Yardley, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Yardley is a borough in Bucks County
, Pennsylvania
, United States. The small community of Yardley is bordered by the Delaware River
and Ewing, New Jersey on the east, and by Lower Makefield Township on the north, west, and south. The population was 2,434 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (9.90%) is water.
The Delaware Canal and its towpath
bisect the borough from northwest to southeast. Access points to the canal are located at Edgewater Avenue, Afton Avenue, Black Rock Road, East College Avenue, and Letchworth Avenue.
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,498 people, 1,170 households, and 649 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,729.0 people per square mile (1,048.4/km²). There were 1,209 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile (507.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.63% White, 3.44% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
, and 1.08% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The majority of Yardley is part of the Pennsbury School District
.
There were 1,170 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.4% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in Lower Makefield township/ Yardley was $98,090, and the median income for a family was $106,908 (these figures had risen to $112,677 and $128,314 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[2]). Males had a median income of $80,329 versus $47,138 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,983. About 1.8% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over. In the borough of Yardley, The median income for a household was $58,221, and the median income for a family was $70,938. Males had a median income of $50,816 versus $41,893 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $32,802. About 1.7% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
, who immigrated to America
in July, 1682 with his family. He made an agreement with William Penn
, before leaving England, to buy 500 acres (2 km²) for ten pounds. A survey was completed in October 1682, and the area William Yardley settled was called "Prospect Farm." It was located just outside of the present Yardley Borough. William Yardley died in 1693, and his family in 1702-1703, possibly of smallpox
. The family's burial plots are located in slate hill cemetery
, one of the oldest Quaker burial grounds in the state.
A nephew, Thomas Yardley, came to America in 1704 to settle the estate and never returned to England. He opened a ferry line which started operating in 1710 from Letchworth Avenue, the lower boundary of the village, and landed in New Jersey
further downstream. This was an important link between West Jersey and the three roads leading to Philadelphia by way of Falls, Langhorne and Newtown. The Yardley family occupied the land for more than 150 years.
When Yardley was founded there were already small settlements at nearby Burlington, Bristol, and Falls Ferry.
Yardley began to develop into a village about 1807, and by 1880 had a population of 820. Early industries included a spoke and handle factory, sawmill, felloe factory, plate and plaster mill, and two flour mills. The first post office, established in 1828, used the name "Yardleyville." The name became "Yardley" again at the time the Reading Railroad came through the area in 1876.
During the American Civil War
, Yardley was a station for the Underground Railroad
, an escape route for slaves. Known hiding places were under the eaves of the Continental Hotel (now the Continental Tavern), in bins of warehouses on the Delaware Canal (completed in 1862), and at the General Store (now Worthington Insurance). At Lakeside, the yellow house facing Lake Afton on N. Main St., one brick-walled cellar room is also thought to have been a hiding place.
Yardley Borough was incorporated on March 4, 1895.
The Train Collectors Association
, which now boasts worldwide membership of 30,000 individuals, was founded in Yardley in 1954.
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...
, 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. The small community of Yardley is bordered by 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...
and Ewing, New Jersey on the east, and by Lower Makefield Township on the north, west, and south. The population was 2,434 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Yardley is located at 40°14′29"N 74°50′11"W (40.241508, -74.836325).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 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (9.90%) is water.
The Delaware Canal and its towpath
Towpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
bisect the borough from northwest to southeast. Access points to the canal are located at Edgewater Avenue, Afton Avenue, Black Rock Road, East College Avenue, and Letchworth Avenue.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the borough was 89.7% Non-Hispanic White, 3.5% Black or African American, 2.6% Asian, and 1.9% were two or more races. 2.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA.As of the census of 2000, there were 2,498 people, 1,170 households, and 649 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 2,729.0 people per square mile (1,048.4/km²). There were 1,209 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile (507.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.63% White, 3.44% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.52% 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 1.08% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The majority of Yardley is part of the Pennsbury School District
Pennsbury School District
Pennsbury School District is located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The district serves Falls Township, Lower Makefield Township and Yardley, as well as portions of Morrisville, Newtown and Tullytown...
.
