Oreland, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Oreland is a United States census-designated place
(CDP) in Springfield
and Upper Dublin townships, just outside of the Chestnut Hill
and Mount Airy
areas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, in the United States
. Oreland has a ZIP code
of 19075, and the population was 5,678 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.
, was settled as one of William Penn
's manors.
In 1686, a man named Thomas Fitzwater discovered vast lime deposits on his land in Oreland. He erected a kiln
to process it, which by 1693 had attracted the attention of William Penn
. Penn ordered a highway built from the port of the Delaware River
to the kiln. Named Limekiln Pike, and still in existence today, it was one of the first roads in the area. These lime deposits and the ore deposits also found in the area gave Oreland its name. Mining and farming would dominate Oreland's economy until the 20th century, when Oreland transformed into a residential suburb of Philadelphia, as it remains today.
The village of Oreland was not laid out until 1889 near the North Penn Railroad
running along the east side of town (currently SEPTA's Lansdale
/Doylestown
Line). The Plymouth Railroad ran from Conshohocken
to Oreland through Plymouth
and Flourtown
. The tracks were mostly removed in the 1980s. The path where the trains used to run begins northeast of the Oreland Station Apartments, next to Ehrenpfort Road, and runs southwest towards Flourtown. The actual tracks, which still connect to SEPTA's Lansdale/Doylestown Line, end near the corner of Montgomery Avenue and Lyster Road. The path continues all the way to Flourtown, although in the 1990s the path was cut at Oreland Mill Road by housing built on both sides. The remainder of the path today is used primarily by children, runners and bikers.
A bronze tablet, installed in 1928, marks where Mistfield Farms was located. Mistfield Farms served as George Washington
's headquarters while in neighboring Whitemarsh from November 2 until December 11, 1777 during the Revolutionary War . The location of the farm straddles Oreland and Whitemarsh.
Only Enfield Elementary and Springfield Middle School are located in Oreland; the others are located in the neighboring town of Erdenheim. Oreland is one of four towns that shares the Springfield Township Public School District.
For the Upper Dublin township portion of Oreland, the public schools are:
of 2000, there were 5,509 people, 2,080 households, and 1,543 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 3,812.1 people per square mile (1,466.9/km²). There were 2,115 housing units at an average density of 1,463.5/sq mi (563.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.19% White, 12.09% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.34% from other races
, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 2,080 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,809, and the median income for a family was $67,542. Males had a median income of $50,260 versus $34,750 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $24,256. About 4.5% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Springfield
Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 19,418 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland...
and Upper Dublin townships, just outside of the Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Chestnut Hill is bounded as follows:...
and Mount Airy
Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mount Airy is a neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Mount Airy is bounded on the northwest by the Cresheim Valley, which is part of Fairmount Park. Beyond this lies Chestnut Hill. On the west side is the Wissahickon Gorge, which is also part of Fairmount...
areas of Philadelphia, 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...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Oreland has a ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
of 19075, and the population was 5,678 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Oreland is located at 40°6′52"N 75°10′48"W (40.114510, -75.179880).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 CDP has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.
History
Oreland, as part of Springfield TownshipSpringfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 19,418 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland...
, was settled as one of William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
's manors.
In 1686, a man named Thomas Fitzwater discovered vast lime deposits on his land in Oreland. He erected a kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
to process it, which by 1693 had attracted the attention of William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
. Penn ordered a highway built from the port of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
to the kiln. Named Limekiln Pike, and still in existence today, it was one of the first roads in the area. These lime deposits and the ore deposits also found in the area gave Oreland its name. Mining and farming would dominate Oreland's economy until the 20th century, when Oreland transformed into a residential suburb of Philadelphia, as it remains today.
The village of Oreland was not laid out until 1889 near the North Penn Railroad
North Pennsylvania Railroad
North Pennsylvania Railroad was a railroad company formed in 1855, and served Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Bucks County and Northampton County, Pennsylvania.-History:...
running along the east side of town (currently SEPTA's Lansdale
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Early in the 20th century, its industries included agricultural implement works, a canning factory, foundries, brickyards, a silk mill, and manufacturers of cigars, stoves, shirts, rope, iron drain pipe,...
