Newberry Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Newberry Township is a township in York County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 15,285 at the 2010 census.
, the township has a total area of 30.7 square miles (79.5 km²), of which 30.4 square miles (78.7 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 0.91%, is water. The township is located in northern York County in south-central Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River
forms the eastern border of the township, and the western part of the township entirely surrounds the borough of Lewisberry
.
Indians. Before 1736, all settlement in Pennsylvania was kept east of the Susquehanna River
, but the Indian Treaty of 1736 extended Lancaster County's
boundary westward indefinitely. Quaker families from Lancaster and Chester
counties immediately set out across the Susquehanna to find new land. These settlers utilized the Middletown
Ferry to access the west bank of the river, and once they reached what is now Newberry Township, settled throughout the Fishing Creek and Bennetts Run valleys. Newberry Township was organized in 1742 and included what is now Fairview Township
.
Prior to the start of the Revolutionary War
, the early Quaker settlers became dissatisfied with the quality of the farmland within Newberry Township and began moving out of it. German families from central York County, and Berks
and Lancaster counties, soon arrived to take over the vacant farmland.
By the late 18th century, several towns had sprung up throughout the township. Lewisberry
and Newberrytown were early Quaker settlements. Newberrytown began as a 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) tract of Quaker meeting land, with a log meetinghouse built in 1745. Later, a new meetinghouse was built halfway between Lewisberry and the Newberrytown meeting land, and the tract was developed as a town in 1791. Newberrytown was situated on the road from Lancaster
to Carlisle
(which crossed the Susquehanna River at the York Haven
Ferry) and became an important stopping place along the way. Lewisberry was also surveyed and platted in the 1790s. Its stores became busy and prosperous. Schools were operated in both communities.
Early settlers were also attracted to the vicinity of Yocumtown because of the water power of Fishing Creek. Along its banks they built fulling mills that carded wool for area farmers, woolen cloth mills, and grist mills. By the mid-1820s, the village of Yocumtown had established itself with a log schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, and a tannery.
Goldsboro
and York Haven prospered due to their location on the Susquehanna River and adjoining canal route. A ferry was also established at the site of Goldsboro in 1738. Both Goldsboro and the village of Cly were located along the important stagecoach route between York
and Harrisburg
, where a turnpike was completed between the two towns in 1816. The railroad, built in the late 1830s, also ran through Goldsboro. However, the village remained small through the first half of the 19th century.
York Haven, also a ferry point, began as a flour milling town. In 1814, the York Haven Company, which built four large mills, prepared the town plan. Large hotels, dry goods and hardware stores, copper shops that manufactured flour barrels, and a sawmill all became part of the town’s healthy economy. Large keelboat
s of wheat were brought down the river to the mills in York Haven, then the flour was sent by wagon or canal to Baltimore
. The town became a popular resort, with city boarders in the summer and gambling at the hotel. Early prosperity began to decline during the 1830s, when the Codorus Canal was completed into the town of York, luring business away from York Haven. The flour mills closed down but were later replaced with a paper mill.
In 1803, Fairview Township was formed from the northern half of the original Newberry Township. Lewisberry incorporated as a separate borough in 1832, as did Goldsboro in 1864 and York Haven in 1892. With these losses of population and area, Newberry Township reached the beginning of the 20th century with a population of just over 2,000 (only 296 more people than in 1783).
During the first two decades of the 20th century, the population of the township actually declined. The following three decades showed a slow, but steady, increase in population. Development to this point (1950) was mainly concentrated along the major roads and villages in the township. Newberrytown, Cly, Conewago Heights, Yocumtown, Erney, and Pleasant Grove were the centers of population at that time.
of 2000, there were 14,332 people, 5,399 households, and 4,097 families residing in the township. The population density
was 470.8 people per square mile (181.8/km²). There were 5,706 housing units at an average density of 187.4/sq mi (72.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.29% White, 0.82% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.
There were 5,399 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $48,043, and the median income for a family was $51,789. Males had a median income of $38,775 versus $27,007 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $20,660. About 2.8% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
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 15,285 at the 2010 census.
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 30.7 square miles (79.5 km²), of which 30.4 square miles (78.7 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 0.91%, is water. The township is located in northern York County in south-central Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
forms the eastern border of the township, and the western part of the township entirely surrounds the borough of Lewisberry
Lewisberry, Pennsylvania
Lewisberry is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 362 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Lewisberry is located at ....
.
