, the borough currently has freight rail service provided by a branch of the East Penn Railroad.

Quakertown has a public general aviation airport, simply named Quakertown Airport. The airport is not located in the Quakertown borough itself, but in neighboring Milford Township.

Notable people