Marple Township
| Marple Township | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Thomas Massey House |
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| Location in Pennsylvania | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1684 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Pennsylvania | ||
| County : | Delaware County | ||
| Coordinates : | 39 ° 58 ′ N , 75 ° 22 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Eastern ( UTC − 5 / −4 ) | ||
| Residents : | 23,743 (as of 2015) | ||
| Population density : | 899.4 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 27.2 km 2 (approx. 11 mi 2 ) of which 26.4 km 2 (approx. 10 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 102 m | ||
| Postcodes : | 19008, 19064, 19063 | ||
| Area code : | +1 610 | ||
| FIPS : | 42-47616 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1216385 | ||
| Website : | www.marpletwp.com | ||
| Mayor : | Michael Molinaro | ||
 Location within Delaware County |
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Marple Township is a township in Delaware County in the US state of Pennsylvania and belongs to the Delaware Valley metropolitan area .
geography
According to the United States Census Bureau , the parish has a total area of 27.2 km², of which 26.4 km² is land and 0.8 km² (2.95%) is water.
Broomall parish is located in Marple Township, but is not part of it. Some of the Springfield and Media postcodes also belong to the community.
Neighboring communities
In the north of the township is Radnor . The east is Haverford and Springfield to the southeast. Marple is bordered by Upper Providence Township to the southwest and Newtown to the northeast .
climate
Marple Township in the state of Pennsylvania is located in the temperate climate zone. The average annual high temperature in July is 28.2 degrees Celsius and the average annual low temperature in January and February is −6 degrees Celsius.
history
The Delaware County area was first settled by Quakers who came to Pennsylvania via the Delaware River on September 29, 1683 . Their ship, a so-called Ketch , was called Endeavor , but not to be confused with the younger and more famous ship of the same name . Marple Township was originally settled in 1684 and a parish in the same year, which was first mentioned by the Chester County Court at that time. The original spelling of the community name was "Marpool". This is attributed to a Francis Stanfield who bought 600 acres of land there in 1683 and was one of the three largest landowners in the region, along with Jonathon Hayes and John Howell. The name was given because his youngest daughter was born in Marpool, a village in Cheshire England . The name in its original form means The Hill on the Frontier . Stanfield's son sold 300 acres of his land to Thomas Massey in 1696 and 50 acres each to the brothers Robert and Thomas Sidbotham when they turned 21, all of whom were former servants of his father. Francis Stanfield died of yellow fever in 1699. His son James became a wealthy Philadelphia merchant . The three large landowners Stanfield, Hayes and Howell were instrumental in the development of Marple Township. They helped with the collection of taxes, building the roads and surveying the land.
One of the settlers who had arrived on the Endeavor was Thomas Massey . At the time of his death (1707) he owned an 800 acre plantation in the parish that was initially only 100 acres. He received half of this from William Penn . The house he built in the country still exists as the Thomas Massey House with some surrounding gardens. Two other early residents who also traveled on this ship were Sarah Pierson and John West, who later married and became the parents of the famous American painter Benjamin West . Jonathan Hayes, the township's largest landowner and an early member of the local judiciary and administration, was murdered in 1715 by Henry Pugh, a mill smith and member of the Order of Lazarus . This is the first recorded murder in Delaware County (then part of Chester County). In 1834 the Marple Presbyterian Church , the first and oldest surviving church, was built.
Marple Township remained largely untouched by the American War of Independence , but this led to a not inconsiderable departure of people living there. This was also due to the economic situation. Most of the work was along the Delaware River, where industry and factories were located. The transport options there were still sparse. This situation only changed with the connection to the railway network at the turn of the 20th century.
Originally Marple Township was part of Chester County . Since the first settlement, the township was characterized by agriculture and agricultural professions predominated. It was only after the Civil War that industrialization began in Marple Township . At first the goods were mainly shipped over the Delaware River, and since the beginning of the 20th century they have also been transported by rail to areas further west. Towards the end of World War II , the expansion of public transport, road construction and the automobile made resources more readily available and Marple Township developed into a sizable suburban area in Philadelphia.
