Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Downingtown is a borough in Chester County
, Pennsylvania
, 33 miles (53.1 km) west of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,891. Downingtown was settled by English and European colonists in the early 18th century and has a number of historic buildings and structures.
, the first of which was founded by Daniel Butter. The Butter family also had paper mills in the area, and Frederick Bicking
from Winterburg
, Germany, was the patriarch of the Bicking paper families. Around the time of the American Revolution
, Milltown became more commonly known as Downingtown after the prominent businessman Thomas Downing, a Quaker immigrant in 1717 from Bradninch
, Devon, England, who owned a number of those mills. The town was officially named Downingtown in 1812.
The town is located along the Lincoln Highway
(now part of U.S. Route 30
) which runs from the East Coast to the West Coast. It was an early westward road in the wagon days as the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
. The Lincoln Highway was the first paved road to cross the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
started in the early 1940s and was completed in the early 1950s; it runs north of US 30, bypassing Downingtown.
About 1705 Sami Warren built what has become known as the Downingtown Log House. In 1713 the next owner Hickman sold the 1½ story, 21' 9" × 25' structure to Thomas and Mary Moore. Thomas Moore moved from the Log House in 1729 and died in 1738.
Thomas Downing acquired the Log House in 1739. It remained in the Downing family until 1940, when Thomas W. Downing died and left it to the borough of Downingtown. The borough did some restoration work to the Log House in 1947. It served as the home to the Downingtown Chamber of Commerce from 1950 until 1988. But the Log House was deteriorating as Route 30 had been built close to it. Located 18 inches (45.7 cm) below street level, the house suffered water damage due to runoff from Route 30 and vibration from traffic weakened the structure.
From 1988 until 1990 the Downingtown Historical Society relocated the house and did an extensive restoration with money raised for the project. It now sits approximately 70 feet (21 m) west of its original location, 22 feet (6.7 m) from the Route 30 sidewalk, and slightly above street level.
In 1904 John S. Trower and William A. Creditt, prominent black Philadelphians, founded the Downington Industrial and Agricultural School (DIAS) in Downington, to serve as an academic and vocational high school for African-American youths to prepare them for work. Creditt was pastor of the First African Baptist Church in Philadelphia, and Trower, a successful caterer and one of the wealthiest black businessmen in the nation, was a member of his congregation. Believing the North needed a school like the Tuskegee Institute, the men found land in Chester County and built the school on a 100-acre campus. They both served as principals until their respective deaths in 1921 (Creditt) and 1921. Originally a private, non-denominational school, in 1907 DIAS began to be state supported. Students were admitted from major northeastern cities. Among its trustees in the early decades was Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.
, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church
in Harlem, New York. The school operated until 1993. A new facility was constructed on the property and opened in 2002 as the Chester County campus of the Delaware County Community College
.
The city has initiated some widespread and continuing renovation in downtown, particularly to the streetscape; private owners have similarly renovated many commercial buildings. There has also been residential development on recovered industrial lands (brown fields) in the southeastern part of the borough. Downingtown is the location of some large regional and national businesses, including DNB (Downingtown National Bank), First National Bank of Chester County and Victory Brewing Company
. In 1988, a stall in its farmer's market was the first place where pretzels were sold by the founders of Auntie Anne's
, now a global company with 1,000 stores and $375 million in annual sales.
President Lincoln
's funeral train passed through Downingtown. The famous Irish patriot and martyr Wolfe Tone briefly lived here.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 7,589 people, 3,059 households, and 1,853 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,473.2 people per square mile (1,338.0/km²). There were 3,197 housing units at an average density of 1,463.2 per square mile (563.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 83.65% White, 10.79% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.29% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.44% from other races
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.53% of the population.
Downingtown has a large population of residents that have Italian ancestry. The town has two different Italian American organizations and is listed as one of the Italian-American strongholds in the U.S.
There are 3,059 households, out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.09.
