Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Borough of Phoenixville | |
|---|---|
| Borough | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Chester |
| Area | 3.8 mi² (9.8 km²) |
| - land | 3.6 mi² (9.3 km²) |
| - water | 0.2 mi² (0.5 km²) |
| Center | |
| - coordinates | |
| - elevation | 138 ft (42.1 m) |
| Population | 14,788 (2000) |
| Density | 4,120.0 /mi² (1,590.7 /km²) |
| Mayor | Leo Scoda |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Zip code | 19460 |
| Area code | 610, 484, 835 |
  Location of Phoenixville in Pennsylvania
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 Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| Website : http://www.phoenixville.org | |
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. The population was 14,788 at the 2000 census.
Contents |
[edit] History
Phoenixville was settled in 1732 and incorporated as a borough in 1849. In its industrial heyday early in the twentieth century, it was an important manufacturing center and it was the site of great iron and steel mills such as the Phoenix Iron Works, boiler works, silk mill, underwear and hosiery factories, and a match factory. Like so many American towns and cities, Phoenixville owes its growth to its waterways. It is not only situated on the broad Schuylkill River, an historic thoroughfare to Native Americans and early settlers alike, but it is bisected by the fast-flowing French Creek, which was quickly harnessed for water power.
[edit] Attractions
Phoenixville is home to the Colonial Theatre, opened in 1903. In 1958, the theatre, along with some other parts of the borough, was featured in the motion picture The Blob. Beginning in 2000, Phoenixville has celebrated this with the annual BlobFest. Festivities include a reenactment of the scene featuring the Colonial.[1]
The Valley Forge Christian College, located in neighboring Schuylkill and Charlestown Townships, is a part of this community, using the land belonging to the former Valley Forge General Hospital. The hospital was built in 1942 to accommodate the wounded of World War II. It was scheculed to be closed around 1949, but remained open until after the Vietnam War, closing in 1975.
[edit] Geography
Phoenixville is located at (40.130819, -75.519061).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 9.7 km² (3.8 mi²). 9.3 km² (3.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (4.27%) is water. Phoenixville was home to Showalter's Dairy until it closed in the early 1980s.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 14,788 people, 6,460 households, and 3,675 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,590.4/km² (4,120.0/mi²). There were 6,793 housing units at an average density of 730.6/km² (1,892.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 86.94% White, 7.66% African American, 0.15% Native American, 2.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.92% of the population.
There were 6,460 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 35.7% 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 2.25 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $54,424. Males had a median income of $40,319 versus $32,295 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,911. About 4.2% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] External links
- Official Website of the Borough of Phoenixville
- From Steel to Steal
- Main Street
- Downtown Phoenixville
- Phoenixville Historical Society
- Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce
- Phoenixville's Renaissance
- Phoenixville's Farmers Market
- Valley Forge Christian College
- Phoenixville Area School District
- Phoenixville Hospital
- "The Phoenix" - Phoenixville's Daily Newspaper.
- Bridge and Main Blog.