In 1948 Marple Township got a police station. Before that, there was only one county sheriff. Until then, crimes were usually mediated between the victim and the perpetrator. In March 1949, a group of residents who recognized the need for efficient emergency care in the community, the Marple Township Ambulance Corps.
In 1949, a murder case, which at the time was still quite rare for Delaware County, caused a stir in the press. Such headlines were more likely to come from the nearby city of Philadelphia . Two brothers had killed their father with a shotgun , among other things . The story was historically reviewed in the 2015 book Murder in Marple: The D'Amore Family Tragedy (True Crime) by Thomas George Deitman.
From the early 20th century through the 1990s, Marple County saw rapid population growth. The originally purely agricultural character of the district disappeared in the first half of the 20th century due to the possibility of commuting, above all the West Chester Pike, which connected Marple with other districts. In the 1950s, the township made the transition from a sleepy outpost to a long suburb of Philadelphia. Newly built settlements like Lawrence Park attracted families.
Marple became a first class township in 1961.
Population development
| Population development | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Residents | ± in% | |
| 1930 | 1553 | - | |
| 1940 | 2170 | 39.7% | |
| 1950 | 4779 | 120.2% | |
| 1960 | 19,722 | 312.7% | |
| 1970 | 25,040 | 27% | |
| 1980 | 23,642 | -5.6% | |
| 1990 | 23,123 | -2.2% | |
| 2000 | 23,737 | 2.7% | |
| 2010 | 23,428 | -1.3% | |
| 2017 estimate | 23,743 | 1.3% | |
| http://www.dvrpc.org/data/databull/rdb/db82/appedixa.xls | |||
At the 2015 census , there were 23,743 people in Marple County. Compared to the 23,428 people in 2010, the community shows a slight increase in population. The 2000 census showed 8,623 households and 6,415 families in the parish. The population density was just over 2,300 people per square kilometer. There were 8,797 housing units. According to the census, 92.60% of the population are white, 1.10% African-American, 0.09% Native, 5.51% Asian, 0.12% other ancestry and 0.59% are descended from at least two "races".
Of the 8,623 households, 30.0% had children aged 18 and under, 64.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no current male partner, and 25.6% were “non-families ". 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.64 people, the average family size 3.12 people.
21.8% were under 18 years of age, 6.3% were aged 18 to 24, 24.8% were 25 to 44, 25.0% were 45 to 64, and 22.0% were 65 years of age or older . The median age was 43 years. For every 100 women there were 89.4 men. For every 100 women aged 18 and over there were 85.1 men.
The median income for a household in the township was 59,577 US dollars and the median income for a family was $ 71,829 US dollars. Males had a median income of $ 47,062 and women only $ 32,304. The per capita income for the parish was $ 28,494. The incomes of 2.1% of families and 4.6% of residents were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under 18 and 5.0% of those over 65.
Religions
The first settlers were Quakers . Today Marple Township is predominantly home to different Christian currents. The religious communities with the largest number of members in 2010 was the Catholic Church with 73.14%. Other religious groups are represented with less than 5% of the parishioners. This includes the United Methodist Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America .
There are 32 churches in Marple Township.
politics
In Marple Township, the political spectrum is rather conservative. In the 2008 general election, Republicans were elected for every office except the 166th District General Assembly. Along with Aston, Bethel, Chadds Ford, Concord, Edgmont, Middletown, Newtown, Springfield and Tinicum, Marple was one of the ten Delaware County parishes that Republicans voted for in the 2008 presidential election. The county as a whole voted for the Democrats. The same was the case in 2016. With over 50% of the vote, Marple voted Republican, the county as such with a large majority Democratic.
administration
Marple Township is run by a board of directors made up of commissioners representing each part of the community who meet for regular meetings. The current commissioners are Joseph Rufo (District 1), Jan Ceton (District 2), Robert Fortebouno (District 3), John Lucas (District 4), John Longacre (District 5), Michael Molinaro (District 6) and Daniel Leefson (District 7). Michael Molinaro is currently the CEO.