The borough's population is spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $45,979, and the median income for a family was $53,468. Males had a median income of $38,893 versus $29,284 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $21,634. About 3.0% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
According to Nielsen's Prizm Market Segmentation System, residents of Downingtown predominantly fall into one of the following five categories: Big Fish Small Pond, Country Squires, God's Country, Movers & Shakers, and Winner's Circle. This segment spread indicates that residents of Downingtown are typically white collar homeowners with a graduate-plus education.
and is served by both SEPTA and Amtrak
. The town is also served by the regional Rover bus service, operated by Krapf bus lines and functionally an extension of the SEPTA bus system throughout Chester County. Both systems provide access to Philadelphia and other suburbs along the Main Line.
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...
, 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...
, 33 miles (53.1 km) west of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,891. Downingtown was settled by English and European colonists in the early 18th century and has a number of historic buildings and structures.
History
The town was originally named Milltown due to its number of mills along the East Branch Brandywine CreekEast Branch Brandywine Creek
The East Branch Brandywine Creek is a tributary of Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-Course:The creek starts in Suplee near Honey Brook, and joins the West Branch Brandywine Creek in Lenape. From its source, the creek flows east, then southeast, passing through...
, the first of which was founded by Daniel Butter. The Butter family also had paper mills in the area, and Frederick Bicking
Frederick Bicking
Frederick Bicking was born in Winterburg, a municipality in the district of Bad Kreuznach in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany and came probably first to Philadelphia and then to East Brandywine Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, before the Revolution...
from Winterburg
Winterburg
Winterburg is a municipality in the district of Bad Kreuznach in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany....
, Germany, was the patriarch of the Bicking paper families. Around 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...
, Milltown became more commonly known as Downingtown after the prominent businessman Thomas Downing, a Quaker immigrant in 1717 from Bradninch
Bradninch
Bradninch is a small town in Devon, England, lying about three miles south of Cullompton. Bradninch dates back to before the 7th century and at this time there was a Saxon fortress on Castle hill. The feudal Baron of Bradninch in the 12th century was Sir William de Tracy, one of the assassins of...
, Devon, England, who owned a number of those mills. The town was officially named Downingtown in 1812.
The town is located along the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
(now part of U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
) which runs from the East Coast to the West Coast. It was an early westward road in the wagon days as the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, first used in 1795, is the first long-distance paved road built in the United States, according to engineered plans and specifications. It links Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia at 34th Street, stretching for sixty-two miles. However, the western...
. The Lincoln Highway was the first paved road to cross the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Construction of the 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...
started in the early 1940s and was completed in the early 1950s; it runs north of US 30, bypassing Downingtown.
About 1705 Sami Warren built what has become known as the Downingtown Log House. In 1713 the next owner Hickman sold the 1½ story, 21' 9" × 25' structure to Thomas and Mary Moore. Thomas Moore moved from the Log House in 1729 and died in 1738.
Thomas Downing acquired the Log House in 1739. It remained in the Downing family until 1940, when Thomas W. Downing died and left it to the borough of Downingtown. The borough did some restoration work to the Log House in 1947. It served as the home to the Downingtown Chamber of Commerce from 1950 until 1988. But the Log House was deteriorating as Route 30 had been built close to it. Located 18 inches (45.7 cm) below street level, the house suffered water damage due to runoff from Route 30 and vibration from traffic weakened the structure.
From 1988 until 1990 the Downingtown Historical Society relocated the house and did an extensive restoration with money raised for the project. It now sits approximately 70 feet (21 m) west of its original location, 22 feet (6.7 m) from the Route 30 sidewalk, and slightly above street level.
In 1904 John S. Trower and William A. Creditt, prominent black Philadelphians, founded the Downington Industrial and Agricultural School (DIAS) in Downington, to serve as an academic and vocational high school for African-American youths to prepare them for work. Creditt was pastor of the First African Baptist Church in Philadelphia, and Trower, a successful caterer and one of the wealthiest black businessmen in the nation, was a member of his congregation. Believing the North needed a school like the Tuskegee Institute, the men found land in Chester County and built the school on a 100-acre campus. They both served as principals until their respective deaths in 1921 (Creditt) and 1921. Originally a private, non-denominational school, in 1907 DIAS began to be state supported. Students were admitted from major northeastern cities. Among its trustees in the early decades was Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.
Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.
Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. was a pastor who developed Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York as the largest Protestant congregation in the country, with 10,000 members; a community activist, author, and the father of Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr....
, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church
Abyssinian Baptist Church
The Abyssinian Baptist Church is among the most famous of the many prominent and activist churches in the Harlem section of New York City.- History :...
in Harlem, New York. The school operated until 1993. A new facility was constructed on the property and opened in 2002 as the Chester County campus of the Delaware County Community College
Delaware County Community College
Delaware County Community College, also known as DCCC, DC3, "Route 252 U" or Delco, is a 2-year community college in the Philadelphia area. While it is based in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, it has two campuses, one of which is located in Chester County, Pennsylvania...
.
The city has initiated some widespread and continuing renovation in downtown, particularly to the streetscape; private owners have similarly renovated many commercial buildings. There has also been residential development on recovered industrial lands (brown fields) in the southeastern part of the borough. Downingtown is the location of some large regional and national businesses, including DNB (Downingtown National Bank), First National Bank of Chester County and Victory Brewing Company
Victory Brewing Company
Victory Brewing Company is a brewery founded in 1996 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA. The main brands are HopDevil, Prima Pils, Headwaters Pale Ale, Golden Monkey and Storm King, which are distributed in 30 states. Victory Brewing is located at 420 Acorn Lane Downingtown, Pennsylvania 19335...
. In 1988, a stall in its farmer's market was the first place where pretzels were sold by the founders of Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages...
, now a global company with 1,000 stores and $375 million in annual sales.
President Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's funeral train passed through Downingtown. The famous Irish patriot and martyr Wolfe Tone briefly lived here.
In popular culture
- The 1958 movie, The BlobThe BlobThe Blob is an independently made 1958 American horror/science-fiction film that depicts a giant amoeba-like alien that terrorizes the small community of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania...
, was filmed in and around Downingtown. The diner featured in the movie, then called the "Downingtown Diner", is now named "Chef's Diner".
Geography
Downingtown is located at 40°0′23"N 75°42′22"W (40.006406, -75.706239).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 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.
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 7,589 people, 3,059 households, and 1,853 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 3,473.2 people per square mile (1,338.0/km²). There were 3,197 housing units at an average density of 1,463.2 per square mile (563.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 83.65% White, 10.79% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.29% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.44% 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 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.53% of the population.
Downingtown has a large population of residents that have Italian ancestry. The town has two different Italian American organizations and is listed as one of the Italian-American strongholds in the U.S.
There are 3,059 households, out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% 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, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.09.
The borough's population is spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $45,979, and the median income for a family was $53,468. Males had a median income of $38,893 versus $29,284 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 $21,634. About 3.0% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
According to Nielsen's Prizm Market Segmentation System, residents of Downingtown predominantly fall into one of the following five categories: Big Fish Small Pond, Country Squires, God's Country, Movers & Shakers, and Winner's Circle. This segment spread indicates that residents of Downingtown are typically white collar homeowners with a graduate-plus education.
Public education
- Downingtown Area School DistrictDowningtown Area School DistrictThe Downingtown Area School District is a school district based in Downingtown, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The district operates ten Elementary Schools, two Middle Schools and two High Schools, soon to be four...
- Beaver Creek Elementary School
- Bradford Heights Elementary School
- Brandywine Wallace Elementary School
- Downingtown Middle School
- Downingtown High School East Campus
- Downingtown High School West Campus
- Downingtown S.T.E.M. Academy
- East Ward Elementary School
- Lionville Elementary School
- Lionville Middle School
- Pickering Valley Elementary School
- Shamona Creek Elementary School
- Springton Manor Elementary School
- Uwchlan Hills Elementary School
- West Bradford Elementary School
Other schools
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Bishop Shanahan High SchoolBishop Shanahan High SchoolBishop Shanahan High School is located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Catholic school system. Named after Right Rev. John W. Shanahan, the third bishop of Harrisburg, the school is currently the only Archdiocesan High School in Chester County...
- St. Joseph's Parish School (K-8)
- St. Elizabeth Parish School (K-8)
- Bishop Shanahan High School
- Chester County Intermediate Unit houses several offices and special services in Downingtown.
Public transportation
Downingtown Station is located along the Lincoln HighwayLincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
and is served by both SEPTA and 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...
. The town is also served by the regional Rover bus service, operated by Krapf bus lines and functionally an extension of the SEPTA bus system throughout Chester County. Both systems provide access to Philadelphia and other suburbs along the Main Line.