Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Bensalem Township is a township in Bucks County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
which borders the northeast section of Philadelphia. The township is composed of many communities, including Bensalem, Trevose
, Oakford
, Cornwells Heights
, Eddington
, and Andalusia
. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 60,427, which makes it the largest municipality in Bucks County, and the ninth largest in Pennsylvania. The township, which was founded in 1692, is almost as old as the state of Pennsylvania
itself, which was founded in 1682.
and the rest of Bristol Township to the east and northeast, Hulmeville
and Middletown Township
to the north, and Feasterville
, Trevose
, and Oakford
in Lower Southampton Township to the northwest. Across the Delaware River
in Burlington County
, New Jersey
to the southeast, there are Beverly
, Delanco Township
, and Edgewater Park Township
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the township has a total area of 21 square miles (54.4 km²), of which, 20 square miles (51.8 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it (4.77%) is water.
The Fall line
, which separates the Atlantic Coastal Plain
region from the Piedmont
region, runs through Bensalem, and is visible around the Neshaminy Mall
area. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/WC/Subjects/WSNoteBks/WRAS-02F.htm http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/rivers/riversconservation/registry/low_nesh/LN2.pdf The Neshaminy Creek
forms the natural eastern boundary and Poquessing Creek
forms the natural western boundary of the township.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 58,434 people, 22,627 households, and 15,114 families residing in the township. The population density
was 2,926.7 people per square mile (1,129.8/km²). There were 23,535 housing units at an average density of 1,178.8/sq mi (455.0/km²).
There are 22,627 households of which 30.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples
living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $49,737, and the median income for a family was $58,771. Males had a median income of $39,914 versus $30,926 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $22,517. 7.4% of the population and 6.0% of families were below the poverty line. Of the total population, 6.8% of those under the age of 18 and 10.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
, a 1 miles (1.6 km) thoroughbred horse racing track. This facility opened in November 1974 as Keystone Racetrack. The name was changed to Philadelphia Park in 1984. The track became notable as the original home of 2004 Kentucky Derby
and Preakness Stakes
champion Smarty Jones
, who placed second in the Belmont Stakes
, narrowly missing the Triple Crown
. In 2006, a slots parlor casino opened at Philadelphia Park and the facility was renamed to Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino. A permanent standalone casino structure opened in December 2009 and was renamed PARX Casino. The facility boasts 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) including gaming, entertainment and banquet space.
The Mission Center and National Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel is located on Bristol Pike in Bensalem. The Shrine houses the remains of St. Katharine Drexel
, born in 1858 to a wealthy Philadelphia family. As a young woman St. Katharine turned her back on a life of privilege to serve the poor, focusing on Native Americans and African Americans. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1891. The next year she and thirteen other Sisters moved into St. Elizabeth Convent in Bensalem. St. Katharine died in 1955 and was canonized in 2000. The Shrine welcomes visitors daily. http://www.katharinedrexel.org/missioncenter.html
Bensalem is also home to the Mongkoltepmunee Buddhist Templehttp://thaiembdc.org/directry/wat_e.htm#PA, or Wat Mongkoltepmunee, on Knights Road. This shrine is an exact replica of a temple in Bangkok and is the only one of its kind in the United States. It serves as a place of high ceremonies and meditation for a community of Buddhist monks who came to Bensalem from Thailand in the 1980s.http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=60,4681,0,0,1,0
The township is the site of the Cornwells Heights
SEPTA station, which is the largest park and ride in the state of Pennsylvania http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/District6/D6Media.nsf/cd20de0d8cd84b3785256d66005b622b/94e1518c703bdb7d85256faa005bd60c?OpenDocument and serves as a commuter Amtrak
station to New York City
. Two SEPTA regional rail lines, a freight line, and multiple SEPTA buses pass through the township.http://www.septa.org
For the M. Night Shyamalan
movie Signs
, starring Mel Gibson
, a stage set was built inside a warehouse on State Road for many of the interior shots.http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/81/notes.pdfhttp://www.signsmovie.co.uk/set8.html
The NBC
pilot episode
for Outlaw
, starring Jimmy Smits
filmed in Andalusia March 22-23, 2010.http://www.kyw1060.com/New-TV-Pilot-Starring-Jimmy-Smitts-Comes-to-Philly/6647063http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20100330_Another_day_on_the_set_for_film-industry_locals.html
http://www.nbc.com/outlaw/
The movie Safe, starring Jason Statham
filmed at Parx Racing and Casino.http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20101209_Inqlings__Tango_Traffic_green-lights_first_on-air_hires.html
Neshaminy Mall
is located within Bensalem. It was one of the first malls to be constructed in the country in 1968. It has four main anchors (three department stores and one movie theatre) and over 120 smaller shops and eateries. The AMC Neshaminy 24 Theater is the largest and highest sales-producing theater in Pennsylvania. http://www.smartliteusa.com/one_sheets/06_Neshaminy%20Mall.02.pdf In addition, it has on many occasions been a top 10 for theater engagements in the United States (including the opening of Signs
where it was #1). http://www.boxofficemojo.com/theaters/
Rita's Franchise Company, LLC
has its headquarters in the Trevose section of the township, as well as its first location in the Andalusia section.http://www.ritaswaterice.com/
Fortune 1000 company Charming Shoppes
has its headquarters in Bensalem, and is ranked #810 on the 2010 list.http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/snapshots/10077.html
Benjamin Franklin
would often travel to Bensalem to visit his friend, Joseph Galloway
, at Growden Mansion
. At the time, the Galloway family owned all of present day Bensalem Township. A local legend maintains that Franklin performed his famous kite-flying experiment in Bensalem, at the mansion, to prove that lightning was the same as static electricity. (The broader consensus is that Benjamin Franklin flew his kite closer to his home in Philadelphia.)
