Dover, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Dover is a borough
in York County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 2,007 at the 2010 census.
During the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign
of the American Civil War
, Dover was briefly occupied overnight, June 30—July 1, by Confederate
cavalry
under J.E.B. Stuart
.
Dover was incorporated in 1864, 100 years after its founding.
at 40°0′14"N 76°50′58"W (40.003846, -76.849397), 5 miles (8 km) northwest of the county seat of York
. The borough is entirely surrounded by Dover Township.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 1,815 people, 770 households, and 489 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,623.6 people per square mile (1,401.6/km2). There were 790 housing units at an average density of 1,577.2 per square mile (610.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.47% White, 1.05% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.72% from other races
, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.
There were 770 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples
living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $41,250, and the median income for a family was $46,086. Males had a median income of $33,796 versus $22,826 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $19,108. About 4.3% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
voted to include the following statement about intelligent design
in the biology curriculum of its schools:
in late 2005. The case was resolved on December 20, 2005, when Judge John E. Jones III
ruled that the Dover Area School District cannot teach Intelligent Design in a science class room, due to its religious origins. The separation of church and state
principle, as derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
, prohibits any government agency from endorsing religious points of view.
In an upset election on November 8, 2005, the eight Republican
school board members who voted for the ruling were all defeated by the challengers from the Dover Cares slate – four Democrats and four Republicans, forced by election rules to run on the Democratic
ticket – who opposed the teaching of intelligent design in a science class.
Over the past few years Dover has incorporated a Comparative Religion course as an elective for students who want to learn more about all the religions of the world.
commented on the election results on The 700 Club
:
He later revisited his previous warning:
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in York County
York County, Pennsylvania
York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
, 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...
. The population was 2,007 at the 2010 census.
History
James Joner purchased 203 acre (0.82151258 km²) in 1764 and laid out the town of Dover. It was known as Jonerstown until 1815, when it was officially called Dover.During the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Dover was briefly occupied overnight, June 30—July 1, by Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
under J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
.
Dover was incorporated in 1864, 100 years after its founding.
Geography
Dover is located in York CountyYork County, Pennsylvania
York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
at 40°0′14"N 76°50′58"W (40.003846, -76.849397), 5 miles (8 km) northwest of the county seat of York
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. The borough is entirely surrounded by Dover Township.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 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 2000, there were 1,815 people, 770 households, and 489 families residing in the borough. 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 3,623.6 people per square mile (1,401.6/km2). There were 790 housing units at an average density of 1,577.2 per square mile (610.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.47% White, 1.05% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.72% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.
There were 770 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% 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, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $41,250, and the median income for a family was $46,086. Males had a median income of $33,796 versus $22,826 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 borough was $19,108. About 4.3% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Intelligent design controversy
Dover received national attention in 2004-05, after the Dover Area School DistrictDover Area School District
The Dover Area School District is a public school district located in Pennsylvania, United States. It consists of Dover Township, Washington Township and the Borough of Dover in York County. The district operates Dover Area High School, Dover Intermediate School, Dover Elementary School, Leib...
voted to include the following statement about intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
in the biology curriculum of its schools:
- The Pennsylvania Academic Standards require students to learn about Darwin'sCharles DarwinCharles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
Theory of Evolution and eventually to take a standardized test of which evolutionEvolutionEvolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
is a part.
- Because Darwin's Theory is a theoryTheoryThe English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The Theory of Evolution, while technically not a fact, is the most widely accepted amongst the scientific community. Gaps in the Theory of Evolution exist for which there is no evidenceEvidenceEvidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
; however, these gaps are becoming much less prevalent through modern science. A theory is defined as a well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.
- Intelligent Design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin's view. The reference book Of Pandas and PeopleOf Pandas and PeopleOf Pandas and People: The Central Question of Biological Origins is a controversial 1989 school-level textbook written by Percival Davis and Dean H. Kenyon and published by the Texas-based Foundation for Thought and Ethics...
is available for students who might be interested in gaining an understanding of what Intelligent Design actually involves.
- With respect to any theory, students are encouraged to keep an open mind. The school leaves the discussion of the Origins of Life to individual students and their families. As a Standards-driven district, class instruction focuses upon preparing students to achieve proficiency on Standards-based assessments.
- Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District (page 1)
Aftermath
The controversial statement by the school board triggered the court case Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School DistrictKitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District, et al. was the first direct challenge brought in the United States federal courts testing a public school district policy that required the teaching of intelligent design...
in late 2005. The case was resolved on December 20, 2005, when Judge John E. Jones III
John E. Jones III
John Edward Jones III is an American lawyer and jurist from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A Republican, Jones was appointed by President George W. Bush as federal judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in February 2002 and was unanimously confirmed by...
ruled that the Dover Area School District cannot teach Intelligent Design in a science class room, due to its religious origins. The separation of church and state
Separation of church and state in the United States
The phrase "separation of church and state" , attributed to Thomas Jefferson and others, and since quoted by the Supreme Court of the United States, expresses an understanding of the intent and function of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States...
principle, as derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
, prohibits any government agency from endorsing religious points of view.
In an upset election on November 8, 2005, the eight Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
school board members who voted for the ruling were all defeated by the challengers from the Dover Cares slate – four Democrats and four Republicans, forced by election rules to run on the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ticket – who opposed the teaching of intelligent design in a science class.
Over the past few years Dover has incorporated a Comparative Religion course as an elective for students who want to learn more about all the religions of the world.
Pat Robertson
Two days after the upset, Pat RobertsonPat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
commented on the election results on The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
:
- I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God. You just rejected him from your city.
He later revisited his previous warning:
- God is tolerant and loving, but we can't keep sticking our finger in his eye forever. If they have future problems in Dover, I recommend they call on Charles Darwin. Maybe he can help them.
Notable people
- Jeff KoonsJeff KoonsJeffrey "Jeff" Koons is an American artist known for his reproductions of banal objects—such as balloon animals produced in stainless steel with mirror finish surfaces....
, conceptual artist - John KuhnJohn KuhnJohn Allen Kuhn is an American football fullback, currently playing for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. John attended Dover Area High School in Dover, Pennsylvania...
, fullbackFullback (American football)A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Christopher Thorn, member of Blind MelonBlind MelonBlind Melon is an American rock band active from 1989 to 1999, and from 2006 onward.Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock...
, born in Dover in 1968