Danville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Danville is a borough in Montour County
, Pennsylvania
, USA
, of which it is the county seat
, on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River
. Danville was home to 8,042 people in 1900, 7,517 people in 1910, and 7,122 people in 1940. The population was 4,897 at the 2000 census. .
Danville is part of the Bloomsburg
–Berwick
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
land until a 1768 treaty, Chester County
native and American Revolutionary War
figure William Montgomery
purchased a plot of land in 1774 and established a trading post called Montgomery's Landing. In 1792 he constructed a house there, which is now a small museum inside the town. In the same year his son Daniel plotted the area between Mill Street and Church Street, the historic core of the town which now bears his name.
Danville was part of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
, when it was founded. In 1813, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
was formed from part of Northumberland Co. Danville became the county seat of Columbia Co. until 1845, when an election moved the seat to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
. In 1850, Montour County was formed from part of Columbia. Danville then became the county seat of Montour.
Danville became a transportation center in the 19th century, served by several railroads and the North Branch of the Susquehanna River
. Coal
and iron
mines in the surrounding hills and mountains fueled the local economy, and by mid-century Danville was an important iron mill town. Many of the rail
s of the nation's expanding railroad system were made in Danville. A local marker claims that the first T-rail rolled in the United States was rolled in Danville, on October 8, 1845 at the Montour Iron Company, though this is claimed for Mount Savage, Maryland
, as well.
Montour and several other enormous iron mills dominated the town for most of the 19th century and the iron industry was the chief employer in the region. The iron mills fell into decline, however, as steel
replaced iron in the 20th century. The city celebrates this era with an annual Iron Heritage Festival in July, and the main street is still named "Mill Street".
In 1869 the Danville State Hospital
was built as a state institution for the treatment and care of the insane.
Abigail Geisinger, widow of iron magnate George Geisinger, used his fortune to build a hospital and clinic intended to be a regional medical center modeled after the Mayo Clinic
. The Geisinger Hospital was completed in 1915, and has grown over the years. Today, the Geisinger Medical Center
is the most important tertiary referral center in northern Pennsylvania. Geisinger and its affiliated institutions are also one of the largest employers in the region.
. The contiguous community south of the river is Riverside
. The surrounding country is low mountain ridges of the Appalachian
range. The town is bisected by U.S. Highway 11 and has an exit from Interstate 80
to the north. There are also deposits of limestone in the vicinity.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of which is land area.
of 2000, there were 4,897 people, 2,277 households, and 1,238 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,087.2 people per square mile (1,189.1/km²). There were 2,523 housing units at an average density of 1,590.5 per square mile (612.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.06% White, 0.78% African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.80% Asian, 0.47% from other races
, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 2,277 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.6% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,498, and the median income for a family was $38,778. Males had a median income of $30,375 versus $24,313 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $16,693. 10.6% of the population and 6.0% of families were below the poverty line. 16.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
is the local public education agency. In 2007, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked the district 119th out of 499 Pennsylvania school districts based on three years of Pennsylvania System of Student Assessment test scores.
The Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC) led a local volunteer effort to clear the abandoned towpath of the North Branch Canal along the Susquehanna River
. A mile of the towpath was cleared, permitting biking, walking and running near the Danville Soccer Park. The canal
is over 200 years old. It was an important part of the region's transportation system. Canal boats and rafts moved farm produce, lumber and people up and down the river. This is part of a greenway effort to develop recreation and commercial opportunities along the river. The long-term vision is to create a regional trail that connects Northumberland
to Catawissa
and on to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
.
Montour County, Pennsylvania
Montour County is located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, the county's population was 18,267. Its county seat is Danville. It is named for Andrew Montour, a prominent métis interpreter who served with George Washington during the French and Indian War. The county is part of the...
, 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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, of which it is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. Danville was home to 8,042 people in 1900, 7,517 people in 1910, and 7,122 people in 1940. The population was 4,897 at the 2000 census. .
Danville is part of the Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Susquehanna River. In 1900, the population of Bloomsburg stood at 6,170; in 1910, 7,413; in 1940, 9,799, and in 1990, 12,439. The population was 14,855 at the 2010 census...
