Palmer Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Palmer Township is a township in Northampton County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. Palmer Township is located in the Lehigh Valley
region of the state.
The Township is home to Easton Area High School, a large public high school known for its rivalry with Phillipsburg High School.
The population of Palmer Township was 16,809 at the 2000 census.
Native Americans
in the 17th century. German
Moravian settlers built on land in the Palmer area in 1740. At the time, the area was part of Bucks County, Pennsylvania
, which by the mid-18th century also included land now called Northampton County
and Lehigh County
. Northampton County separated from Bucks County on March 11, 1752. In 1754, Forks Township
, which then also consisted of what is now Palmer Township, was incorporated in 1754 with a total population of about 50 inhabitants. On May 5, 1857, Palmer Township was formed out of the land area of Forks Township south and west of the Bushkill Creek
; the original population of the township was about 1,300 people. The township was named after George Palmer, the Pennsylvania Surveyor General who surveyed the original township lines. At the time that it was incorporated, the township was about 14 square miles (36.3 km²) and included what are now known as the boroughs of Tatamy
(which became incorporated in 1893), West Easton
(incorporated in 1898), Stockertown
(incorporated in 1901) and Wilson
(incorporated in 1920). The main activity of Palmer Township during its earliest years was providing access roads from the neighboring city Easton
to surrounding communities, including Bethlehem
, Freemansburg
and Nazareth
.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the township included many stone houses near water, for purposes of power and water supply, and roads, to allow for trade. Among them were the Seipsville Hotel
, which was built by the settler Peter Seip in 1760 at the crossroads of roads leading from Easton, Nazareth and Hecktown. Seip had purchased land along the west side of Old Nazareth Road; the area later became known as Seipsville in honor of Seip. The Seipsville Hotel was the first public house between Easton and Nazareth, and became a popular stagecoach stop for travelers passing through the Lehigh Valley
. In 1977, the building (now known as the Seipsville Inn) was added to the National Register of Historic Places
due to the significance of its architecture and engineering.
The township started to experience major growth after World War I
and World War II
as part of a general trend of population movement from nearby cities to the suburbs. In the early 1920s, subdivision activity along inter-city trolley lines led to a building spurt in Palmer Township, which doubled the population within 10 years. As a result, the township became seen as a desirable place to live for people who worked in other areas of the Lehigh Valley. The population saw further growth in the late 1940s and early 1950s due to the expansion of water lines and the development of low-income housing.
, the township has a total area of 10.7 square miles (27.7 km²), of which, 10.7 square miles (27.7 km²) of it is land and 0.09% is water. It is drained by the Lehigh River
and Bushkill Creek
into the Delaware River
. Its villages include Highland Park, Old Orchard
, Palmer Heights
, Palmer Park, and Prospect Park (also in Bethlehem Township.)
Highway 22
crosses it east-to-west and interchanges in the township just west of Wilson with Route 248
, which connects Easton and Nazareth. North-to-south Highway 33
crosses the NW portion of Palmer and interchanges with 22, Hecktown Road, and 248 just beyond its western boundary. Other local roads of note include east-to-west Freemansburg Road, William Penn Highway, Park Avenue/Hecktown Road, Northwood Avenue, and Main Street/Nazareth Road, and north-to-south 25th Street, Bushkill Drive, Greenwood Avenue, Tatamy Road, and Van Buren Road.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 16,809 people, 6,716 households, and 4,895 families residing in the township. The population density
was 1,570.4 people per square mile (606.5/km²). There were 6,865 housing units at an average density of 641.4/sq mi (247.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.32% White, 2.14% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.83% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races
, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.34% of the population.
There were 6,716 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples
living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $55,419, and the median income for a family was $65,017. Males had a median income of $44,014 versus $30,675 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $25,722. About 2.6% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
, the first road built in Palmer in around 1755, led from Easton to Bethlehem. Likewise, Freemansburg Avenue leads from Easton to Freemansburg; Old Nazareth Road leads from Easton to Nazareth; Tatamy Road leads from Easton to Tatamy; and Hecktown Road and the Newburg Pike leads from Seipsville to the Hecktown and Newburg communities. Greenwood Avenue, which runs between Freemansburg Avenue and William Penn Highway, was opened in the 1960s. At the time, township Supervisor President H. Robert Daws said, "The opening of this north-south artery in the center of the township benefits not only the township, but the whole area."
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
, 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...
. Palmer Township is located in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of the state.
The Township is home to Easton Area High School, a large public high school known for its rivalry with Phillipsburg High School.