History
Prior to the coming of the first settlers in 1736, Newberry Township was inhabited by the SusquehannockSusquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
Indians. Before 1736, all settlement in Pennsylvania was kept east of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, but the Indian Treaty of 1736 extended Lancaster County's
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
boundary westward indefinitely. Quaker families from Lancaster and Chester
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
counties immediately set out across the Susquehanna to find new land. These settlers utilized the Middletown
Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, nine miles southeast of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Ferry to access the west bank of the river, and once they reached what is now Newberry Township, settled throughout the Fishing Creek and Bennetts Run valleys. Newberry Township was organized in 1742 and included what is now Fairview Township
Fairview Township, York County, Pennsylvania
Fairview Township is a township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 16,668 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.17%, is water....
.
Prior to the start of the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the early Quaker settlers became dissatisfied with the quality of the farmland within Newberry Township and began moving out of it. German families from central York County, and Berks
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
and Lancaster counties, soon arrived to take over the vacant farmland.
By the late 18th century, several towns had sprung up throughout the township. Lewisberry
Lewisberry, Pennsylvania
Lewisberry is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 362 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Lewisberry is located at ....
and Newberrytown were early Quaker settlements. Newberrytown began as a 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) tract of Quaker meeting land, with a log meetinghouse built in 1745. Later, a new meetinghouse was built halfway between Lewisberry and the Newberrytown meeting land, and the tract was developed as a town in 1791. Newberrytown was situated on the road from Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
to Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
(which crossed the Susquehanna River at the York Haven
York Haven, Pennsylvania
York Haven is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 709 at the 2010 census. The borough is the home of the Brunner Island coal-fired electrical generation plant, located on the Susquehanna River on Wago Road and operated by PPL.-Geography:York Haven is located at...
Ferry) and became an important stopping place along the way. Lewisberry was also surveyed and platted in the 1790s. Its stores became busy and prosperous. Schools were operated in both communities.
Early settlers were also attracted to the vicinity of Yocumtown because of the water power of Fishing Creek. Along its banks they built fulling mills that carded wool for area farmers, woolen cloth mills, and grist mills. By the mid-1820s, the village of Yocumtown had established itself with a log schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, and a tannery.
Goldsboro
Goldsboro, Pennsylvania
Goldsboro is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 952 at the 2010 census.Etters is the name of the post office in Goldsboro, even though there is no incorporated place known as "Etters"...
and York Haven prospered due to their location on the Susquehanna River and adjoining canal route. A ferry was also established at the site of Goldsboro in 1738. Both Goldsboro and the village of Cly were located along the important stagecoach route between 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...
and Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, where a turnpike was completed between the two towns in 1816. The railroad, built in the late 1830s, also ran through Goldsboro. However, the village remained small through the first half of the 19th century.
York Haven, also a ferry point, began as a flour milling town. In 1814, the York Haven Company, which built four large mills, prepared the town plan. Large hotels, dry goods and hardware stores, copper shops that manufactured flour barrels, and a sawmill all became part of the town’s healthy economy. Large keelboat
Keelboat
Keelboat has two distinct meanings related to two different types of boats: one a riverine cargo-capable working boat, and the other a classification for small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts.-Historical keel-boats:...
s of wheat were brought down the river to the mills in York Haven, then the flour was sent by wagon or canal to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. The town became a popular resort, with city boarders in the summer and gambling at the hotel. Early prosperity began to decline during the 1830s, when the Codorus Canal was completed into the town of York, luring business away from York Haven. The flour mills closed down but were later replaced with a paper mill.
In 1803, Fairview Township was formed from the northern half of the original Newberry Township. Lewisberry incorporated as a separate borough in 1832, as did Goldsboro in 1864 and York Haven in 1892. With these losses of population and area, Newberry Township reached the beginning of the 20th century with a population of just over 2,000 (only 296 more people than in 1783).
During the first two decades of the 20th century, the population of the township actually declined. The following three decades showed a slow, but steady, increase in population. Development to this point (1950) was mainly concentrated along the major roads and villages in the township. Newberrytown, Cly, Conewago Heights, Yocumtown, Erney, and Pleasant Grove were the centers of population at that time.
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 14,332 people, 5,399 households, and 4,097 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 470.8 people per square mile (181.8/km²). There were 5,706 housing units at an average density of 187.4/sq mi (72.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.29% White, 0.82% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.38% 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 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.
There were 5,399 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $48,043, and the median income for a family was $51,789. Males had a median income of $38,775 versus $27,007 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 $20,660. About 2.8% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.