Pocopson Township, Pennsylvania

Pocopson Township
Township
The Wilkinson House, a historic site in the township
Location in Chester County and the state of Pennsylvania.
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Coordinates: 39°54′27″N75°40′19″W / 39.90750°N 75.67194°W / 39.90750; -75.67194
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Chester
Area [1]
• Total	8.32 sq mi (21.56 km2)
• Land	8.19 sq mi (21.20 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2)
Elevation	397 ft (121 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	4,582
• Estimate  (2016) [2]	4,842
• Density	591.43/sq mi (228.35/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code	610
FIPS code	42-029-61800
Website	www.pocopson.org

Pocopson Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,582 at the 2010 census.

History

There are indications that Pocopson Township was once named Kennet Township (not to be confused with Kennett Township), with the change happening before 1900. ^{[3] [ better source needed ]}

The Northbrook Historic District, Trimbleville Historic District, Lenape Bridge, and Wilkinson House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ^[4]

The first settlers were four Indian villages and campsites that were in or near what has now become known as Pocopson Township. Two were located on the Brandywine, one just north of Route 926 and the other northeast of Route 52. A third was near Marshallton and a fourth was just over the line in Newlin Township. These Native Americans were part of a tribe that had occupied this territory for thousands of years. They called themselves "Lenni Lenape" which meant "common people" and they were usually near a river or creek valley. ^[5]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 8.4 square miles (22 km²), of which 8.3 square miles (21 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²), or 1.43%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	416		—
1940	513		23.3%
1950	475		−7.4%
1960	1,315		176.8%
1970	1,556		18.3%
1980	2,331		49.8%
1990	3,266		40.1%
2000	3,350		2.6%
2010	4,582		36.8%
2020	4,455		−2.8%
[6]

At the 2010 census, the township was 81.6% non-Hispanic White, 8.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 1.6% were two or more races. 4.4% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. ^[7]

At the 2000 census there were 3,350 people in 859 households, including 716 families, in the township. The population density was 404.4 inhabitants per square mile (156.1/km²). There were 890 housing units at an average density of 107.4 per square mile (41.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.01% White, 11.64% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.09%. ^[8]

There were 859 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.9% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 13.9% of households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.09.

The age distribution was 19.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 125.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 132.2 males.

The median household income was $98,215 and the median family income was $105,144. Males had a median income of $77,174 versus $42,500 for females. The per capita income for the township was $51,883. About 1.1% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.

About Pocopson

Pocopson is a mostly rural community, home to (besides residential areas) three restaurants, two parks, two veterinary offices, a career coaching practice, a canoe rental company, a dentist office, a beauty salon, a coffee shop, a florist, a prison and juvenile detention center, a retirement home, a post office, a hardware store, an elementary school, a fencing company and a steelworking hall.^{[ citation needed ]} In December 2014, the township completed construction on a $2.1 million roundabout on Route 52 at Wawaset Road and Lenape-Unionville Road. ^[9] The township was home to a giant Penn Oak that died in July 2016. Shortly after the tree's death, one local heaped praise on the fallen resident by stating "It had the courtesy not to hurt anyone or fall onto the road.” There were, however, signs that the majestical tree's health was in decay; mushrooms were growing around its base approximately two years prior to its death. ^[10] The township is part of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District.

Transportation

PA 52 northbound in Pocopson Township

As of 2020, there were 43.15 miles (69.44 km) of public roads in Pocopson Township, of which 13.04 miles (20.99 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 30.11 miles (48.46 km) were maintained by the township. ^[11]

Pennsylvania Route 52, Pennsylvania Route 842 and Pennsylvania Route 926 are the numbered highways serving Pocopson Township. PA 52 follows Lenape Road along a southwest-northeast alignment through the southeastern portion of the township. PA 842 follows Unionville Wawaset road along a southwest-northeast alignment through the northwestern part of the township. Finally, PA 926 follows Street Road along a southwest-northeast alignment through the southeastern corner of the township.

Notable people

• Eusebius Barnard, Quaker minister and station master on the Underground Railroad
• Bam Margera, member of MTV's Jackass crew ^[12]

References

1. "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 13, 2017.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates" . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
3. Cope, Gilbert (1900). Genealogy of the Darlington Family : a record of the descendants of Abraham Darlington of Birmingham, Chester Co., Penna., and of some other families of the name. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. West Chester, Pa. : Printed by the committee for the family. p. 93.
4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
5. "Pocopson Township".
6. "Census 2020".
7. "Census 2010: Philadelphia gains, Pittsburgh shrinks in population". USA Today . Archived from the original on 2011-03-14.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
9. Maye, Fran (18 December 2014). "Long-awaited Route 52 roundabout opens in Pocopson". Daily Local News. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
10. "Giant Penn Oak dies in Pocopson". 7 July 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-08.
11. "Pocopson Township map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
12. Klein, Michael (December 17, 2007). "No joke: Prankster wants to open hometown theater". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2007-01-16.

External links

• Pocopson Township