There were 1,170 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.4% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in Lower Makefield township/ Yardley was $98,090, and the median income for a family was $106,908 (these figures had risen to $112,677 and $128,314 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[2]). Males had a median income of $80,329 versus $47,138 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,983. About 1.8% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over. In the borough of Yardley, The median income for a household was $58,221, and the median income for a family was $70,938. Males had a median income of $50,816 versus $41,893 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 $32,802. About 1.7% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
Yardley was founded by William YardleyWilliam Yardley
William Yardley was an early settler of Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is the namesake of the borough of Yardley, Pennsylvania. As a persecuted Quaker minister, Yardley and his wife, Jane moved from Ransclough, England near Leeke in the County of Stafford to Bucks County when Yardley was 50...
, who immigrated to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in July, 1682 with his family. He made an agreement with 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...
, before leaving England, to buy 500 acres (2 km²) for ten pounds. A survey was completed in October 1682, and the area William Yardley settled was called "Prospect Farm." It was located just outside of the present Yardley Borough. William Yardley died in 1693, and his family in 1702-1703, possibly of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. The family's burial plots are located in slate hill cemetery
Slate Hill Cemetery
Slate Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Yardley, Pennsylvania, with most of its graves dating to 18th century Quaker settlers. It is located at Yardley-Morrisville Road and Mahlon Drive....
, one of the oldest Quaker burial grounds in the state.
A nephew, Thomas Yardley, came to America in 1704 to settle the estate and never returned to England. He opened a ferry line which started operating in 1710 from Letchworth Avenue, the lower boundary of the village, and landed in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
further downstream. This was an important link between West Jersey and the three roads leading to Philadelphia by way of Falls, Langhorne and Newtown. The Yardley family occupied the land for more than 150 years.
When Yardley was founded there were already small settlements at nearby Burlington, Bristol, and Falls Ferry.
Yardley began to develop into a village about 1807, and by 1880 had a population of 820. Early industries included a spoke and handle factory, sawmill, felloe factory, plate and plaster mill, and two flour mills. The first post office, established in 1828, used the name "Yardleyville." The name became "Yardley" again at the time the Reading Railroad came through the area in 1876.
During 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...
, Yardley was a station for the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
, an escape route for slaves. Known hiding places were under the eaves of the Continental Hotel (now the Continental Tavern), in bins of warehouses on the Delaware Canal (completed in 1862), and at the General Store (now Worthington Insurance). At Lakeside, the yellow house facing Lake Afton on N. Main St., one brick-walled cellar room is also thought to have been a hiding place.
Yardley Borough was incorporated on March 4, 1895.
The Train Collectors Association
Train Collectors Association
The Train Collectors Association or TCA is a non-profit organization for individuals interested in collecting and/or operating tinplate toy trains. Members predominantly collect O-gauge and S-gauge Lionel and American Flyer brand trains. The TCA was founded in Yardley, Pennsylvania in 1954 and...
, which now boasts worldwide membership of 30,000 individuals, was founded in Yardley in 1954.
Historic timeline
- 1876: The North Pennsylvania RR first constructed the railroad through Yardley in 1876 and was leased by the Reading RR for 100 years starting in 1879.
- 1843: The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal ServiceThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
changed the name of the town to Yardley from Yardleyville. This was to avoid confusion with the New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
/Philadelphia train line that made a stop here and at Yardville, NJNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. - 1955: Flooding caused by hurricanes ConnieHurricane ConnieHurricane Connie was the first in a series of hurricanes to strike North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Connie struck as a Category 1, causing major flooding and inflicting extensive damage to the Outer Banks and inland to Raleigh....
and DianeHurricane DianeHurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
wiped out the bridge to New Jersey. - 1961: Scudder Falls BridgeScudder Falls BridgeThe Scudder Falls Bridge is a girder bridge that carries Interstate 95 over the Delaware River, connecting Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with Ewing Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. This bridge, which was constructed from 1958 to 1959, is maintained by the Delaware...
opens, just outside of the borough. - 1984 The first DMV office opens in Yardley Boro PJ'S Auto Tags
- 1996: Due to student overpopulation of Quarry Hill Elementary School on Quarry Rd near Creamery Rd, Afton Elementary School was constructed in the adjacent lot.
- 1997: A notable jewelry store in Yardley proper suffered damage from a fire. This caused quite a stir in the community. The cause of the fire was determined to be from a cigarette inserted into the building from the exterior.
- 2004: Hurricane IvanHurricane IvanHurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
causes worst flood since 1955. - 2005: On April 4, the Delaware RiverDelaware RiverThe 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...
crested higher than after Hurricane Ivan. The cause was rain and snow melt. - 2006: In late June, there was more flooding of the Delaware RiverDelaware RiverThe 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...
.