Act of Consolidation, 1854

Last updated March 02, 2024

The Act of Consolidation, more formally known as the act of February 2, 1854 (P.L. 21, No. 16), is legislation of the Pennsylvania General Assembly that created the consolidated City and County of Philadelphia, expanding the city's territory to the entirety of Philadelphia County and dissolving the other municipal authorities in the county.

The law was enacted by the General Assembly and approved February 2, 1854, by Governor William Bigler. This act consolidated all remaining townships, districts, and boroughs within the County of Philadelphia, dissolving their governmental structures and bringing all municipal authority within the county under the auspices of the Philadelphia government. Additionally, any unincorporated areas were included in the consolidation. The consolidation was drafted to help combat lawlessness that the many local governments could not handle separately and to bring in much-needed tax revenue for the State.

History

In early 1854, the city of Philadelphia's boundaries extended east and west between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers and north and south between Vine and South streets, representing the present-day Center City section of Philadelphia. The rest of Philadelphia County contained thirteen townships, six boroughs and nine districts. Philadelphia City's recent influx of immigrants spilled over into the rest of Philadelphia County, surging the area's population.^[1] In 1840, Philadelphia's population was 93,665 and the rest of the county was 164,372; by 1850 the populations were 121,376 and 287,385 respectively.^[2]

One of the major reasons put forth for the consolidation of the city was the county's inability to govern.^[3] Law enforcement found it difficult to enforce the peace. A person could break the law in Philadelphia City and quickly cross the border and escape punishment. Districts outside Philadelphia could not control their criminal elements and at the same time refused to let Philadelphia get involved. An example of how poorly law enforcement agencies worked together was in May, 1844 when an anti-Catholic riot erupted in Kensington. The sheriff was the only police officer available in Kensington at the time and when Philadelphia's militia was called they hesitated because they hadn't been reimbursed for past calls. By the time the militia arrived, the riot was out of control. Attempts to improve the issue included an 1845 law that required several of the surrounding districts to maintain adequate law enforcement and an 1850 act that gave Philadelphia law enforcement the authority to police seven surrounding districts.^[1] As a result, the act also achieved one of its intended roles: Expand and strengthen the jurisdiction of the Philadelphia Police Department.

The other major reason for consolidation was that Philadelphia's actual population center was not in Philadelphia, but north of Vine Street.

Between 1844 and 1854, Philadelphia's population grew by 29.5 percent. Places like Spring Garden grew by 111.5 percent, and the Kensington section of Philadelphia grew by 109.5 percent. This population shift was draining the city of much-needed tax revenue for police and fire departments, water, sewage, and other city improvements.^[4]

Consolidation

There had been several unsuccessful proposals at consolidation before 1854. The main opposition of consolidation came from the Whig Party. The Whigs usually dominated Philadelphia City elections while the outlying districts were dominated by the Democrats and the Whigs feared they would lose power within the city.^[1] With support from all the city's major newspapers, and the end of the Whig party's existence around that time,^[5] the consolidation overcame opposition and the issue was brought to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Eli Kirk Price brought the issue to the Pennsylvania Senate while Matthias W. Baldwin and William C. Patterson brought it to the House of Representatives. A bill was produced on December 20, 1853, and by January 31, 1854, the bill had passed both houses. The bill was then brought to Governor William Bigler, who was in Erie, Pennsylvania. Bigler was awoken out of bed before midnight on February 2 and signed the bill into law. The signing was rushed because several districts were considering assuming new debts for railroad loans and other projects, with the expectation that the consolidated city would pay instead.^[4]

The Act of Consolidation, along with creating Philadelphia's modern border, gave executive power to a mayor who would be elected every two years.^[6] The mayor was given substantial control of the police department and control of municipal administration and executive departments with oversight and control of the budget from the city council.^[3]

On March 11 there was a large celebration for the consolidation. Governor Bigler, members of the legislature, and chief officers of the state visited the city for the celebration. Events included an excursion on the Delaware River, a ball at the Philadelphia Chinese Museum and a banquet at the Sansom Street Hall the next day.^[4]

Although the city and county now shared the same boundaries, a number of city and county functions remained separate. Many of these functions were overseen by "City Commissioners" who were elected separately from the city council and mayor. In 1951, the state constitution was amended to allow cities and counties to fully merge, and Philadelphia voters adopted a new home rule charter that merged nearly all city and county institutions. The new charter took effect in January 1952. Although Philadelphia County has effectively been a legal nullity since then, the county row offices^{[ clarification needed ]} still exist, though all except the Register of Wills are subject to city civil service rules.^[7]

Districts, townships, and boroughs consolidated into Philadelphia

The following is a list of municipal authorities which were consolidated into the modern City and County of Philadelphia.^[8]

Related Research Articles

In the United States, a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a state which consists of a geographic region with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs, respectively. The specific governmental powers of counties vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships, municipalities, and unincorporated areas. Certain municipalities are in multiple counties; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs. Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties, or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities. Conversely, those counties in Connecticut, Rhode Island, eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties, and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions.