The population of Palmer Township was 16,809 at the 2000 census.
History
The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Palmer Township were the LenapeLenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the 17th century. German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Moravian settlers built on land in the Palmer area in 1740. At the time, the area was part of Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, which by the mid-18th century also included land now called Northampton County
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
and Lehigh County
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
-Climate:Most of the county's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year....
. Northampton County separated from Bucks County on March 11, 1752. In 1754, Forks Township
Forks Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Forks Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Forks Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Forks Township was 8,419 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, which then also consisted of what is now Palmer Township, was incorporated in 1754 with a total population of about 50 inhabitants. On May 5, 1857, Palmer Township was formed out of the land area of Forks Township south and west of the Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania in the United States.A portion of Bushkill Creek passes through Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. The confluence with the Delaware River is in Easton.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Keystone Canoeing, Seneca...
; the original population of the township was about 1,300 people. The township was named after George Palmer, the Pennsylvania Surveyor General who surveyed the original township lines. At the time that it was incorporated, the township was about 14 square miles (36.3 km²) and included what are now known as the boroughs of Tatamy
Tatamy, Pennsylvania
Tatamy is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Tatamy is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is named for Moses Tunda Tatamy.The population of Tatamy was 930 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(which became incorporated in 1893), West Easton
West Easton, Pennsylvania
West Easton is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. West Easton is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, in the greater Easton area.The population of West Easton was 1,152 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(incorporated in 1898), Stockertown
Stockertown, Pennsylvania
Stockertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The small borough contains large industries, such as, Hercules Cement, Polymer Products, and Praxair. The Borough is located within a 2-mile radius and provides...
(incorporated in 1901) and Wilson
Wilson, Pennsylvania
Wilson is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley region, and is adjacent to Easton, the smallest and easternmost of the Lehigh Valley's three cities....
(incorporated in 1920). The main activity of Palmer Township during its earliest years was providing access roads from the neighboring city Easton
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
to surrounding communities, including Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
, Freemansburg
Freemansburg, Pennsylvania
Freemansburg is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Freemansburg is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Freemansburg was 1,897 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and Nazareth
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Nazareth is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 6,023 at the 2000 census.Nazareth is located seven miles northwest of Easton, four miles north of Bethlehem and twelve miles northeast of Allentown...
.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the township included many stone houses near water, for purposes of power and water supply, and roads, to allow for trade. Among them were the Seipsville Hotel
Seipsville Hotel
Seipsville Hotel, also known as Seip's Hotel, Seip's Tavern, and Seipsville Rib House, is a historic inn and tavern located at Palmer Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1760, and is a 2 1/2 story, 4 bay fieldstone building with an adjoining 1 1/2-story spring house. It has...
, which was built by the settler Peter Seip in 1760 at the crossroads of roads leading from Easton, Nazareth and Hecktown. Seip had purchased land along the west side of Old Nazareth Road; the area later became known as Seipsville in honor of Seip. The Seipsville Hotel was the first public house between Easton and Nazareth, and became a popular stagecoach stop for travelers passing through the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
. In 1977, the building (now known as the Seipsville Inn) was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
due to the significance of its architecture and engineering.
The township started to experience major growth after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as part of a general trend of population movement from nearby cities to the suburbs. In the early 1920s, subdivision activity along inter-city trolley lines led to a building spurt in Palmer Township, which doubled the population within 10 years. As a result, the township became seen as a desirable place to live for people who worked in other areas of the Lehigh Valley. The population saw further growth in the late 1940s and early 1950s due to the expansion of water lines and the development of low-income housing.
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 10.7 square miles (27.7 km²), of which, 10.7 square miles (27.7 km²) of it is land and 0.09% is water. It is drained by the Lehigh River
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is a river located in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. Part of the Lehigh, along with a number of its tributaries, is designated a Pennsylvania Scenic River by the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources...
and Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania in the United States.A portion of Bushkill Creek passes through Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. The confluence with the Delaware River is in Easton.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Keystone Canoeing, Seneca...
into 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...
. Its villages include Highland Park, Old Orchard
Old Orchard, Pennsylvania
Old Orchard is a census-designated place in Palmer Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.As of the 2000 census, Old Orchard had a total population of 2,443.-Geography:...
, Palmer Heights
Palmer Heights, Pennsylvania
Palmer Heights is a census-designated place in Palmer Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Palmer Heights was 3,612 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Palmer Park, and Prospect Park (also in Bethlehem Township.)
