Milford, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Milford is a borough in Pike County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, and the county seat
. Its population was 1,021 at the 2010 census. It was founded in 1796 by Judge John Biddis, one of the state's first four circuit judges, who named the settlement after his ancestral home in Wales
.
Milford has a large number of historical significant buildings, some of which are separately landmarked by being listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, while others fall into the NRHP's Milford Historic District. Of the 655 buildings in the district, 400 of them have been deemed to be historically significant. In addition, Grey Towers National Historic Site
, the ancestral home of Gifford Pinchot
, the noted conservationist, two-time Governor of Pennsylvania and first head of the U.S. Forest Service is located in Milford. Also nearby is "Arisbe", the home of logician, philosopher and scientist Charles S. Peirce.
The Pike County Historical Society Museum in Milford includes in its collection the "Lincoln Flag", which is the flag that was draped on President Abraham Lincoln
's booth at Ford's Theatre
the night he was shot
. The flag was bundled up and placed under the President's head, and still bears his blood. It was kept by stage manager Thomas Gourlay, and eventually passed down to his daughter Jeannie, an actress who had been in the play, Our American Cousin
, at the theatre that night; she moved to Milford and the flag was donated to the museum after her death.
In September 2007, Frommer's
Budget Travel named Milford second on its list of "Ten Coolest Small Towns" in Pennsylvania.
, the borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
When Judge Biddis bought up the land of what was then known as Wells Ferry and laid out the lots for the new town, he generally followed the plan of Philadelphia, with High Street – the equivalent of what is now Market Street in Philadelphia – running to the Delaware River, while Broad Street runs perpendicular to High, creating a grid. At the intersection of Broad and High is a public square – just as there is at Broad and Market in Philadelphia – and most of Milford's official buildings are located there. Within the grid, East-West streets are numbered, Second through Seventh, with Broad Street falling between Fourth and Fifth Streets, while North-South streets are named after Judge Biddis' children: Ann, Catherine, George, John, Sarah and Elizabeth. In between both the named and numbered streets are alleys, named after berries and fruit.
In contemporary Milford, Broad Street is also U.S. Route 6
and U.S. Route 209
. At its intersection with Harford Street, Route 6 continues north on Harford, while Route 209 continues south on the street.
Milford is located on an escarpment
above the Delaware River
, and all waterways there which drain into the river must fall the 100 feet (30.5 m) difference in height, creating what is known as a fluviarchy, a network of waterfall
s, putatively the most notable one east of the Rocky Mountains
.
of 2010, there were 1,021 people, 491 households, and 236 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,042 people per square mile (797.7/km²). There were 580 housing units at an average density of 1,160 per square mile (453.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.2% White, 0.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.4% from other races
, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.5% of the population.
There were 491 households out of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% were non-families. 42.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the borough the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 59.9% from 18 to 64, and 23.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.3 years.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,571, and the median income for a family was $46,136. Males had a median income of $40,500 versus $28,333 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $21,011. About 4.0% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
, and is home to Pike County Arts and Crafts
, an arts education organization that was chosen by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
as winner of the 2007 Pennsylvania State "Creative Community Award.". Since 1950, Pike County Arts and Crafts has also hosted an annual art show each July in Borough Hall. Milford is also the home of Camp Nah-Jee-Wah, Cedar Lake Camp, and Teen Camp operate through the NJY Camps.
in October primarily at the historic Milford Theater. It includes many free films and lectures in the Film Salon as well as paid feature films.
The Milford Music Festival takes place each June. It is a free weekend event sponsored by Altec Lansing
, whose headquarters are in Milford Township
. The 2009 Milford Music Festival was headlined by Vanessa Carlton
, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/pianist who is from Milford.
starring Mary Pickford
, Lillian Gish
and Lionel Barrymore
. It was also the original location of the Milford Science Fiction Writers Workshop
, founded in 1956 by Damon Knight
, James Blish
and Kate Wilhelm
, all residents of Milford at the time.
Pike County, Pennsylvania
-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River * Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
, 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...
, and 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....
. Its population was 1,021 at the 2010 census. It was founded in 1796 by Judge John Biddis, one of the state's first four circuit judges, who named the settlement after his ancestral home in Wales
Wales
Wales 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...
.
