Oley Township, Pennsylvania

Oley Township
Township
A farm in Oley Township, October 2019
Oley Township Location of Oley Township in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Oley Township Oley Township (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°23′00″N75°46′15″W / 40.38333°N 75.77083°W / 40.38333; -75.77083
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Berks
Area [1]
• Total	24.09 sq mi (62.39 km2)
• Land	23.88 sq mi (61.84 km2)
• Water	0.21 sq mi (0.54 km2)
Elevation	371 ft (113 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	3,620
• Estimate  (2016) [2]	3,740
• Density	156.63/sq mi (60.48/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)	610
FIPS code	42-011-56672
Website
Oley Township Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location	PA 73, Oley Township, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°22′7″N75°46′17″W / 40.36861°N 75.77139°W / 40.36861; -75.77139
Area	15,065 acres (6,097 ha)
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	Late Victorian, Georgian, Germanic style
NRHP reference No.	83002218 [3]
Added to NRHP	March 11, 1983

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. ^[4] Oley is a Native American name purported to mean "a hollow". ^[5] Daniel Boone was born in Oley Township November 2, 1734. ^[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 24.2 square miles (62.7 km²), all land. It is drained by the Schuylkill River via its tributaries of the Manatawny Creek and Monocacy Creek. The township's villages include Limekiln (also in Exeter Township), Oley, Oley Furnace, Pleasantville, Spangsville, and Yellow House (also in Amity Township).

Adjacent townships

• Rockland Township (north)
• Pike Township (northeast)
• Earl Township (east)
• Amity Township (southeast)
• Exeter Township (southwest)
• Alsace Township (west)
• Ruscombmanor Township (northwest)

Transportation

PA 73 eastbound and PA 662 southbound in Oley Township

As of 2019, there were 76.57 miles (123.23 km) of public roads in Oley Township, of which 25.70 miles (41.36 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 50.87 miles (81.87 km) were maintained by the township. ^[7]

Numbered highways serving Oley Township include Pennsylvania Route 73, Pennsylvania Route 562 and Pennsylvania Route 662. PA 73 follows an east-west alignment across the northern portion of the township. PA 562 follows Boyertown Pike along an east-west alignment on the southern edge of the township. Finally, PA 662 follows Memorial Highway along a northwest-southeast alignment through the center of the township, including a concurrency with PA 73 in the northwestern part of the township.

Demographics

Kaufman barns

As of the census ^[8] of 2000, there were 3,583 people, 1,382 households, and 1,029 families residing in the township. The population density was 148.1 inhabitants per square mile (57.2/km²). There were 1,425 housing units at an average density of 58.9 per square mile (22.7/km²).

The racial makeup of the township was 98.66% White, 0.14% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1980	3,024		—
1990	3,362		11.2%
2000	3,583		6.6%
2010	3,620		1.0%
2016 (est.)	3,740	[2]	3.3%
Source: US Census Bureau

There were 1,382 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $52,151, and the median income for a family was $58,045. Males had a median income of $40,882 versus $27,795 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,565. About 0.9% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Gallery

• 
  Henry Fisher House
• 
  House on Main Street in Oley Village
• 
  Barn on Main Street in Oley Village
• 
  Milloth House in Oley Village

See also

• Oley Valley
• Oley Valley High School

References

1. "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates" . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
4. Phoebe L. Hopkins, 1982, NRHP Nomination Form for Oley Township Historic District Enter "public" for ID and "public" for password to access the site.
5. Espenshade, Abraham Howry (1925). Pennsylvania Place Names. Evangelical Press. p. 286. ISBN   978-0-8063-0416-8.
6. Bruce, H. Addington, Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road, New York: Macmillan, 1911, p. 6
7. "Oley Township map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.

External links

• Township website
• Map of Oley Township Historic District
• Historic American Buildings Survey, Oley vicinity
• Historic American Buildings Survey, Pleasantville vicinity