coat of arms
The township's coat of arms is circular and predominantly in yellow and blue. The outer yellow circle bears the inscription "Marple Township" in the upper area and "Dealware County, Penna." In the lower area. The font is curved in the shape of a circle and shown in blue and serif font. In the middle blue circle, which takes up the majority of the coat of arms, is at the top in yellow linear writing "Established 1684", which indicates the year of foundation of Marple Township. At the bottom, in an upwardly curved serif font adapted to the shape of a circle, “A township with a heritage” is written. All inscriptions are shown in capital letters. In the middle there is a sign with a white background and a yellow frame, separated by a smaller blue frame. On the base of the shield there is a kind of astrolabe in blue .
Culture and sights
Museums
The most famous museum in the district is the Thomas Massey House , which was built there in 1696 by Thomas Massey, one of the first settlers, and is one of the oldest buildings in the state of Pennsylvania. After a renovation in the 1960s and 1970s, it has been preserved in almost its original condition and is used for viewing and holding various, primarily historical, events. There is also the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation , which also works with the Massey House and creates gardens based on the model of the colonial era at various locations in Marple, including the Massey House. The company, founded in 1974, offers those interested the opportunity to relive the farm life of the early settlers in the 18th century.
graveyards
In Marple Township there is the "Marple Presbyterian Church Cemetery" and the "SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery ”. The " United African Methodist Church Cemetery " (also "Hayti Cemetery") also exists . There are also many graves from the time of the Civil War.
Tourism, leisure and recreation
Leisure and recreation in the area of the township
Marple Township has eleven parks. They are maintained by the township administration.
- Broomall Fields - with Little League Baseball fields for the Marple Little League
- Green Bank Farm - large field with a walking and hiking trail
- Highland Avenue Park - small park with a roller skating rink, basketball court, and tennis court
- Kent Park - with playground, picnic area with BBQ areas, gazebo with picnic benches, stream, paved walking path, and tennis courts
- Malin Road Tot Lot - similar to Kent Park
- Marple Gardens - has a playground, picnic area with BBQ areas, basketball court, and a children's baseball / softball field that is used for Marple tea ball
- New Ardmore Avenue Park - Playground, picnic area with BBQ areas, basketball court, large fields, and a stream
- Old Marple School Park - Playground, picnic area, hiking trail, and toboggan run
- South Marple Little League - tennis courts, obstacle course and snack bar
- Thomas Fields - two Little League baseball fields, a Babe Ruth baseball field, two snack bars, a small playground and a walking path to Kent Park
- Veteran's Memorial Park - large playground, hiking trail, large field, entertainment pavilion, restrooms, and drinking water dispenser
Regular events
Regular events include Community Pride Day in May, the July 4th Parade on July 4th, the American National Day, the Halloween Parade on October 31st, and the Honor our Veterans event in November. In December there is an annual Holiday Tree Lightning.
Customs
The Thomas Massey House organizes various events throughout the year, which in various forms reconstruct the life of the first settlers in the colonial era.
Economy and Transport
traffic
In Broomall there is the bus and train station "West Chester Pike & New Ardmore Avenue", through which Marple Township is connected to local public transport. The nearest sea and airport are in Philadelphia, around 16 km away. The "West Chester Pike" the main thoroughfare of the township and one of the most important arteries of the County of Delaware. This street was first mentioned in the early 19th century. The "Interstate 476" also runs through the township.
Corporate and retail
The Marple Township economy consists largely of retail and local medium-sized businesses and small businesses.
media
The local newspaper is the Delaware County Daily Times, formerly the Chester Times. Another daily paper is the "News of Delaware County". Due to its proximity to the big city, the “Philadelphia Inquirer” is also very important for the region.
There are also the radio stations WGMD on 92.7 FM and WCNL Cool on 101.3 FM.