–Berwick
Berwick, Pennsylvania
Berwick is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 22.6 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre. Berwick is one of two principal cities of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Columbia and Montour counties and had a combined population of 82,387...
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area
The Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Pennsylvania, anchored by the town of Bloomsburg and the borough of Berwick...
.
History
IroquoisIroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
land until a 1768 treaty, Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
native and American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
figure William Montgomery
William Montgomery (Pennsylvania)
William Montgomery was an American jurist and politician from Chester County, Pennsylvania. He represented Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1795....
purchased a plot of land in 1774 and established a trading post called Montgomery's Landing. In 1792 he constructed a house there, which is now a small museum inside the town. In the same year his son Daniel plotted the area between Mill Street and Church Street, the historic core of the town which now bears his name.
Danville was part of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
There were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
, when it was founded. In 1813, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Columbia County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,151 people, 24,915 households, and 16,568 families residing in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile . There were 27,733 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile...
was formed from part of Northumberland Co. Danville became the county seat of Columbia Co. until 1845, when an election moved the seat to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Susquehanna River. In 1900, the population of Bloomsburg stood at 6,170; in 1910, 7,413; in 1940, 9,799, and in 1990, 12,439. The population was 14,855 at the 2010 census...
. In 1850, Montour County was formed from part of Columbia. Danville then became the county seat of Montour.
Danville became a transportation center in the 19th century, served by several railroads and the North Branch of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. Coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
mines in the surrounding hills and mountains fueled the local economy, and by mid-century Danville was an important iron mill town. Many of the rail
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
s of the nation's expanding railroad system were made in Danville. A local marker claims that the first T-rail rolled in the United States was rolled in Danville, on October 8, 1845 at the Montour Iron Company, though this is claimed for Mount Savage, Maryland
Mount Savage, Maryland
Mount Savage is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. A small blue-collar community, Mount Savage lies at the base of Big Savage Mountain in the Allegheny Mountains, between the cities of Frostburg and Cumberland...
, as well.
Montour and several other enormous iron mills dominated the town for most of the 19th century and the iron industry was the chief employer in the region. The iron mills fell into decline, however, as steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
replaced iron in the 20th century. The city celebrates this era with an annual Iron Heritage Festival in July, and the main street is still named "Mill Street".
In 1869 the Danville State Hospital
Danville State Hospital
Danville State Hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania is a mental health facility operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. It was Pennsylvania’s third public facility to house the mentally ill and disabled.* Architect: John McArthur, Jr....
was built as a state institution for the treatment and care of the insane.
Abigail Geisinger, widow of iron magnate George Geisinger, used his fortune to build a hospital and clinic intended to be a regional medical center modeled after the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
. The Geisinger Hospital was completed in 1915, and has grown over the years. Today, the Geisinger Medical Center
Geisinger Medical Center
Geisinger Medical Center is a hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania, serving as the primary hospital for the Danville-based Geisinger Health System, a primary chain of hospitals and clinics which includes the Danville medical center across northeastern and central Pennsylvania.Geisinger Medical Center...
is the most important tertiary referral center in northern Pennsylvania. Geisinger and its affiliated institutions are also one of the largest employers in the region.
Geography
Danville is located in northeastern Pennsylvania at 40°57′42"N 76°36′43"W (40.961607, -76.611947). It is located on the north bank of the North Branch of the Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. The contiguous community south of the river is Riverside
Riverside, Pennsylvania
Riverside is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,861 at the 2000 census. The current mayor is Dale E...
. The surrounding country is low mountain ridges of the Appalachian
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
range. The town is bisected by U.S. Highway 11 and has an exit from Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania
The transcontinental Interstate 80 is designated across northern Pennsylvania as the Keystone Shortway, officially the Z.H. Confair Memorial Highway. This route was built mainly along a completely new alignment, not paralleling any earlier U.S. Routes, as a shortcut to the tolled Pennsylvania...
to the north. There are also deposits of limestone in the vicinity.
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 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of which is land area.