Bensalem township is readily accessible with Interstate 95
, U.S. Route 1
, Pennsylvania Turnpike
, U.S. Route 13
, Woodhaven Road (PA 63
) and Street Road
all passing through. The Bensalem (formerly Philadelphia) Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 351, at U.S. Route 1) is in the Trevose section of the township.http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/pa-turnpike_northeast/ In addition, the eastbound Street Road interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 352), which is E-ZPass
only, is now open in Bensalem.http://www.paturnpike.com/press/2010/20101122170443.htm
The current Republican mayor, Joseph DiGirolamo, is in his fifth consecutive term. He was elected mayor in 1994. His fifth term expires December 31, 2013.
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which borders the northeast section of Philadelphia. The township is composed of many communities, including Bensalem, Trevose
Trevose, Pennsylvania
Trevose is a neighborhood of Bensalem and Lower Southampton in Pennsylvania, which is north of and borders northeastern Philadelphia. It shares a zip code with Feasterville-Trevose. It is not a municipality. U.S. 1 runs through the town as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but Trevose's main road...
, Oakford
Oakford, Pennsylvania
Oakford is a neighborhood within the boundaries of both Bensalem Township and Lower Southampton Township. It is located in the northwestern section of Bensalem Township and in the south central section of Lower Southampton Township. The zip code is 19053....
, Cornwells Heights
Cornwells Heights-Eddington, Pennsylvania
Cornwells Heights-Eddington is a census-designated place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,406 at the 2000 census....
, Eddington
Cornwells Heights-Eddington, Pennsylvania
Cornwells Heights-Eddington is a census-designated place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,406 at the 2000 census....
, and Andalusia
Andalusia, Pennsylvania
Andalusia is a historic neighborhood in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, bordering Philadelphia. The ZIP code is 19020. The area is the southernmost part of the township and of the county. Its boundaries are: Woodhaven Road to the northeast, the Delaware River to the east and south,...
. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 60,427, which makes it the largest municipality in Bucks County, and the ninth largest in Pennsylvania. The township, which was founded in 1692, is almost as old as the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
itself, which was founded in 1682.
Geography
Bensalem is the southernmost township in Bucks County and is bordered by Philadelphia to the west and south, CroydonCroydon, Pennsylvania
Croydon is a census-designated place located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 9,950.- Law and government :...
and the rest of Bristol Township to the east and northeast, Hulmeville
Hulmeville, Pennsylvania
Hulmeville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,003 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hulmeville is located at ....
and Middletown Township
Middletown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Middletown Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 45,436 at the 2010 census. Many sections of Levittown, Pennsylvania, are located in the southern end of the township...
to the north, and Feasterville
Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania
Feasterville-Trevose is a former census-designated place in Lower Southampton Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 6,525 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 19053. The area has been separated into two CDPs in the 2010 census....
, Trevose
Trevose, Pennsylvania
Trevose is a neighborhood of Bensalem and Lower Southampton in Pennsylvania, which is north of and borders northeastern Philadelphia. It shares a zip code with Feasterville-Trevose. It is not a municipality. U.S. 1 runs through the town as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but Trevose's main road...
, and Oakford
Oakford, Pennsylvania
Oakford is a neighborhood within the boundaries of both Bensalem Township and Lower Southampton Township. It is located in the northwestern section of Bensalem Township and in the south central section of Lower Southampton Township. The zip code is 19053....
in Lower Southampton Township to the northwest. Across the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to the southeast, there are Beverly
Beverly, New Jersey
Beverly is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 2,577.Beverly was originally incorporated as a borough on March 5, 1850, within Willingboro Township...
, Delanco Township
Delanco Township, New Jersey
Delanco Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 3,237....