Infrastructure
Public facilities
Together with the town of Broomall located in the area of the township, Marple has a police station, an ambulance service, the Broomall fire department and a library. Marple's administration is based in Broomall, as is the competent court.
schools
For secondary school there is the so-called Marple Newtown School District, to which the township belongs. Marple Township is also home to the Delaware County Community College, a two-year state community college.
There are also Marple Newtown High School, Paxon Hollow Middle School, Loomis Elementary School, Russell Elementary School, Worrall Elementary School, and Culbertson Elementary School.
societies
Marple Township is home to a number of clubs and associations of local importance.
In the area of sport, child and youth work stands out in particular. There are, for example, the “Marple Junior Tigers” (football and cheerleading), “Marple Newton Girls Lacrosse League”, the “Marple Township Little League” (base and softball), and the “Marple Newton Soccer Association” (football). There are also opportunities to play roller hockey, soccer, flag football, street hockey, hockey and basketball in the “Marple Sports Arena”. At the same time, the arena is also the venue for the roller hockey team of the "Marple Gladiators".
In the cultural sector there is the “Marple Tree Commission” and the “Marple Historical Society”.
Personalities
Famous personalities are William Penn , the namesake of Pennsylvania , Thomas Massey , one of the first settlers and builders of the house of the same name, Francis Stanfield, a former large landowner and his son James Stanfield, who later became a wealthy merchant in Philadelphia, and John Martin Broomall , a former congressman and namesake of the city of Broomall . James Evans Rhoads was a medical doctor , educator, and the first president of Bryn Mawr College. The American politician Andrew L. Lewis was born in Broomall and lived in Marple Township for a long time. David Miscavige , a leading Scientologist, was born there and graduated from the Marple Newton School District. Jeff Penalty , ex-singer of the band Dead Kennedys , also comes from Marple Township. Jeffrey Zaslow , a famous writer and journalist who works for the Wall Street Journal , was born there and attended Marple Newton High School.
literature
- Mike Mathis: Marple and Newtown Townships (= Images of America. ). Arcadia, Charleston SC 1998, ISBN 0-7385-5023-X .
- Thomas George Deitman, Dawn D'Amore Yankanich: Murder in Marple. The D'Amore Family Tragedy. The History Press, Charleston SC 2015, ISBN 978-1-4671-1794-4 .
Web links
- Marple Township
- Marple Township on DelawareCountyPA.com
- Marple Township Historical Society
- Digital reproduction of old records from Marple Township
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Climate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- ↑ a b The Marple website
- ^ Marple Township: Massey House
- ^ Marple Township: History
- ↑ John W. Jordan (ed.): A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people . Volume 1. Lewis Historical Publishing, New York 1914, LCCN 14-007313 , p. 297 .
- ↑ a b c d e Marple Historical Society local history collection
- ^ Marple in America
- ^ History of Marple Township, Pa.
- ^ Marple Historical Society: History of Marple Township
- ^ Marple Township Police Department: Brief Department History
- ↑ Marple Township Ambulance Corps: History ( Memento of the original from October 2, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Murder in Marple: The D'Amore Family Tragedy
- ^ Marple and Newtown Townships (Images of America) by Mike Mathis: Spine .
- ^ Marple Township, PA Religion Statistics
- ↑ General Election 2016 Results for Marple Township
- ^ Marple Township: Administration
- ↑ Official homepage
- ^ Delaware County History: Records
- ↑ Philadelphia catholic cemeteries: About SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery
- ^ Find a Grave: United African Methodist Church Cemetery
- ↑ Cyberplaque: Abandoned African American Cemetery in Marple Township, PA ( Memento of the original from December 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Marple Township: Park Information
- ^ Marple Township: Township park rules and regulation
- ^ The Thomas Massey House: Calendar of Events
- ↑ WGMD
- ↑ Cool1013
- ^ Delaware County: The Municipalities of Delaware County
- ^ Marple Township: Community
- ↑ Marple Sports Arena: Website
- ↑ Marple Gladiators: Website ( memento of the original from March 5, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Marple Tree Commission: website
- ^ Marple Historical Society: website