Notable people
- Jacob Coxey, socialist and populistPopulismPopulism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
American politician, and minor partyMinor partyMinor party is a political party that play a smaller role than a major party in a country's politics and elections. The difference between minor and major parties can be so big that the membership total, donations, and the candidates that they are able to produce or attract are very distinct...
candidate for the office of President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Was the leader of Coxey's ArmyCoxey's ArmyCoxey's Army was a protest march by unemployed workers from the United States, led by the populist Jacob Coxey. They marched on Washington D.C. in 1894, the second year of a four-year economic depression that was the worst in United States history to that time. Officially named the Army of the...
, considered to be the first significant protest march on Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... - Joseph ParryJoseph ParryJoseph Parry , was a Welsh composer and musician. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, he is best known as the composer of Myfanwy and Aberystwyth used in Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika the National anthem of South Africa.The cottage at 4 Chapel Row, Merthyr Tydfil, where Parry was born, is now open to the...
, Welsh-bornWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
composer of hymns whose song 'Aberystwyth' was adapted into Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrikaNkosi Sikelel' iAfrika"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" , was originally composed as a hymn by a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg teacher, Enoch Sontonga in 1897, to the tune 'Aberystwyth' by Joseph Parry...
, the National anthem of South AfricaNational anthem of South AfricaSince 1997, the South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining new English lyrics with extracts of the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the former anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" . The fact that it shifts and ends in a different key, a feature it shares with the Italian national...
. - Christopher Latham Sholes, inventor of the first practical typewriterTypewriterA typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
and the QWERTYQWERTYQWERTY is the most common modern-day keyboard layout. The name comes from the first six letters appearing in the topleft letter row of the keyboard, read left to right: Q-W-E-R-T-Y. The QWERTY design is based on a layout created for the Sholes and Glidden typewriter and sold to Remington in the...
keyboard configuration still in use today
Demographics
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 4,897 people, 2,277 households, and 1,238 families residing 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 3,087.2 people per square mile (1,189.1/km²). There were 2,523 housing units at an average density of 1,590.5 per square mile (612.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.06% White, 0.78% African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.80% Asian, 0.47% 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 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 2,277 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.6% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,498, and the median income for a family was $38,778. Males had a median income of $30,375 versus $24,313 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 $16,693. 10.6% of the population and 6.0% of families were below the poverty line. 16.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Schools
Danville Area School DistrictDanville Area School District
The Danville Area School District spans portions of two counties. In Montour County it covers the Boroughs of Danville and Washingtonville and Cooper Township, Derry Township, Liberty Township, Mahoning Township, Mayberry Township, Valley Township and West Hemlock Township. In Northumberland...
is the local public education agency. In 2007, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked the district 119th out of 499 Pennsylvania school districts based on three years of Pennsylvania System of Student Assessment test scores.
Recreation
The Borough Council is a partner of the Montour Area Recreation Commission. They hope to attract state funding to study recreational opportunities along the Susquehanna River. Hess Feild is a park located on Meadow LaneThe Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC) led a local volunteer effort to clear the abandoned towpath of the North Branch Canal along the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. A mile of the towpath was cleared, permitting biking, walking and running near the Danville Soccer Park. The canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
is over 200 years old. It was an important part of the region's transportation system. Canal boats and rafts moved farm produce, lumber and people up and down the river. This is part of a greenway effort to develop recreation and commercial opportunities along the river. The long-term vision is to create a regional trail that connects Northumberland
Northumberland, Pennsylvania
Northumberland is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,714 at the 2000 census.-History:Northumberland was founded in 1772. The land that became Northumberland was purchased from the Iroquois in the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768, and the...
to Catawissa
Catawissa, Pennsylvania
Catawissa is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,589 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area....
and on to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Susquehanna River. In 1900, the population of Bloomsburg stood at 6,170; in 1910, 7,413; in 1940, 9,799, and in 1990, 12,439. The population was 14,855 at the 2010 census...
.
External links
- DanvillePA.com, sponsored by the Press-Enterprise
- Danvilleboro.org
- Greenwood Friends School
- Iron Heritage Festival
- Susquehanna Greenway Partnership
- From the Boroughs to the Bay
- Van Wagner Music