, and Edgewater Park Township
Edgewater Park Township, New Jersey
Edgewater Park Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a northeastern Delaware Valley suburb of Philadelphia...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 21 square miles (54.4 km²), of which, 20 square miles (51.8 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it (4.77%) is water.
The Fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
, which separates the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
region from the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
region, runs through Bensalem, and is visible around the Neshaminy Mall
Neshaminy Mall
The Neshaminy Mall is located at U.S. Route 1 & Bristol Road in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, United States. It was the sixth interior mall constructed in Greater Philadelphia and opened in 1968. It has four main anchors and over 120 smaller shops and eateries...
area. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/WC/Subjects/WSNoteBks/WRAS-02F.htm http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/rivers/riversconservation/registry/low_nesh/LN2.pdf The Neshaminy Creek
Neshaminy Creek
Neshaminy Creek is a stream that runs southeast through Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Neshaminy Creek proper rises south of the borough of Chalfont, where North Branch Neshaminy Creek and West Branch Neshaminy Creek meet. Neshaminy Creek flows lastly between Bristol Township and Bensalem Township...
forms the natural eastern boundary and Poquessing Creek
Poquessing Creek
Poquessing Creek is a creek, a right tributary of the Delaware River, that forms part of the boundary between Bucks County and the northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has been part of the boundary between Bucks and Philadelphia counties since 1682.The creek arises in Trevose and...
forms the natural western boundary of the township.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the township was 72.1% Non-Hispanic White, 7.3% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 10.2% Asian, and 2.6% of the population were of two or more races. 8.4% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestryhttp://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 58,434 people, 22,627 households, and 15,114 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,926.7 people per square mile (1,129.8/km²). There were 23,535 housing units at an average density of 1,178.8/sq mi (455.0/km²).
There are 22,627 households of which 30.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $49,737, and the median income for a family was $58,771. Males had a median income of $39,914 versus $30,926 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $22,517. 7.4% of the population and 6.0% of families were below the poverty line. Of the total population, 6.8% of those under the age of 18 and 10.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Landmarks and attractions
Bensalem is home to Philadelphia Park RacetrackPhiladelphia Park Racetrack
Parx Racing and Casino is a thoroughbred horse racetrack and racino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. It currently houses 3,300 slot machines.-History:...
, a 1 miles (1.6 km) thoroughbred horse racing track. This facility opened in November 1974 as Keystone Racetrack. The name was changed to Philadelphia Park in 1984. The track became notable as the original home of 2004 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
and Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
champion Smarty Jones
Smarty Jones
Smarty Jones is a thoroughbred race horse, and winner of the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He finished second in the Belmont Stakes that took place on June 5th, 2004....
, who placed second in the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, narrowly missing the Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
. In 2006, a slots parlor casino opened at Philadelphia Park and the facility was renamed to Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino. A permanent standalone casino structure opened in December 2009 and was renamed PARX Casino. The facility boasts 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) including gaming, entertainment and banquet space.
The Mission Center and National Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel is located on Bristol Pike in Bensalem. The Shrine houses the remains of St. Katharine Drexel
Katharine Drexel
Saint Katharine Drexel, S.B.S., was an American Religious Sister, heiress, philanthropist and educator, later canonized as a Roman Catholic saint.-Life and religious work:...
, born in 1858 to a wealthy Philadelphia family. As a young woman St. Katharine turned her back on a life of privilege to serve the poor, focusing on Native Americans and African Americans. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1891. The next year she and thirteen other Sisters moved into St. Elizabeth Convent in Bensalem. St. Katharine died in 1955 and was canonized in 2000. The Shrine welcomes visitors daily. http://www.katharinedrexel.org/missioncenter.html
Bensalem is also home to the Mongkoltepmunee Buddhist Templehttp://thaiembdc.org/directry/wat_e.htm#PA, or Wat Mongkoltepmunee, on Knights Road. This shrine is an exact replica of a temple in Bangkok and is the only one of its kind in the United States. It serves as a place of high ceremonies and meditation for a community of Buddhist monks who came to Bensalem from Thailand in the 1980s.http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=60,4681,0,0,1,0
The township is the site of the Cornwells Heights
Cornwells Heights (SEPTA station)
Cornwells Heights Station is a commuter rail station in the northeast suburbs of Philadelphia on Station Avenue near Bristol Pike in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, 16.9 miles from upper level 30th St Station. Its name derives from the surrounding CDP of Cornwells Heights.It is served by Amtrak's...
SEPTA station, which is the largest park and ride in the state of Pennsylvania http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/District6/D6Media.nsf/cd20de0d8cd84b3785256d66005b622b/94e1518c703bdb7d85256faa005bd60c?OpenDocument and serves as a commuter Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
station to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Two SEPTA regional rail lines, a freight line, and multiple SEPTA buses pass through the township.http://www.septa.org
For the M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan
Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
movie Signs
Signs (film)
Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham...