Highway 22
U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 22 is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 near the Newark Liberty International Airport.US 22 also carries the names of the William...
crosses it east-to-west and interchanges in the township just west of Wilson with Route 248
Pennsylvania Route 248
Pennsylvania Route 248 is a long state highway in eastern portions of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 209 in Weissport. The eastern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 611 in Easton....
, which connects Easton and Nazareth. North-to-south Highway 33
Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33 is a -long limited-access state highway in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. South of the US 22 interchange, the route is called the Gen. Anthony Clement McAuliffe 101st Airborne Memorial Highway....
crosses the NW portion of Palmer and interchanges with 22, Hecktown Road, and 248 just beyond its western boundary. Other local roads of note include east-to-west Freemansburg Road, William Penn Highway, Park Avenue/Hecktown Road, Northwood Avenue, and Main Street/Nazareth Road, and north-to-south 25th Street, Bushkill Drive, Greenwood Avenue, Tatamy Road, and Van Buren Road.
Neighboring municipalities
- WilsonWilson, PennsylvaniaWilson is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley region, and is adjacent to Easton, the smallest and easternmost of the Lehigh Valley's three cities....
(east) - Forks TownshipForks Township, Northampton County, PennsylvaniaForks Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Forks Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Forks Township was 8,419 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(east) - TatamyTatamy, PennsylvaniaTatamy is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Tatamy is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is named for Moses Tunda Tatamy.The population of Tatamy was 930 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(northeast) - StockertownStockertown, PennsylvaniaStockertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The small borough contains large industries, such as, Hercules Cement, Polymer Products, and Praxair. The Borough is located within a 2-mile radius and provides...
(north) - Lower Nazareth Township (west)
- Bethlehem Township (west)
- EastonEaston, PennsylvaniaEaston is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
(south and tangent to the east)
Demographics
According to the a 1960 census, the population in Palmer Township was slightly more than 8,000. In 1969, a special federal census showed a population of 12,252, including 5,982 white males, 6,249 white females, seven non-white males and 14 non-white females. By 1970, the population further grew to 12,601, making it the third largest municipality in Northampton County. Between 1960 and 1970, the assessed value of the township jumped from $24 million to $42 million, and the township budget grew from $93,000 to about $1 million. Also throughout that decade, an average of 125 living units per year were constructed, with the average housing value falling between $23,000 and $25,000. In 1970, about 35 percent of the land was in agriculture, mostly in the northern portion of the township.As of the census
Census
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 16,809 people, 6,716 households, and 4,895 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 1,570.4 people per square mile (606.5/km²). There were 6,865 housing units at an average density of 641.4/sq mi (247.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.32% White, 2.14% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.83% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.63% 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 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.34% of the population.
There were 6,716 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% 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, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $55,419, and the median income for a family was $65,017. Males had a median income of $44,014 versus $30,675 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 $25,722. About 2.6% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
A lack of water during the early days of Palmer Township limited the amount of farming that could be done, and industry was limited mainly to the Bushkill Creek waterways, where some form of power was available. Residents had to get water from hand dug wells because it was too difficult to find a source of water close to the surface of the ground. Other industries began to arise in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including some iron ore excavation in the Fairview Knolls area and cement industry near the Tatamy area; also at this time, the Taylor Wharton and Treadwell Engineering were established in Palmer Township to manufacture equipment mainly for railroad use. Gradually, farming techniques grew more and more in the area, until by the late 1960s almost 50 percent of the township was in farm lands. The township saw new businesses in the mid 1960s, including ITT in 1964 and Acopian Corp., in 1965.Infrastructure
When Palmer's major roadway system first started to develop in the 18th century, it was dictated largely by the trails leading from Easton to outlying communities. William Penn HighwayWilliam Penn Highway
The William Penn Highway was an auto trail in the United States, generally running from Pittsburgh east to New York City. It served as the eastern end of the Pikes Peak Ocean-to-Ocean Highway. The William Penn Highway Association of Pennsylvania was organized March 27, 1916 to promote a road...
, the first road built in Palmer in around 1755, led from Easton to Bethlehem. Likewise, Freemansburg Avenue leads from Easton to Freemansburg; Old Nazareth Road leads from Easton to Nazareth; Tatamy Road leads from Easton to Tatamy; and Hecktown Road and the Newburg Pike leads from Seipsville to the Hecktown and Newburg communities. Greenwood Avenue, which runs between Freemansburg Avenue and William Penn Highway, was opened in the 1960s. At the time, township Supervisor President H. Robert Daws said, "The opening of this north-south artery in the center of the township benefits not only the township, but the whole area."