Milford has a large number of historical significant buildings, some of which are separately landmarked by being listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, while others fall into the NRHP's Milford Historic District. Of the 655 buildings in the district, 400 of them have been deemed to be historically significant. In addition, Grey Towers National Historic Site
Grey Towers National Historic Site
Grey Towers National Historic Site, also known as Gifford Pinchot House or The Pinchot Institute, is located just off US 6 west of Milford, Pennsylvania, in Dingman Township...
, the ancestral home of Gifford Pinchot
Gifford Pinchot
Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...
, the noted conservationist, two-time Governor of Pennsylvania and first head of the U.S. Forest Service is located in Milford. Also nearby is "Arisbe", the home of logician, philosopher and scientist Charles S. Peirce.
The Pike County Historical Society Museum in Milford includes in its collection the "Lincoln Flag", which is the flag that was draped on President Abraham 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 booth at Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre is a historic theater in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865...
the night he was shot
Abraham Lincoln assassination
The assassination of United States President Abraham Lincoln took place on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, as the American Civil War was drawing to a close. The assassination occurred five days after the commanding General of the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee, and his battered Army of...
. The flag was bundled up and placed under the President's head, and still bears his blood. It was kept by stage manager Thomas Gourlay, and eventually passed down to his daughter Jeannie, an actress who had been in the play, Our American Cousin
Our American Cousin
Our American Cousin is an 1858 play in three acts by English playwright Tom Taylor. The play is a farce whose plot is based on the introduction of an awkward, boorish but honest American, Asa Trenchard, to his aristocratic English relatives when he goes to England to claim the family estate...
, at the theatre that night; she moved to Milford and the flag was donated to the museum after her death.
In September 2007, Frommer's
Frommer's
Frommer's is a travel guidebook series and one of the bestselling travel guides in America. The series began in 1957 with the publication of Arthur Frommer's book, Europe on $5 a Day. Frommer's has expanded to include over 350 guidebooks across 14 series, as well as other media including the award...
Budget Travel named Milford second on its list of "Ten Coolest Small Towns" in Pennsylvania.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
When Judge Biddis bought up the land of what was then known as Wells Ferry and laid out the lots for the new town, he generally followed the plan of Philadelphia, with High Street – the equivalent of what is now Market Street in Philadelphia – running to the Delaware River, while Broad Street runs perpendicular to High, creating a grid. At the intersection of Broad and High is a public square – just as there is at Broad and Market in Philadelphia – and most of Milford's official buildings are located there. Within the grid, East-West streets are numbered, Second through Seventh, with Broad Street falling between Fourth and Fifth Streets, while North-South streets are named after Judge Biddis' children: Ann, Catherine, George, John, Sarah and Elizabeth. In between both the named and numbered streets are alleys, named after berries and fruit.
In contemporary Milford, Broad Street is also U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
and U.S. Route 209
U.S. Route 209
U.S. Route 209 is a long U.S. highway in the states of Pennsylvania and New York. Although the route is a spur of U.S. Route 9, US 209 never intersects US 9, making the connection via U.S. Route 9W instead. The southern terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania...
. At its intersection with Harford Street, Route 6 continues north on Harford, while Route 209 continues south on the street.
Milford is located on an escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
above 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...
, and all waterways there which drain into the river must fall the 100 feet (30.5 m) difference in height, creating what is known as a fluviarchy, a network of waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s, putatively the most notable one east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
.
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 2010, there were 1,021 people, 491 households, and 236 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 2,042 people per square mile (797.7/km²). There were 580 housing units at an average density of 1,160 per square mile (453.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.2% White, 0.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.4% 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 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.5% of the population.
There were 491 households out of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% 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, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% were non-families. 42.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the borough the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 59.9% from 18 to 64, and 23.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.3 years.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,571, and the median income for a family was $46,136. Males had a median income of $40,500 versus $28,333 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 $21,011. About 4.0% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education, arts and crafts, camps
Milford is served by the Delaware Valley School DistrictDelaware Valley School District
For the Delaware Valley School District located in New York see Sullivan West Central SchoolThe Delaware Valley School District covers the Boroughs of Matamoras and Milford and Delaware Township, Dingman Township, Milford Township, Shohola Township and Westfall Township in Pike County, Pennsylvania...
