Exeter Township is believed to have been first settled in 1701. Swedes, relocating from the Philadelphia and Delaware River areas, settled in what is now Amity Township. In 1712, Isaac DeTurk moved from Esopus, New York to Oley and began a settlement there. It was a mix of French Huguenots, Germans, Quakers and Swiss. In 1740, they petitioned Philadelphia County for Oley to become its own Township. Exeter Township was founded December 7, 1741. Previously considered part of Oley Township, the area's residents petitioned Philadelphia County to become a separate Township six months after the establishment of Oley. The petitioners were: James Boone, Benjamin Boone, John Boone, Squire Boone, John Hughes, William Hughes, Francis Yarnell, Peter Yarnell, Michael Warren, Peter Huyett, Peter Higo, David Gerrad, Ezekiel Mathias, Roger Rogers, Joseph Brown, Jacob Vetter, and Ellis Hughes. These petitioners represent our Quaker background, and mostly resided in the area around the Quaker Meetinghouse and the Monocacy and Limekiln creeks. The actual name of the Township, "Exeter", is generally credited to the George Boone family. That family was from a town called Bradninch, England, just outside the town of Exeter. Many similarities still exist between the two cities, among them being the geography, soil type, and proximity to a town called St. Lawrence.
Early residents and communities
The first community created in Exeter was called Snydersville. It was populated mostly by relatives of Hans Schneider from the Limekiln area. It contained stores, schools, mills, and even a hotel. Some of the other communities that developed early were: Baumstown, Black Bear, Jacksonwald, St. Lawrence, Stonersville, Stonetown, Lorane, and Neversink Station. George Boone and family were one of the most influential families in Exeter. At one time they owned over 1,000 acres (4km2) of land in the Township and were among the petitioners to form the Township. Of course there's Daniel Boone as well, who we know grew up in Exeter and went on to become famous in his journeys from Kentucky to Missouri. Another important name is Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln's great-great grandfather, Mordecai had a homestead that is still standing along Heister's creek.
Growth
Through the 19th and 20th centuries, Exeter began to grow due to the need for connections, between the city of Reading, Oley, Boyertown, Birdsboro, and King of Prussia. Trolley lines pushed through the Township, in the Farming Ridge area on its way to Boyertown and in the Reiffton area headed towards Birdsboro. Suburban sprawl got going post WWII to boost Exeter's population and the Route 422 Expy to King of Prussia was completed in the 1980s. All of these things lead us up to what Exeter Township is today, a thriving community of over 25,000 people.[4]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 24.6 square miles (64km2), of which 24.4 square miles (63km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52km2) (0.77%) is water. It is drained by the Schuylkill River, which forms its natural southern boundary. While areas closer to the river are low-lying, the northwestern area of the township is in the South Mountains and exceeds 250 metres (820feet) at its highest elevation.
Unincorporated communities in the township include Baumstown, Five Points (also in Alsace Township,) Jacksonwald, Limekiln (also in Oley Township,) Lorane, Neversink, Pennside (also in Lower Alsace Township,) Reiffton, Stony Creek Mills (also in Lower Alsace Township,) Stonersville, and Stonetown.
Climate
Exeter Township has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and average monthly temperatures in Jacksonwald range from 29.9°F in January to 74.7°F in July. The hardiness zone is 6b.
As of 2019, there were 137.33 miles (221.01km) of public roads in Exeter Township, of which 21.45 miles (34.52km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 115.88 miles (186.49km) were maintained by the township.[5]
U.S. Route 422 and Pennsylvania Route 562 are east-to-west routes across the township. U.S. Route 422 Business splits off US 422 in western Exeter Township, runs northwest to St. Lawrence where PA 562 ends, then turns west for Reading, while US 422 becomes the West Shore Expressway. Major north-to-south roads include Butter Lane, Daniel Boone Road, East Neversink Road, Limekiln Road, Schoffers Road/Stonetown Road, Shelbourne Road, West Neversink Road, and Pennsylvania Route 345, which crosses the river from US 422 in Baumstown south to Birdsboro and Chester County. Oley Turnpike heads NE across the township from PA 562 just east of St. Lawrence.[6]
As of the 2000 census,[8] there were 21,161 people, 7,934 households, and 6,061 families residing in the township. The population density was 867.6 inhabitants per square mile (335.0/km2). There were 8,208 housing units at an average density of 336.5 per square mile (129.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.37% White, 2.05% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.
There were 7,934 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% 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 3.03.
In the township, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $56,956, and the median income for a family was $65,061. Males had a median income of $46,067 versus $31,149 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,071. About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
School district
The Exeter Township School District is made up of three K-4 grade elementary schools: Lorane, Owatin Creek, and Jacksonwald; one 5-6 grade middle school: Reiffton Elementary School; one 7-8 grade junior high: Exeter Junior High School; and one 9-12 grade senior high: Exeter Township Senior High School. The school district also contains the adjacent borough of St. Lawrence.
Parks and Recreation
The Parks and Recreation department is responsible for park facility maintenance, recreation activities for the community, and special Township events.
Board of supervisors
Exeter Township is a second class township and governed by a board of five supervisors. Supervisors can be elected up to a six-year term. Each are compensated at the rate of $82.50 for each meeting attended with a maximum annual compensation of $4,125.[9]
Berks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading, the fourth-most populous city in the state. The county is part of the South Central Pennsylvania region of the state.
