Birdsboro, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Birdsboro is a borough along the Schuylkill River
in Berks County
, Pennsylvania
, eight miles (13 km) southeast of Reading
. In the past, Birdsboro was noted for its large foundries and machine shops, none of which remain in operation today.
about 1740. His son Marcus founded Hopewell Furnace
in 1771, which was the largest domestic producer of iron by the time of the American Revolution
. The Schuylkill Canal
, running parallel to the river, was completed in 1827. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, constructed to haul anthracite coal, was completed in 1843. Edward and George Brooke, descendants of the Birds, established the Birdsboro Iron Foundry Company (1867), which became Birdsboro Steel Company (1905). The principal employer in the borough, the steel plant closed in 1988, following a lengthy strike.
The borough was created in 1872, from sections of Union
and Robeson Townships. Its population increased slowly from 2,261 in 1890, to 2,264 in 1900, to 2,930 in 1910. The population was 5,064 at the 2000 census.
In 1987, torrential rains over a period of several days caused Hay Creek to flood Pennsylvania Route 82
, which ran through the borough, and washed out several bridges. After many years of discussion between local and state officials, the decision was finally made in 2004 that the bridges should not be rebuilt. Instead, the former road connecting Birdsboro to Robeson Township would be used formally as a nature trail, as it had been informally used since the time of the flood. In December 2008, the PA 82 designation was removed from this stretch of road.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.80%) is water.
, 5,064 people, 1,854 households, and 1,379 families resided in the borough. The population density
was 3,646.2 people per square mile (1,406.6/km²). There were 1,927 housing units at an average density of 1,387.5 per square mile (535.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.86% White, 1.05% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races
, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.
There were 1,854 households, out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. A total of 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73, and the average family size was 3.18.
The population was diverse in the borough, with 29.2% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% aged 65 years or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $53,932, and the median income for a family was $58,542. Males had a median income of $39,875 versus $26,705 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $20,890. About 1.4% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
in Berks County
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
, 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...
, eight miles (13 km) southeast of Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
. In the past, Birdsboro was noted for its large foundries and machine shops, none of which remain in operation today.
History
Birdsboro was named for ironmaker William Bird, who established a forge on Hay CreekHay Creek (Schuylkill River)
Hay Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Hay Creek flows straight through the heart of Birdsboro and then joins the Schuylkill River. William Bird, whom the town was named after, established a forge on Hay Creek about...
about 1740. His son Marcus founded Hopewell Furnace
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural "iron plantation"...
in 1771, which was the largest domestic producer of iron by the time of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The Schuylkill Canal
Schuylkill Canal
Schuylkill Canal is the common, but technically inaccurate, name for the Schuylkill Navigation, a 19th-century commercial waterway in and along the Schuylkill River in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The "canal" was actually a system of interconnected man-made canals and slack-water pools in the...
, running parallel to the river, was completed in 1827. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, constructed to haul anthracite coal, was completed in 1843. Edward and George Brooke, descendants of the Birds, established the Birdsboro Iron Foundry Company (1867), which became Birdsboro Steel Company (1905). The principal employer in the borough, the steel plant closed in 1988, following a lengthy strike.
The borough was created in 1872, from sections of Union
Union Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,453 at the 2000 census.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,453 people, 1,324 households, and 1,035 families residing in the township. The population density was 148.9 people per square...
and Robeson Townships. Its population increased slowly from 2,261 in 1890, to 2,264 in 1900, to 2,930 in 1910. The population was 5,064 at the 2000 census.
In 1987, torrential rains over a period of several days caused Hay Creek to flood Pennsylvania Route 82
Pennsylvania Route 82
Pennsylvania Route 82 is a long north–south state highway located in southeast Pennsylvania, USA. The northern terminus is at PA 23 in Elverson...
, which ran through the borough, and washed out several bridges. After many years of discussion between local and state officials, the decision was finally made in 2004 that the bridges should not be rebuilt. Instead, the former road connecting Birdsboro to Robeson Township would be used formally as a nature trail, as it had been informally used since the time of the flood. In December 2008, the PA 82 designation was removed from this stretch of road.
Geography
Birdsboro is located at 40°15′47"N 75°48′28"W (40.263142, -75.807832).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 borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.80%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2000 censusCensus
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...
, 5,064 people, 1,854 households, and 1,379 families resided in the borough. 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 3,646.2 people per square mile (1,406.6/km²). There were 1,927 housing units at an average density of 1,387.5 per square mile (535.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.86% White, 1.05% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.
There were 1,854 households, out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% 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, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. A total of 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73, and the average family size was 3.18.
The population was diverse in the borough, with 29.2% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% aged 65 years or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $53,932, and the median income for a family was $58,542. Males had a median income of $39,875 versus $26,705 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 borough was $20,890. About 1.4% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Local education
Children in the borough of Birdsboro attend the public schools in the Daniel Boone Area School District. Elementary students in grades K-5 attend Birdsboro Elementary while students in grades 6-8 attend the Daniel Boone Middle School in nearby Amity Township. For high school, the students return to the Birdsboro area, attending Daniel Boone Area High School, just beyond the borough limits. Children in grades K-8 also have the option of attending Immaculate Conception Academy, a Catholic school whose campus is nearly adjacent to that of the Daniel Boone Area High School.Notable people
- Chad HurleyChad HurleyChad Meredith Hurley is an American co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of the popular video sharing website YouTube. In June 2006, he was voted 28th on Business 2.0's "50 People Who Matter Now" list...
, YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
founder grew up in Birdsboro. He graduated from the nearby Twin Valley High SchoolTwin Valley High School (Pennsylvania)Twin Valley High School is a public secondary school in the Twin Valley School District located in Elverson, Chester County, Pennsylvania.Classes and Programs=Twin Valley offers a variety of classes to suit most students educational goals...
. - William Bird lived in Birdsboro, for which it is named.
See also
- French Creek State ParkFrench Creek State ParkFrench Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek. The park is the...
- Hopewell Furnace National Historic SiteHopewell Furnace National Historic SiteHopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural "iron plantation"...
- St. Michael's Episcopal Church (Birdsboro, Pennsylvania)