Morgantown, Pennsylvania

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Morgantown is a populated place in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is at an elevation of 597 ft (182 m) at 40° 9' 18"N and 75°53' 23"W.

[edit] General History

Morgantown is found in Caernarvon Township, Berks County. Caernarvon is a Welsh word, based on Caer Yr Arfon - "Fort (Caer) on the River (Arfon)." As with so many places between Philadelphia and Lancaster, the area was first settled by the Welsh. To them, the rolling hills and flowing streams reminded them of their beautiful homeland.

Caernarvon Township officially dates back to 1752, the same year Berks County was established. There is some confusion as to the origin of the two separate Caernarvon Townships, the other being in adjacent Lancaster County. Possibly the Townships existed as one before the county lines were drawn up, and were divided to accommodate county delineation. In that case, Township origins can be traced back to 1729, the year Lancaster County was established.

Morgantown, the Village within Caernarvon Township, was named after Colonel Jacob Morgan, who laid out the town around 1770. His father, Thomas, had been a native of Wales, a captain in the French and Indian War, and owner of a large tract of choice land in Caernarvon Township.

Jacob Morgan, a Philadelphia merchant, settled in this area around 1765, building a large stone house, which still stands on Hartz Road between Mineview Drive and Shiloh Road. It is rumored to have housed George Washington during a brief overnight visit. The house has been restored by its owners.

Since the arrival of the Turnpike in 1950, the town has changed from a quiet, mostly agrarian village, to a busy commercial and industrial center. The future promises more of the same - continued development, both residential and business. Yet Morgantown remains a pleasant place in which to live or work.

[edit] Schools

The school district for Morgantown is Twin Valley, home of the Raiders, which consists of Twin Valley High School, Twin Valley Middle School, Twin Valley Elementary Center (new building completed in 2006) , Robeson Elementary Center, and Honeybrook Elementary Center. The FFA chapter for Twin Valley is the second largest in the state. Visit the district website here. It should also be noted that YouTube founder and businessman Chad Hurley graduated from Twin Valley, where his mother still teaches English.

The center of the town is at the intersections of PA Routes 23 and 10. There is a PA Turnpike exit at Morgantown, Number 298. This exit is approx. 1 mile north of Morgantown on PA Route 10.

[edit] Shopping

Morgantown's largest strip mall includes Walmart, Olympia Sports, Good Friend Chinese, Subway, Pet Value, Dollar Tree and Fashion Bug. Available fast food stops include Arby's, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Rita's Water Ice and a newly completed Sonic Drink Stop.

Morgantown is also home to the Home Furnishings Outlet Mall, a one stop shopping location for several large furnishing manufacturers. Morgantown is located approximately 30 minutes south of Vanity Fair Outlets in Reading, PA.

There are several restaurants in Morgantown, including Zou's Garden and Antonio's Pizzeria in the Clock Tower Shopping Center as well as Cafe 110, The Heritage Resturant, Claire's Family Restaurant, and the Village Inn.

Morgantown is home to several manufacturing companies, including Tursack Incorporated, Morgan Corp. Stoltzfus Spreaders, Viwinco Windows, Singer Equipment and McNeilus cement mixers. There is a growing business association in Morgantown - MABA. Visit there website here -MABA.

The public library for this area - The Village Library of Morgantown - is located just off Route 23 (Main St) on Walnut St. Visit their website here Village Library

See the Berks County historical sights page for information on what historical sights there are to see in Morgantown. The link for the local historic society can be found here Tri-County Heritage Society