Philadelphia County is the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the 24th-most populous county in the nation. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 1,603,797. Its county seat is Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city.

The Philadelphia nativist riots were a series of riots that took place on May 6—8 and July 6—7, 1844, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and the adjacent districts of Kensington and Southwark. The riots were a result of rising anti-Catholic sentiment at the growing population of Irish Catholic immigrants. The government brought in over a thousand militia—they confronted the nativist mobs and killed or wounded hundreds of anti-Catholic rioters.

Most U.S. states and territories have at least two tiers of local government: counties and municipalities. Louisiana uses the term parish and Alaska uses the term borough for what the U.S. Census Bureau terms county equivalents in those states. Civil townships or towns are used as subdivisions of a county in 20 states, mostly in the Northeast and Midwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania State Constables</span> State peace officers

The office of Pennsylvania State Constable is held as a municipally elected, sworn Peace Officer throughout the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

Kensington District, or The Kensington District of the Northern Liberties, was one of the twenty-nine municipalities that formed Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States prior to the enactment of the Act of Consolidation, 1854, when it became incorporated into the newly expanded City of Philadelphia. Lehigh Avenue roughly bounded the district to the north; Germantown Avenue and 6th Street to the west; Cohocksink Creek to the south; and an L-shaped line formed by Frankford Avenue, Norris Street, and York Street to its northeast. The Delaware River was the eastern boundary. Today the area would include the Philadelphia neighborhoods of Olde Kensington, West Kensington and Fishtown, as well as portions of the neighborhoods of Ludlow, Hartranft, Fairhill, Northern Liberties and the current Kensington. The District of Kensington was a self-governing district between the years 1820 and 1854.

Southwark was originally the Southwark District, a colonial-era municipality in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Today, it is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Because of its location south of the early Philadelphia, the name was adopted in allusion to the borough of Southwark in the county of London, England, just south of the city of London.

A township, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is the lowest level of municipal incorporation of government. All of Pennsylvania's communities outside of incorporated cities, boroughs, and one town have been incorporated into individual townships that serve as the legal entities providing local self-government functions.

Northern Liberties Township was a township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The township was later incorporated into the City of Philadelphia after the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

Bristol Township was a township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854. It is the modern day Olney-Oak Lane Planning Analysis Section, though with a slight difference in the southern border. It is in present-day North Philadelphia, although Olney-Oak Lane is sometimes considered to be separate from North Philadelphia entirely because of their unique architecture, culture and differing patterns of development.

Delaware Township was a township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The borough ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

Germantown Township, also known as German Township, was a township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The municipality ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania</span> Former Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Oxford Township was a township in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn District, Pennsylvania</span> Former Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Penn District was a district located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The district ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania</span> Former Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Penn Township was a township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond District, Pennsylvania</span> Former District in Pennsylvania, United States

Richmond District, also known as Port Richmond District, was a district that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The district ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

Lower Dublin Township, also known as Dublin Township, was a township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.

Local government in Pennsylvania is government below the state level in Pennsylvania. There are six types of local governments listed in the Pennsylvania Constitution: county, township, borough, town, city, and school district. All of Pennsylvania is included in one of the state's 67 counties, which are in total subdivided into 2,560 municipalities. There are currently no independent cities or unincorporated territories within Pennsylvania. There is only one incorporated town in Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg.

The River Wards is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States located along the Delaware River to the northeast of Center City Philadelphia. 'River Wards' is the commonly used name for an area including several neighborhoods, such as Fishtown, Kensington, Port Richmond and Olde Richmond. The River Wards are located at the border of North Philadelphia and Northeast Philadelphia, and may be considered part of one or the other, or as a separate entity. The area is sometimes also known as 'Kensington-Richmond'.

References

1 2 3 Brookes, Karin; John Gattuso; Lou Harry; Edward Jardim; Donald Kraybill; Susan Lewis; Dave Nelson; Carol Turkington (2005). Zoë Ross (ed.). Insight Guides: Philadelphia and Surroundings (Second Edition (Updated) ed.). APA Publications. p. 359. ISBN 1-58573-026-2.
↑ Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 349
1 2 Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 368
1 2 3 Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 360
↑ "What Can the Collapse of the Whig Party Tell Us About Today's Politics?".
↑ Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 706
↑ Heath, Andrew. Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.
↑ "Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854". Philadelphia History. ushistory.org. Archived from the original on January 1, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2006.

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[history359-1] 1 2 3 Brookes, Karin; John Gattuso; Lou Harry; Edward Jardim; Donald Kraybill; Susan Lewis; Dave Nelson; Carol Turkington (2005). Zoë Ross (ed.). Insight Guides: Philadelphia and Surroundings (Second Edition (Updated) ed.). APA Publications. p. 359. ISBN 1-58573-026-2.

[history349-2] Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 349

[history368-3] 1 2 Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 368

[history360-4] 1 2 3 Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 360

[5] "What Can the Collapse of the Whig Party Tell Us About Today's Politics?".

[6] Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, page 706

[7] Heath, Andrew. Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.

[8] "Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854". Philadelphia History. ushistory.org. Archived from the original on January 1, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2006.

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