Maxatawny Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Maxatawny Township
Township
A farm in Maxatawny Township
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Berks
Elevation 423 ft (128.9 m)
Coordinates 40°29′30″N 75°44′29″W / 40.49167°N 75.74139°W / 40.49167; -75.74139Coordinates: 40°29′30″N 75°44′29″W / 40.49167°N 75.74139°W / 40.49167; -75.74139
Area 26.3 sq mi (68.1 km2)
 - land 26.2 sq mi (68 km2)
 - water 0.04 sq mi (0 km2), 0.15%
Population 7,906 (2010)
Density 228.0/sq mi (88.0/km2)
Founded 1732
Timezone EST (UTC-5)
 - summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code 610
Location of Maxatawny Township in Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: http://www.maxatawny.net/
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19805,269—
19905,7248.6%
20005,9824.5%
20107,90632.2%
Source: US Census Bureau

Maxatawny Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,906 at the 2010 census.

History

Maxatawny is a name derived from a Native American language purported to mean "bear's path creek".[1]

The Boyer-Mertz Farm, Hottenstein Mansion, Kemp's Hotel, and Siegfried's Dale Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68.0 km²). 26.2 square miles (68.0 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.15%) is water. Its villages include Bowers, Hinterleiter, Maxatawny, Mill Creek Corner, and Monterey. The township is in the Delaware River watershed and most of it is drained by the Sacony Creek into the Schuylkill River. An area in the eastern portion is drained by the Little Lehigh Creek into the Lehigh River.

Adjacent townships

Maxatawny Township surrounds the borough of Kutztown, and touches Lyons to the south and Topton to the east. Its main east-to-west route is U.S. Highway 222, from which Route 737 extends north to Interstate 78 in Krumsville and to Kempton. Other primary local north-to-south roads are Topton Road/Long Lane, Kohler Road, and Noble Street. Other east-west roads include College Boulevard, Hinterleiter Road/Linden Street, and Siegfriedale Road.

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 5,982 people, 1,348 households, and 997 families residing in the township. The population density was 228.0 people per square mile (88.0/km²). There were 1,384 housing units at an average density of 52.8/sq mi (20.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.05% White, 1.99% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.45% of the population.

There were 1,348 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the township the population was spread out, with 13.9% under the age of 18, 45.6% from 18 to 24, 15.9% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females there were 81.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $51,006, and the median income for a family was $57,813. Males had a median income of $38,092 versus $22,147 for females. The per capita income for the township was $15,586. About 3.4% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Politics and government

Legislators

Board of Supervisors

Municipal Authority

Police

Maxatawny Township was served by the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police. On April 16, 2012, the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police announced it was disbanding at the end of 2012.[4] On December 28, 2012, it was announced Maxatawny Township would form its own police department. The new department would be led by one officer for the time being who would be in charge of ordinance enforcement and traffic studies, with the Pennsylvania State Police handling emergency calls and arrests in the township. The ordinance that was passed put the framework in place for a department to be created in the future.[5]

In May of 2013, supervisors mailed a survey to residents to gauge whether they supported funding a township police department, at a total cost near $2 million. Out of 1,622 surveys mailed out, 1,040 were returned, and over 80% of the residents who responded voted no, leaving the township's police coverage to the state police for the foreseeable future.[6]

Education and culture

Maxatawny is served by the Kutztown Area School District. Kutztown University lies mostly in the township and straddles the boundary with Kutztown. The Pennsylvania German presence remains strong there despite more ethnically-diverse movement from metropolitan areas and significant numbers of Mennonite continue to farm some of the township's land. Renninger's Antique and Farmers' Market and the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center of Kutztown University are located in Maxatawny Township, as well as the annual Bowers Chili Pepper Festival, held in September at DeLong Park.

References

  1. ↑ Wagner, A. E.; Balthaser, Francis Wilhauer; Hoch, D. K. (1913). The Story of Berks County (Pennsylvania). Eagle Book and Job Press. p. 28.
  2. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  3. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ Callahan, Marion (April 17, 2012). "Berks-Lehigh Regional police force disbanding". The Morning Call. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Police force to be an army of one". Reading Eagle. December 28, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  6. ↑ Adam Richter (2013-06-04). "Maxatawny Township polls residents on police coverage". Retrieved 2015-07-08.
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