Alsace Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,848 at the 2020 census.
Amity Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,435 at the 2020 census. Amity Township, especially in the Douglassville area, is seeing growth in development.
Birdsboro is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located along the Schuylkill River 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Reading. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,106. Birdsboro's economy had historically been rooted in large foundries and machine shops, none of which remain in operation today.
Cumru Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,638 at the 2020 census. Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, a Pennsylvania state park, is in Cumru Township.
Douglass Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,664 at the 2020 census.
Earl Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,102 at the 2020 census. Earl Township was named for early German settler Hans Graaf. His surname Graaf means "earl" in English.
Lorane is a census-designated place (CDP) in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,236 at the 2010 census. Located on the Schuylkill River, US Route 422 runs through the town.
Muhlenberg Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 21,915 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous township in Berks County after Spring Township and Exeter Township.
Oley Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 3,620. Oley Township was originally formed in 1740 as a part of Philadelphia County, before Berks County was formed in 1752. The entire township was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Oley is a Native American name purported to mean "a hollow". Daniel Boone was born in Oley Township November 2, 1734.
Spring Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 28,396 at the 2020 census, making it the second most populous municipality in Berks County after Reading.
St. Lawrence, is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,892 at the 2020 census. It sits just east of Mount Penn and Reading. It is served by the Exeter Township School District.
Pennsylvania Route 662 is a 26.17-mile-long (42.12 km) state highway located in Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 422 in Douglassville and its northern terminus is at PA 61 in Shoemakersville. The route is a two-lane undivided road its entire length and passes through rural areas. PA 662 heads north from Douglassville, intersecting PA 562 in Yellow House before becoming concurrent with PA 73 northwest through Oley. From here, PA 662 continues north and meets PA 12 in Pricetown before passing through the borough of Fleetwood and coming to a junction with US 222 in Moselem Springs. After this, the route continues west and intersects PA 143 before reaching its terminus at PA 61.
U.S. Route 422 Business is a 7.29-mile-long (11.73 km) business route of US 422 located in the Reading, Pennsylvania area. The route is one of four auxiliary routes of US 422 in Pennsylvania. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US 222 and US 422 in Wyomissing. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with US 422 in Reiffton. US 422 Bus. heads east from US 222/US 422 along Penn Avenue, passing through Wyomissing and West Reading. The route has an interchange with the US 422 freeway before it crosses the Schuylkill River into Reading. US 422 Bus. passes through downtown Reading on the one-way pair of Franklin Street eastbound and Washington Street westbound, intersecting the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 183 and crossing US 222 Bus. The business route heads into the eastern part of the city southeast on Perkiomen Avenue before following the one-way pair of Perkiomen Avenue eastbound and Mineral Spring Road westbound into Mount Penn. US 422 Bus. continues along Perkiomen Avenue to St. Lawrence, where it intersects the western terminus of PA 562 and turns southeast. The route passes through Reiffton before it merges into eastbound US 422.
The Daniel Boone Homestead, the birthplace of American frontiersman Daniel Boone, is a museum and historic house that is administered by the Friends of the Daniel Boone Homestead near Birdsboro in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is located on nearly 600 acres (2.4 km2) and is the largest site owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The staff at Daniel Boone Homestead interpret the lives of the three main families that lived at the Homestead: the Boones, the Maugridges and the DeTurks. The park is just off U.S. Route 422 north of Birdsboro in Exeter Township.
Pennsylvania Route 345 is a 13-mile-long (21 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route runs from PA 82 in West Nantmeal Township, Chester County, north to U.S. Route 422 near Birdsboro, Berks County. The route is a two-lane road its entire length, passing through the community of Warwick, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, French Creek State Park, and the borough of Birdsboro. PA 345 intersects PA 401 in East Nantmeal Township, PA 23 in Warwick, and PA 724 in Birdsboro. PA 345 was first designated by 1973 between PA 82 in West Nantmeal Township and PA 724 in Birdsboro. The route was extended north to US 422 in 2008, replacing a former section of PA 82 north of Birdsboro that was initially designated in 1928.
Pennsylvania Route 562 is a state highway in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The route runs 13.92 mi (22.40 km) from U.S. Route 422 Business in St. Lawrence east to PA 73 in Boyertown. PA 562 is a two-lane undivided road its entire length, passing through rural areas of eastern Berks County as it connects Boyertown to the Reading area. Along the way, PA 562 intersects PA 662 in the community of Yellow House. PA 562 was first designated by 1930 between Stonersville and PA 62 southwest of Boyertown, running via Amityville and Yellow House. In the 1930s, the route was extended west to US 422 in St. Lawrence and was realigned to its current alignment. PA 562 was extended east to PA 73 in 1964 after PA 100 was shifted to a new alignment to the east of Boyertown.
Baumstown is a census-designated place in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, located near the borough of Birdsboro. It is located at the junction of U.S. Highway 422 and Pennsylvania Route 345. As of the 2020 census the population of Baumstown was 346 residents.
Jacksonwald is a census-designated place that is located in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated less than a mile from the borough of St. Lawrence.
Weavertown is an unincorporated community in Amity Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located approximately 3.6 miles north of Amity Gardens on Pennsylvania Route 662 and is served by the Daniel Boone Area School District.
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