/Doylestown
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Doylestown is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 8,380. The borough is the county seat of Bucks County.- History :...
Line). The Plymouth Railroad ran from Conshohocken
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Conshohocken is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in recent years Conshohocken has developed into a center of riverfront commercial and...
to Oreland through Plymouth
Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Plymouth Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1976 and is no longer subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
and Flourtown
Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Flourtown is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a ZIP code of 19031. Flourtown is adjacent to the Philadelphia neighborhoods of West Oak Lane, Mt. Airy, and Chestnut Hill...
. The tracks were mostly removed in the 1980s. The path where the trains used to run begins northeast of the Oreland Station Apartments, next to Ehrenpfort Road, and runs southwest towards Flourtown. The actual tracks, which still connect to SEPTA's Lansdale/Doylestown Line, end near the corner of Montgomery Avenue and Lyster Road. The path continues all the way to Flourtown, although in the 1990s the path was cut at Oreland Mill Road by housing built on both sides. The remainder of the path today is used primarily by children, runners and bikers.
A bronze tablet, installed in 1928, marks where Mistfield Farms was located. Mistfield Farms served as George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's headquarters while in neighboring Whitemarsh from November 2 until December 11, 1777 during the Revolutionary War . The location of the farm straddles Oreland and Whitemarsh.
Notable residents
- Tommy ConwellTommy ConwellTommy Conwell is a US guitarist, songwriter and performer. He is best known as the frontman for the Philadelphia-based band Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers. The band had a #1 US mainstream rock hit in 1988 with "I'm Not Your Man"...
, frontman of the band Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers - Adam GorenAdam GorenAdam Goren is a musician, best known as the sole member of the synthpunk band Atom and His Package.-Background and career:...
, only member of the synth-punk band, Atom and his Package - Wayne HardinWayne HardinIrving Wayne Hardin is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the United States Naval Academy from 1959 to 1964 and at Temple University from 1970 to 1982, compiling a career college football record 118–74–5...
, former college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach for United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
and Temple UniversityTemple UniversityTemple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional... - Chris MatthewsChris MatthewsChristopher John "Chris" Matthews is an American news anchor and political commentator, known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which is televised on the American cable television channel MSNBC...
, television talk show host and pundit, known for a nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris MatthewsHardball with Chris MatthewsHardball with Chris Matthews is a talk show on MSNBC, broadcast weekdays at 5 and 7 PM hosted by Chris Matthews. It originally aired on now-defunct America's Talking and later CNBC. The current title was derived from a book Matthews wrote in 1988, Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told by One Who...
on MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
Public schools
For the Springfield township portion of Oreland, the public schools are:- Springfield Elementary School, Enfield Campus and Erdenheim Campus
- Springfield Middle School
- Springfield Township High SchoolSpringfield Township High SchoolSpringfield Township High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12.On October 20, 2009 the School Board approved a restructuring plan that will relocate 8th grade to the middle school leaving grades 9-12 in the high school...
Only Enfield Elementary and Springfield Middle School are located in Oreland; the others are located in the neighboring town of Erdenheim. Oreland is one of four towns that shares the Springfield Township Public School District.
For the Upper Dublin township portion of Oreland, the public schools are:
- Jarrettown Elementary School
- Sandy Run Middle School
- Upper Dublin High SchoolUpper Dublin High SchoolUpper Dublin High School is a four-year public high school located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is the sole high school in the Upper Dublin School District....
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 5,509 people, 2,080 households, and 1,543 families residing in the CDP. 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 3,812.1 people per square mile (1,466.9/km²). There were 2,115 housing units at an average density of 1,463.5/sq mi (563.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.19% White, 12.09% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.34% 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 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 2,080 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% 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, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,809, and the median income for a family was $67,542. Males had a median income of $50,260 versus $34,750 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 CDP was $24,256. About 4.5% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.