Abington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Waverly Township is a township in Lackawanna County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It borders Dalton
to the west and Scott Township
to the east. Waverly Township is part of the growing suburban area known as the "Abingtons." The population was 1,743 at the 2010 census.
The township was formerly known as Abington Township.
, along The Warriors' Path, and was originally called Abington Center. In 1853, it was established as a borough within Pennsylvania; since there was another municipality named Abington located near Philadelphia, the town was renamed Waverly after Sir Walter Scott's Waverley (novel)
, popular at that time. The town, located within Lackawanna County, gave up its charter in 1920, because of the high cost to upgrade its main street to a state highway, and became Abington Township. On November 2, 2010, voters in the township overwhelmingly voted to change the township's name to Waverly Township, with 706 voting for the change and 115 against.http://www.lackawannacounty.org/election%20results/110210/summary.htm
The earliest settlers built cabins in Waverly around 1800. The Philadelphia and Great Bend Turnpike (now Main Street) was chartered in 1919 by the Pennsylvania Legislature along The Warriors' Path. Started in 1820, this turnpike was completed in 1824. During this time, the first three houses which were not cabins were built. In 1828, the Wayside Inn was built, and the first doctor, Dr. Andrew Bedford, set up practice, and built a house which stands today on Main Street. The first general store was built in 1830, followed by a second inn and tavern in 1832. A building boom ensued during the years 1847 through 1890, during which time Waverly was a profitable small scale industrial center. 1850 through 1880 was the heyday of Waverly's industrial era. Farmers and dairymen shipped their goods to New York City; iron foundries flourished, and numerous retail establishments, including greengrocers, bakers, a drugstore, dime store, hardware store, lumberyard, and harness shops, thrived. In 1880, the railroad was laid five miles from Waverly, and the prosperity of the town faded.
During the mid-19th century, Waverly was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Escaped slaves and freedmen found a sympathetic population in Waverly, and some settled in small houses built by a local farmer and sold to them. The freedmen also built the AME Church, which is in use today as a private residence. It is one of five churches in existence in 1872, 3 of which still stand and are still active congregations.
The Community House (commonly referred to as "The Comm") sits at the center of Waverly. The brick Dutch colonial structure currently houses the Waverly Post Office, a gymnasium with basketball court, a public playground, a preschool program and numerous recreational and educational offerings for families with young children. The Comm also plays host to an annual home and garden show, antique fair, and concerts on the lawn. Margaretta E. Belin funded construction of The Comm as a memorial to her husband, Henry Belin Jr., after his death in 1917. On June 4, 1920, the building and a portion of the land were deeded to Abington Township for the benefit of the township's residents. Wealthy summer visitors from Scranton migrated to Waverly on a permanent basis, and the town's reputation as a white-collar bedroom community was cemented.
, the township has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), all of it land.
of 2010, there were 1,743 people, 639 households, and 515 families residing in the township. The population density
was 378.9 people per square mile (146.3/km²). There were 686 housing units at an average density of 149.1/sq mi (58.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.5% White, 0.2% Black, 3.8% Asian, 0.3% some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.
There were 639 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% were married couples
living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 57.2% from 18 to 64, and 17% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.9 years.
The median income for a household in the township was $73,611, and the median income for a family was $91,359. Males had a median income of $80,195 versus $34,643 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $44,551. About 2.2% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
s and attorneys
. The tuition ranged from $2.00 to $10.00 per quarter, depending upon the grade, and the boarding house next door charged $1.25 to $1.50 per week. Following the closing of the private school in 1878, the building was used as a public school through 1925, at which time it was razed. The Belin family donated a new school building to the town that originally served all grades. The site of that school is now occupied a newer building, Waverly Elementary School, which serves Kindergarten through fourth grade and is part of the Abington Heights School District
. This is currently the only public school in the township, and is where all of the elementary students in the township attend school.
The bell from the Madison Academy hangs behind Waverly Elementary, a testament to the long tradition of academic excellence in Waverly. Although the academy was razed, the house across the street from it has a bell in its attic, and is sometimes mistaken for the original Madison Academy.
All middle school students residing in Waverly Township attend Abington Heights Middle School, and high school students attend Abington Heights High School.
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 213,295 people, 86,218 households, and 55,783 families residing in the county. The population density was 465 people per square mile . There were 95,362 housing units at an average density of 208 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It borders Dalton
Dalton, Pennsylvania
Dalton is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is located approximately 8 miles north of the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania in a growing suburban area known as the "Abingtons." Dalton is also approximately 3 miles north of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, the hub of the Abington...
to the west and Scott Township
Scott Township
Scott Township may refer to the following townships in the United States:-Arkansas:* Scott Township, Lonoke County, Arkansas* Scott Township, Mississippi County, Arkansas* Scott Township, Poinsett County, Arkansas* Scott Township, Sharp County, Arkansas...
to the east. Waverly Township is part of the growing suburban area known as the "Abingtons." The population was 1,743 at the 2010 census.
The township was formerly known as Abington Township.
