Delta, Pennsylvania

Delta
Borough

The Borough Hall
Delta

Location within the state of Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 39°43′38″N 76°19′32″W / 39.72722°N 76.32556°WCoordinates: 39°43′38″N 76°19′32″W / 39.72722°N 76.32556°W
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County York
Settled 1744
Incorporated 1853
Government
  Type Borough Council
  Mayor Joan Jones
Area
  Total 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)
Elevation 627 ft (191 m)
Population (2010)
  Total 728
  Density 2,400/sq mi (940/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Zip code 17314
Area code(s) 717 Exchange: 456
Website Delta, Pennsylvania

Delta is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States, and one of the southernmost communities in Pennsylvania. The population was 728 at the 2010 census.[1] It is served by the South Eastern School District which provides a public education.

Geography

Video of the historic district from north to south.

Delta is located at 39°43′38″N 76°19′32″W / 39.72722°N 76.32556°W (39.727207, -76.325668).[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 741 people, 285 households, and 194 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,783.3 people per square mile (1,059.6/km²). There were 324 housing units at an average density of 1,217.0 per square mile (463.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.84% White, 0.94% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.13% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.13% of the population.

There were 285 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880269
1890565110.0%
190068421.1%
191088128.8%
1920858−2.6%
1930762−11.2%
1940724−5.0%
195084016.0%
1960822−2.1%
1970778−5.4%
1980692−11.1%
199076110.0%
2000741−2.6%
2010728−1.8%
Est. 20127280.0%
Sources:[3][4][5]

In the borough the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $39,732, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $35,735 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,677. About 9.6% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.Currently there is a development which will greatly increase the population.

Notable people

History and landmarks

Delta is at the heart of the Peach Bottom Slate Region. Slate quarries opened in Delta in the 1840s, as quarrymen arrived from Wales.[7] At the Crystal Palace Exposition of 1850, Peach Bottom slate was judged the finest in the world. Most of Delta's houses still have slate roofs, and remnants of the original blue-black slate sidewalks still exist throughout the borough.

House on Main Street

The Peach Bottom Railway entered Delta in 1876, and shipped slate along its line to Red Lion and York, Pennsylvania.[8]:3–12 From the south, the Maryland Central Railroad reached Delta in 1883 and began operating trains from Delta to Bel Air, Maryland and Baltimore in 1884.[8]:22–23 Both lines were later succeeded by the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, which operated until 1978.[9] The slate quarry was a major freight customer until 1971.

The Rehoboth Welsh Chapel in Delta is a non-denominational Christian church that holds services in Welsh and English. Its Welsh choir has won a prize at the highly competitive National Eisteddfod of Wales and performed at the wedding of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones.[10]

The Delta Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[11]

References

  1. "Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Delta borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder 2. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  2. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  5. "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  6. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  7. Delta Welsh Heritage. "Peach Bottom Slate." Accessed 2012-10-30.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Hilton, George W. (1999). The Ma & Pa: A History of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801862946.
  9. "The Red Lion Train Station History". Red Lion (Pa.) Area Historical Society. 2007-06-25. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
  10. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-06-27/explore/ph-ag-comm-delta-rehoboth-choir-20130627_1_welsh-choirs-pendyrus-male-choir-concert-tour
  11. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.