Perkasie, Pennsylvania

Geobox Borough
name = Borough of Perkasie
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = Borough


image_size =
image_caption =


flag_size =
symbol =
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nickname =
motto =
country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region = Bucks
region_type = County
district =
area_imperial = 2.6
area_land_imperial = 2.6
area_water_imperial = 0.0
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
location =
lat_d = 40
lat_m = 22
lat_s = 18
lat_NS = N
long_d = 75
long_m = 17
long_s = 35
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 436
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of = 2000
population = 8828
population_density_imperial = 3408.9
population_density_round = 1
government_type =
government =
established_type =
established =
mayor = J. Robert Hunsicker
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
postal_code = 18944
postal_code_type = Zip code
area_code = 215 267
area_code_type =
code2_type =
code2 =
free_type =
free =
free1_type =
free1 =


map_size =
map_caption = Location of Perkasie in Bucks County
map1 = Pennsylvania Locator Map.png map1_size =
map1_caption = Location of Perkasie in Pennsylvania
map1_locator = Pennsylvania
map2 = Map of USA PA.svg
map2_caption = Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
website =

Perkasie is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 35 miles (56 km) north of Philadelphia. Establishments in the borough early in the twentieth century included silk mills, baseballs, brickyards, lumber mills, tile works, a stone crusher, and manufacturies of cigars, tags and labels, wire novelties, etc. The population in 1900 was 1,803; in 1910, 2,779 people lived in Perkasie. The population was 8,828 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Perkasie is located at coor dms|40|22|18|N|75|17|35|W|city (40.371791, -75.292966)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it is land and 0.38% is water

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 8,828 people, 3,294 households, and 2,338 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,408.9 people per square mile (1,316.0/km²). There were 3,378 housing units at an average density of 1,304.4/sq mi (503.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.77% White, 0.59% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 3,294 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the borough the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough is $52,000, and the median income for a family is $59,413. Males have a median income of $42,388 versus $28,323 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $21,986. 4.7% of the population and 4.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Transportation

The borough's nearest airport is located just north of the center of town, and is actually just on the other side of the East Rockhill Township border. Pennridge Airport is a public general aviation airport with one convert|4200|ft|m|sing=on-long runway.

The borough is bordered by a state road on each side: PA 563 to the north; PA 313 to the east; PA 113 to the south; and PA 309 to the west. PA 152 runs right through the middle. I-476, I-276, and I-76 are the nearest interstates.

History

Perkasie is home to a former major league baseball factory, now out of business. Between 1920 and 1950, the factory produced millions of baseballs through the Hubbert/Spalding contract. The factory still stands today, at 815 Chestnut Street, but has been converted into the Senior Citizens Center. [http://www.pennridge.org/p/P-baseballfcty.html] The Pearl S. Buck House at Green Hills Farm, a registered National Historic Landmark, is located near Perkasie.

On June 26, 1988, about 15 percent of the town, including many historic buildings, was burned down in what became known as The Great Perkasie Fire. This massive fire was started by two 12-year-old boys who were playing with a lighter near the coal bins behind the Shelley & Sons lumberyard at Seventh and Market Streets. The fire was fought by about 300 firefighters who came from over 50 fire companies in three counties. Among the historic buildings lost were the American House and the Moyer-Kantner Funeral Home, both dating from 1870, and the Herstine Building. Despite the size of the fire, no fatalities were reported. [Kracz, Ed. "The day Perkasie burned." The Intelligencer, June 22, 2008]

Notable residents

*Perkasie has produced one Major League Baseball player: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jake Eisenhart. (b. October 3, 1922)
*A borough resident, Maureen Victoria Wimmer, was Miss Pennsylvania and third runner-up in the 1971 Miss America Pageant. [cite web
url = http://www.misspa.org/past.htm
title = Miss Pennsylvania in Review
accessdate = 2008-01-04
last =
first =
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*Tom Fulp, creator of the Flash animation site Newgrounds, lives in Perkasie

External links

* [http://www.perkasieborough.org Borough Website]
* [http://perkasiehistory.org/ Perkasie Historical Society]
* [http://www.perkasienewsherald.com/ Perkasie News-Herald]

References