, starring Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, a stage set was built inside a warehouse on State Road for many of the interior shots.http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/81/notes.pdfhttp://www.signsmovie.co.uk/set8.html
The NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
pilot episode
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
for Outlaw
Outlaw (TV series)
Outlaw is an American television series that was aired on the NBC network. The one-hour courtroom drama stars Jimmy Smits as a Supreme Court Justice who resigns from the bench to start his own law firm, as a way to more directly promote the ends of justice...
, starring Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
filmed in Andalusia March 22-23, 2010.http://www.kyw1060.com/New-TV-Pilot-Starring-Jimmy-Smitts-Comes-to-Philly/6647063http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20100330_Another_day_on_the_set_for_film-industry_locals.html
http://www.nbc.com/outlaw/
The movie Safe, starring Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
filmed at Parx Racing and Casino.http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20101209_Inqlings__Tango_Traffic_green-lights_first_on-air_hires.html
Neshaminy Mall
Neshaminy Mall
The Neshaminy Mall is located at U.S. Route 1 & Bristol Road in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, United States. It was the sixth interior mall constructed in Greater Philadelphia and opened in 1968. It has four main anchors and over 120 smaller shops and eateries...
is located within Bensalem. It was one of the first malls to be constructed in the country in 1968. It has four main anchors (three department stores and one movie theatre) and over 120 smaller shops and eateries. The AMC Neshaminy 24 Theater is the largest and highest sales-producing theater in Pennsylvania. http://www.smartliteusa.com/one_sheets/06_Neshaminy%20Mall.02.pdf In addition, it has on many occasions been a top 10 for theater engagements in the United States (including the opening of Signs
Signs (film)
Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham...
where it was #1). http://www.boxofficemojo.com/theaters/
Rita's Franchise Company, LLC
Rita's Water Ice
Rita's Water Ice is an East Coast regional chain based in Trevose, Pennsylvania in Bensalem Township, selling mainly Italian ice, frozen custard, and gelati , as well as its specialty creations.-History:...
has its headquarters in the Trevose section of the township, as well as its first location in the Andalusia section.http://www.ritaswaterice.com/
Fortune 1000 company Charming Shoppes
Charming Shoppes
Charming Shoppes is a specialty and plus size clothing retail holding company based in Bensalem, PA. Its subsidiaries are Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and Catherines. Clothes are sold from over 2300 retail stores in the U.S., as well as numerous catalogs and online sites...
has its headquarters in Bensalem, and is ranked #810 on the 2010 list.http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/snapshots/10077.html
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
would often travel to Bensalem to visit his friend, Joseph Galloway
Joseph Galloway
Joseph Galloway was an American Loyalist during the American Revolution, after serving as delegate to the First Continental Congress from Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, at Growden Mansion
Growden Mansion
Growdon Mansion, a historical landmark, sits in the heart of Bensalem, a township that borders the northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. At the time, the Galloway family owned all of present day Bensalem Township. A local legend maintains that Franklin performed his famous kite-flying experiment in Bensalem, at the mansion, to prove that lightning was the same as static electricity. (The broader consensus is that Benjamin Franklin flew his kite closer to his home in Philadelphia.)
Bensalem township is readily accessible with Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
, U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
, Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
, U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13 is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville. In all, it traverses five states in the Atlantic coastal plain region,...
, Woodhaven Road (PA 63
Pennsylvania Route 63
Pennsylvania Route 63 is a long state highway located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. The western terminus of the route is at PA 29 in Green Lane, Montgomery County. The eastern terminus is at Interstate 95 in Bensalem Township, Bucks County...
) and Street Road
Pennsylvania Route 132
Pennsylvania Route 132 is a state highway in southeast Pennsylvania. It runs northwest to southeast through Bucks County in suburban Philadelphia from PA 611 in Warrington Township to Interstate 95 in Bensalem Township. It is a commercial route lined with shopping centers throughout much of its...
all passing through. The Bensalem (formerly Philadelphia) Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 351, at U.S. Route 1) is in the Trevose section of the township.http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/pa-turnpike_northeast/ In addition, the eastbound Street Road interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 352), which is E-ZPass
E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll-collection system used on most tolled roads, bridges, and tunnels in the northeastern US, south to Virginia and West Virginia, and west to Illinois. Currently, there are 25 agencies spread across 14 states that make up the . All member agencies use the same technology,...
only, is now open in Bensalem.http://www.paturnpike.com/press/2010/20101122170443.htm
Government
In 1987, the people of Bensalem voted to become a second-class township with a five-member council and a mayor. The township has its own nine-member school board.The current Republican mayor, Joseph DiGirolamo, is in his fifth consecutive term. He was elected mayor in 1994. His fifth term expires December 31, 2013.