- Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district
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"PA-16" redirects here. PA-16 may also refer to Pennsylvania Route 16.
Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district 
Current Representative Joe Pitts (R–Kennett Square) Distribution 76.05% urban, 23.95% rural Population (2000) 646,328 Median income $45,943 Ethnicity 87.9% White, 4.3% Black, 1.4% Asian, 9.0% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% other Cook PVI R+8 Pennsylvania’s 16th congressional district is located in the southeastern part of the state, just west of Philadelphia. Created after the 2000 Census, the district is composed of a large portion of southern Chester County, all of Lancaster County, and a sliver of Berks County, including a sliver of the city of Reading. The 16th stretches from the southwestern suburbs of Philadelphia in the east to the Susquehanna River in the west, and north to include areas around Reading.
In 2000, the 16th Congressional District was home to 646,328 residents [1], according to the U.S. Census, and its population has increased since that year. Residents of Lancaster County make up the majority of the district's population, followed by Chester County and Berks County. The district is one of the Pennsylvania districts accused of being the result of gerrymandering.
The district can be characterized as predominantly suburban and rural, with some urban pockets of cities and towns. This has produced one of the main dilemmas facing the district: suburban sprawl and economic development versus the need for the preservation of farmland. Chester County, for example, has been simultaneously the fourth most agriculturally active county in the state and the fastest-growing county in the state. Lancaster County also shares the predicament of being a fast-growing county with pressure to preserve agricultural land.
The eastern parts of the district are characterized as suburbs of Philadelphia and of Wilmington, Delaware. Suburbanizing Lancaster County has also seen a tremendous amount of development over the past 15 years in the form of rapidly growing new housing developments and shopping centers. Areas of northwestern Lancaster County border on the suburbs of Harrisburg, and have many commuters to the capital city.
While development in the district continues at a high pace along the access routes to Philadelphia, Lancaster and Reading, the district is home to large tracts of agricultural land. Much of the land is devoted to commercial farming, but a large portion is also devoted to raising horses for steeplechase, fox hunting, and lately flat racing, especially in Chester County. Lancaster and Chester Counties have traditionally been home to many Amish and Mennonite farming communities.
Pockets of urban areas exist in and around the cities of Lancaster, Reading, and West Chester.
The district is also home to hundreds of historic homes and buildings, many predating the American Revolution. The historic preservation of these sites is as important to the district as the preservation of its agriculture, and the combination gives the district an old-world aesthetic often captured in the paintings of local artist Andrew Wyeth.
The District has been represented by Republican Joe Pitts since 1997.
Contents
Recent Elections
Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district: Results 2000-2010[1] Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct Third Party Votes Pct Third Party Votes Pct 2000 Bob Yorczyk 80,177 33.1% Joe Pitts 162,403 67.0% 2002 Joe Pitts 119,046 88.5% Will Todd 8,720 6.5% Kenneth Brenneman 6,766 5.0% 2004 Lois Herr 98,410 34.5% Joe Pitts 183,620 64.4% William Hagen 3,269 1.25 2006 Lois Herr 80,915 39.6% Joe Pitts 115,741 56.6% John Murphy 7,958 3.9% 2008 Bruce Slater 120,193 39.4% Joe Pitts 170,329 55.8% John Murphy 11,768 3.9% Daniel Frank 2,877 0.9% 2010 Lois Herr 70,994 34.6% Joe Pitts 134,113 65.4% In the 2008 United States Presidential election, Republican John McCain narrowly defeated Democrat Barack Obama in the 16th congressional district by just three points.[2] McCain received 51% of the district's vote, while Obama received 48%.[2]
Counties and municipalities within the district
Berks County: Bern, Lower Heidelberg, Reading, South Heidelberg, Spring, Wernersville Borough
Chester County: Avondale, Birmingham, East Bradford, East Fallowfield, East Marlborough, East Nottingham, Elk, Franklin, Highland, Kennett Square Borough, Kennett Township, London Britain, London Grove, Londonderry, Lower Oxford, Newlin, New Garden, New London, Oxford, Parkesburg, Penn, Pennsbury, Upper Oxford, West Chester, West Fallowfield, West Grove, West Marlborough, West Nottingham
Lancaster County: All
List of representatives
The district was created with two seats in 1823
1823-1833: Two seats
Seat A
