Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Borough

View of Kutztown from hill north of town
Seal of Kutztown
Seal

Location of Kutztown in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Kutztown
Kutztown

Location of Kutztown in Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°31′11″N 75°46′31″W / 40.51972°N 75.77528°W / 40.51972; -75.77528Coordinates: 40°31′11″N 75°46′31″W / 40.51972°N 75.77528°W / 40.51972; -75.77528
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Berks
Incorporated April 6, 1815
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Mayor Sandra K. Green (D)
Area[1]
 • Total 1.64 sq mi (4.26 km2)
 • Land 1.64 sq mi (4.25 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation 400 ft (100 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 5,012
 • Estimate (2016)[2] 5,017
 • Density 3,059.15/sq mi (1,181.48/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 19530
Area code(s) 610 and 484
Website www.kutztownboro.org

Kutztown is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Allentown and 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Reading. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 5,012.[3] Kutztown University is located just outside the borough limits to the southwest.

History

Trinity Lutheran Church

George (Coots) Kutz purchased 130 acres (53 ha) of land that became Kutztown on June 16, 1755, from Peter Wentz who owned much of what is now Maxatawny Township. Kutz first laid out his plans for the town in 1779. The first lots in the new town of Cootstown (later renamed Kutztown) were purchased in 1785 by Adam Dietrich and Henry Schweier.

Kutztown was incorporated as a borough on April 7, 1815, and is the second oldest borough in Berks County after Reading, which became a borough in 1783 and became a city in 1847.

As with the rest of Berks County, Kutztown was settled mainly by Germans, most of whom came from the Palatinate region of southwest Germany, which borders the Rhine river.

The Kutztown area, broadly defined, encompasses an area of land also known as the East Penn Valley, a broad limestone valley situated in northern and eastern Berks County, bounded by the Blue Mountain and South Mountain ranges to the north and south, respectively, by the Lehigh County border to the east, and by Ontelaunee Creek (Maiden Creek) to the west. Crystal Cave was discovered near the town in 1871.

The H.K. Deisher Knitting Mill and Kutztown 1892 Public School Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4]

Since 1950 the Kutztown Folk Festival has been held in early July celebrating the culture, artistry and culinary delights of the aforementioned early German settlers as well as their Pennsylvania Dutch neighbors.

Geography

Kutztown is located in northeastern Berks County at 40°31′11″N 75°46′31″W / 40.51972°N 75.77528°W / 40.51972; -75.77528 (40.519798, -75.775260).[5] It is surrounded by Maxatawny Township but is separate from it.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.33%, is water.[3]

Demographics

West Main Street from Whiteoak Street
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1840693—
1850640−7.6%
186091543.0%
18709453.3%
18801,19826.8%
18901,59533.1%
19001,328−16.7%
19102,36077.7%
19202,68413.7%
19302,8415.8%
19402,9664.4%
19503,1104.9%
19603,3126.5%
19704,16625.8%
19804,040−3.0%
19904,70416.4%
20005,0677.7%
20105,012−1.1%
Est. 20165,017[2]0.1%
Sources:[6][7][8]

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 5,012 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.8% White, 1.4% African American, 0.0% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 5,067 people, 1,874 households, and 886 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,191.4 people per square mile (1,230.4/km²). There were 1,940 housing units at an average density of 1,221.9 per square mile (471.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.00% White, 0.99% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population. Historically there is a large Pennsylvania Dutch population.[9]

There are 1,874 households, out of which 18.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 52.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size is 2.80.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 12.4% under the age of 18, 38.7% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 24 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $35,677, and the median income for a family is $49,653. Males had a median income of $33,438 versus $28,669 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,803. About 3.8% of families and 29.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

"Welcome to Kutztown" sign on East Main Street

Ethnicities

Ethnicities in Kutztown:

Government

Kutztown has a mayor-council system of government with a Mayor and a six-member Council. As of 2017, the Mayor of Kutztown is Sandra K. Green (D) and the Council members are Council President Kevin J. Snyder (R), Council Vice President Derek D. Mace (D), Council President Pro Tempore Peggy Devlin (D), Edwin K. Seyler (R), Richard J. Diehm (D), and Scott R. Piscitelli (R).[10]

Police services in the borough is provided by the Kutztown Police Department, which consists of twelve full-time officers.[11] Fire protection in Kutztown and surrounding areas is provided by the Kutztown Fire Department, a volunteer fire department with 30 members and six pieces of equipment.[12]

Education

Old Main at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Public school students in Kutztown, along with Lyons, Maxatawny Township, Greenwich Township, Lenhartsville, and Albany Township, are served by the Kutztown Area School District. Schools in the district serving the borough include Kutztown Elementary School, Kutztown Area Middle School, and Kutztown Area High School. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a four-year public university located just outside the borough to the southwest. The university, which is one of the 14 schools of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, has an enrollment of 9,189 undergraduates and 1,004 postgraduates.

Infrastructure

Transportation

U.S. Route 222 bypasses the borough to the north and west on a freeway, heading northeast to Allentown and southwest to Reading. Pennsylvania Route 737 heads north to Krumsville and Interstate 78. Main Street runs southwest-northeast through Kutztown, connecting to US 222 at both ends. Greenwich Street heads north from Main Street and becomes PA 737 past an interchange with US 222. Noble Street heads south from Main Street toward Lyons.[13] The Allentown & Auburn Railroad operates a freight and tourist railroad from a station in Kutztown east to Topton; the tracks are owned by the Kutztown Transportation Authority.[14] Bieber Tourways provides bus service from Kutztown to Reading, Allentown, Bethlehem, Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal in Philadelphia, and Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City.[15][16] Kutztown Airport was located outside the borough but closed on January 31, 2009.[17]

Utilities

The borough of Kutztown provides electricity, water, and sewer service to businesses and residents.[18][19][20] The Borough of Kutztown Electric Department dates back to the early 1900s and is one of 35 municipal electric departments in Pennsylvania. The borough purchases its electric power from American Municipal Power.[18] The Public Works department provides trash collection and recycling to the borough.[21] The borough also provides cable, internet, and telephone service through Home Net, a division of Hometown Utilicom.[22]

Economy

View of West Main Street from Noble Street

Kutztown's economy is strong and diverse, with workers employed by Kutztown University, Radius Toothbrush,[23] digital creative agency, Sposto Interactive,[24] Bieber Tourways, and at one time, the brand of athletic shoe known as the Saucony.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 4, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Kutztown borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  5. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  8. ↑ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  9. ↑ Alderson, Andrew (September 5, 2010). "Cycling: A change of gear for former rower". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Council". Borough of Kutztown. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Home". Kutztown Borough Police. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  12. ↑ "About Us". Kutztown Fire Department. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  13. ↑ Berks County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  14. ↑ "About Us". Allentown & Auburn Railroad. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Daily Bus Service to Philadelphia, PA". Bieber Tourways. January 8, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Daily Bus Service to New York City, NY". Bieber Tourways. January 8, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Kutztown Airport to close; site may become shopping center". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
  18. 1 2 "Electric Department". Borough of Kutztown. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Water Department". Borough of Kutztown. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Wastewater Department". Borough of Kutztown. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Refuse & Recycling (A division of Public Works)". Borough of Kutztown. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  22. ↑ "About Us". Home Net. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ Radius Toothbrush
  24. ↑ Sposto Interactive
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