History
Waverly was founded in the late 18th century by settlers from ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, along The Warriors' Path, and was originally called Abington Center. In 1853, it was established as a borough within Pennsylvania; since there was another municipality named Abington located near Philadelphia, the town was renamed Waverly after Sir Walter Scott's Waverley (novel)
Waverley (novel)
Waverley is an 1814 historical novel by Sir Walter Scott. Initially published anonymously in 1814 as Scott's first venture into prose fiction, Waverley is often regarded as the first historical novel. It became so popular that Scott's later novels were advertised as being "by the author of...
, popular at that time. The town, located within Lackawanna County, gave up its charter in 1920, because of the high cost to upgrade its main street to a state highway, and became Abington Township. On November 2, 2010, voters in the township overwhelmingly voted to change the township's name to Waverly Township, with 706 voting for the change and 115 against.http://www.lackawannacounty.org/election%20results/110210/summary.htm
The earliest settlers built cabins in Waverly around 1800. The Philadelphia and Great Bend Turnpike (now Main Street) was chartered in 1919 by the Pennsylvania Legislature along The Warriors' Path. Started in 1820, this turnpike was completed in 1824. During this time, the first three houses which were not cabins were built. In 1828, the Wayside Inn was built, and the first doctor, Dr. Andrew Bedford, set up practice, and built a house which stands today on Main Street. The first general store was built in 1830, followed by a second inn and tavern in 1832. A building boom ensued during the years 1847 through 1890, during which time Waverly was a profitable small scale industrial center. 1850 through 1880 was the heyday of Waverly's industrial era. Farmers and dairymen shipped their goods to New York City; iron foundries flourished, and numerous retail establishments, including greengrocers, bakers, a drugstore, dime store, hardware store, lumberyard, and harness shops, thrived. In 1880, the railroad was laid five miles from Waverly, and the prosperity of the town faded.
During the mid-19th century, Waverly was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Escaped slaves and freedmen found a sympathetic population in Waverly, and some settled in small houses built by a local farmer and sold to them. The freedmen also built the AME Church, which is in use today as a private residence. It is one of five churches in existence in 1872, 3 of which still stand and are still active congregations.
Fire in 1916
In the spring of 1916, a fire devastated the four downtown blocks of Waverly; only 11 businesses remained thereafter. Of those, two buildings have operating businesses in them today: The Waverly Deli and The Waverly General Store. The front two blocks were an eyesore, although summer visitors continued to come from Scranton to Waverly. The Belin Family bought the front two blocks and began design and construction of the Waverly Community House. The building was completed in 1920, and expanded to the back two blocks of the original downtown; all streets through those blocks had been removed, and the transformation of downtown to picturesque center was complete.The Community House (commonly referred to as "The Comm") sits at the center of Waverly. The brick Dutch colonial structure currently houses the Waverly Post Office, a gymnasium with basketball court, a public playground, a preschool program and numerous recreational and educational offerings for families with young children. The Comm also plays host to an annual home and garden show, antique fair, and concerts on the lawn. Margaretta E. Belin funded construction of The Comm as a memorial to her husband, Henry Belin Jr., after his death in 1917. On June 4, 1920, the building and a portion of the land were deeded to Abington Township for the benefit of the township's residents. Wealthy summer visitors from Scranton migrated to Waverly on a permanent basis, and the town's reputation as a white-collar bedroom community was cemented.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 1,743 people, 639 households, and 515 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 378.9 people per square mile (146.3/km²). There were 686 housing units at an average density of 149.1/sq mi (58.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.5% White, 0.2% Black, 3.8% Asian, 0.3% some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.
There were 639 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 57.2% from 18 to 64, and 17% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.9 years.
The median income for a household in the township was $73,611, and the median income for a family was $91,359. Males had a median income of $80,195 versus $34,643 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $44,551. About 2.2% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The first school was started in his log cabin in 1804 by Elder Miller, the first settler in the town. The first dedicated school was built in 1830 on the Philadelphia and Great Bend Turnpike. After it ceased being used as a school, it became a private residence for many years; the Waverly Historic Society is currently planning for its renovation and use as their headquarters. In 1844, a group of investors started the Madison Academy. This was a private school which enjoyed high regard and taught a rigorous curriculum to boys and girls. Students came from all over Pennsylvania to attend the Madison Academy; some of its graduates became judgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s and attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. The tuition ranged from $2.00 to $10.00 per quarter, depending upon the grade, and the boarding house next door charged $1.25 to $1.50 per week. Following the closing of the private school in 1878, the building was used as a public school through 1925, at which time it was razed. The Belin family donated a new school building to the town that originally served all grades. The site of that school is now occupied a newer building, Waverly Elementary School, which serves Kindergarten through fourth grade and is part of the Abington Heights School District
Abington Heights School District
The Abington Heights School District covers the Boroughs of Clarks Green and Clarks Summit and Waverly Township, Glenburn Township, Newton Township, North Abington Township, Ransom Township and South Abington Township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The district operates four elementary...
. This is currently the only public school in the township, and is where all of the elementary students in the township attend school.
The bell from the Madison Academy hangs behind Waverly Elementary, a testament to the long tradition of academic excellence in Waverly. Although the academy was razed, the house across the street from it has a bell in its attic, and is sometimes mistaken for the original Madison Academy.
All middle school students residing in Waverly Township attend Abington Heights Middle School, and high school students attend Abington Heights High School.