Representative Party Years District home Notes James Allison, Jr. Jacksonian DR March 4, 1823 - ????? 1825 Beaver resigned in 1825 before Congress convened Vacant ????, 1825 – October 11, 1825 Robert Orr, Jr. Jacksonian October 11, 1825 - March 3, 1829 Kittanning Vacant March 4, 1829 – December 15, 1829 Harmar Denny Anti-Masonic December 15, 1829 - March 3, 1833 Pittsburgh installed after William Wilkins resigned in 1829 before qualifying, redistricted to the 22nd district Seat B
Representative Party Years District home Notes Walter Forward Jacksonian DR March 4, 1823 - March 3, 1825 Pittsburgh redistricted from the 14th district James S. Stevenson Jacksonian March 4, 1825 - March 3, 1829 John Gilmore Jacksonian March 4, 1829 - March 3, 1833 Butler 1833-Present: One seat
Representative Party District home Years Note Joseph B. Anthony Jacksonian March 4, 1833 - March 3, 1837 Robert H. Hammond Democratic Party Milton March 4, 1837 - March 3, 1841 John Snyder Democratic Party Selinsgrove March 4, 1841 - March 3, 1843 Unsuccessful candidate for reelection James Black Democratic Party March 4, 1843 - March 3, 1847 Jasper E. Brady Whig Party March 4, 1847 - March 3, 1849 Unsuccessful candidate for reelection James X. McLanahan Democratic Party March 4, 1849 - March 3, 1853 William H. Kurtz Democratic Party March 4, 1853 - March 3, 1855 Redistricted from 15th district Lemuel Todd Opposition Party Carlisle March 4, 1855 - March 3, 1857 John A. Ahl Democratic Party Centerville March 4, 1857 - March 3, 1859 Benjamin F. Junkin Republican Party New Bloomfield March 4, 1859 - March 3, 1861 Unsuccessful candidate for reelection Joseph Bailey Democratic Party March 4, 1861 - March 3, 1863 Redistricted to 15th district Alexander H. Coffroth Democratic Party March 4, 1863 - March 3, 1865 Vacant March 4, 1865 – February 19, 1866 contested election Alexander H. Coffroth Democratic Party February 19, 1866 - July 18, 1866 William H. Koontz Republican Party Somerset July 18, 1866 - March 3, 1869 John Cessna Republican Party Bedford March 4, 1869 - March 3, 1871 Benjamin F. Meyers Democratic Party March 4, 1871 - March 3, 1873 John Cessna Republican Party Bedford March 4, 1873 - March 3, 1875 Sobieski Ross Republican Party Coudersport March 4, 1875 - March 3, 1877 Redistricted from 18th district John I. Mitchell Republican Party Tioga County March 4, 1877 - March 3, 1881 Elected to United States Senate Robert J. C. Walker Republican Party March 4, 1881 - March 3, 1883 Declined renomination William W. Brown Republican Party March 4, 1883 - March 3, 1887 Henry C. McCormick Republican Party Williamsport March 4, 1887 - March 3, 1891 Albert C. Hopkins Republican Party Lock Haven March 4, 1891 - March 3, 1895 Fred C. Leonard Republican Party Coudersport March 4, 1895 - March 3, 1897 Horace B. Packer Republican Party Wellsboro March 4, 1897 - March 3, 1901 Elias Deemer Republican Party Williamsport March 4, 1901 - March 3, 1903 Redistricted to 15th district Charles H. Dickerman Democratic Party Benton Township March 4, 1903 -March 3, 1905 Declined renomination Edmund W. Samuel Republican Party Mount Carmel March 4, 1905 - March 3, 1907 Unsuccessful candidate for reelection John G. McHenry Democratic Party Benton Township March 4, 1907 - December 27, 1912 Died Vacant December 27, 1912 – March 4, 1913 John V. Lesher Democratic Party Sunbury March 4, 1913 - March 3, 1921 Unsuccessful candidate for reelection I. Clinton Kline Republican Party Sunbury March 4, 1921 - March 3, 1923 Unsuccessful candidate for reelection Edgar R. Kiess Republican Party March 4, 1923 - July 20, 1930 Redistricted from 15th district, Died Vacant July 20, 1930 – November 4, 1930 Robert F. Rich Republican Party November 4, 1930 - January 3, 1943 Thomas E. Scanlon Democratic Party Pittsburgh January 3, 1943 - January 3, 1945 Redistricted from 30th district, Unsuccessful candidate for reelection Samuel K. McConnell, Jr. Republican Party January 3, 1945 - January 3, 1953 Redistricted from 17th district, Redistricted to 13th district Walter M. Mumma Republican Party January 3, 1953 - February 25, 1961 Redistricted from 18th district, Died Vacant February 25, 1961 – May 16, 1961 John C. Kunkel Republican Party May 16, 1961 - December 30, 1966 Resigned Vacant December 30, 1966 – January 3, 1967 Edwin D. Eshleman Republican Party January 3, 1967 - January 3, 1977 Robert S. Walker Republican Party January 3, 1977 - January 3, 1997 Joseph R. Pitts Republican Party January 3, 1997 – Present Incumbent References
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
Pennsylvania's congressional districts All districts: At-large 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
The 20th-36th and At-large districts are obsolete
See also: Pennsylvania's past & present Representatives, Senators, and Delegations, 2010 elections, 2012 elections
All U.S. districts – Apportionment – Redistricting – Gerrymandering – MapsCategories:- Congressional districts of Pennsylvania
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