, and is home to Pike County Arts and Crafts
Pike County Arts and Crafts
-Pike County Arts & Crafts:Pike County Arts & Crafts , headquartered in Milford, Pennsylvania, is the oldest and largest arts education organization in northeastern Pennsylvania...
, an arts education organization that was chosen by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts is an agency serving the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.Established in 1966, its mission is "to foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of the arts in Pennsylvania and to broaden the availability and appreciation of those arts throughout the state." Each year...
as winner of the 2007 Pennsylvania State "Creative Community Award.". Since 1950, Pike County Arts and Crafts has also hosted an annual art show each July in Borough Hall. Milford is also the home of Camp Nah-Jee-Wah, Cedar Lake Camp, and Teen Camp operate through the NJY Camps.
Annual events
The Black Bear Film Festival is an annual independent film festival, which takes place the weekend after Columbus DayColumbus Day
Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
in October primarily at the historic Milford Theater. It includes many free films and lectures in the Film Salon as well as paid feature films.
The Milford Music Festival takes place each June. It is a free weekend event sponsored by Altec Lansing
Altec Lansing
Altec Lansing is a line of professional, home, automotive, computer, and multimedia audio products first developed in 1936. They were used in many studios as monitor speakers...
, whose headquarters are in Milford Township
Milford Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania
Milford Township is a township in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,530 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 13.1 square miles , of which, 13 square miles of it is land and...
. The 2009 Milford Music Festival was headlined by Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Lee Carlton is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Upon completion of her education at the School of American Ballet, Carlton chose to pursue singing instead, performing in New York bars and clubs while attending university. Three months after recording a demo with producer Peter...
, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/pianist who is from Milford.
Notable residents
- Louis AllenDeaths of Phillip Esposito and Louis AllenThe deaths of Phillip Esposito and Louis Allen were caused on June 7, 2005, at Forward Operating Base Danger in Tikrit, Iraq. Captain Phillip Esposito and First Lieutenant Louis Allen, from a New York Army National Guard unit of the United States 42nd Infantry Division, were killed by a Claymore...
, a New York Army National GuardNew York Army National GuardThe New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
officer killed in a fragging incident in 2005 during the Iraq War. - The science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
authors James BlishJames BlishJames Benjamin Blish was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. Blish also wrote literary criticism of science fiction using the pen-name William Atheling, Jr.-Biography:...
, Damon KnightDamon KnightDamon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, critic and fan. His forte was short stories and he is widely acknowledged as having been a master of the genre.-Biography:...
, Judith Merrill and Kate WilhelmKate WilhelmKate Wilhelm is an American writer whose works include science fiction, mystery, and fantasy.- Career :Wilhelm was born in Toledo, Ohio....
(Mrs. Knight) - Vanessa CarltonVanessa CarltonVanessa Lee Carlton is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Upon completion of her education at the School of American Ballet, Carlton chose to pursue singing instead, performing in New York bars and clubs while attending university. Three months after recording a demo with producer Peter...
, singer/pianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:... - Allyn JoslynAllyn JoslynAllyn Joslyn was an American stage, film and television actor.-Biography:Allyn Joslyn was born in Milford, Pennsylvania, the son of a mining engineer...
, stage and screen actor - Writer Frank McCourtFrank McCourtFrancis "Frank" McCourt was an Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, best known as the author of Angela’s Ashes, an award-winning, tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood....
- The family of Gifford PinchotGifford PinchotGifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...
, including Mary Pinchot MeyerMary Pinchot MeyerMary Eno Pinchot Meyer was an American socialite, painter, former wife of Central Intelligence Agency official Cord Meyer and intimate friend of United States president John F. Kennedy, who was often noted for her desirable physique and social skills...
. - The polymathPolymathA polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
Charles Sanders Peirce lived on a farm 3 miles from Milford, from 1887 until his 1914 death. - Mary PickfordMary PickfordMary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
, silent film actress - Al PitrelliAl PitrelliAl Pitrelli is a guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.-Early career :...
, guitarist
In popular culture
Milford served as setting for a number of silent films directed by D.W. Griffith in the early 1900s, including The InformerThe Informer (1912 film)
The Informer is a 1912 drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Prints of the film survive at the film archive of the Library of Congress.-Cast:* Walter Miller - The Confederate Captain* Mary Pickford - The Confederate Captain's Sweetheart* Henry B...
starring Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
, Lillian Gish
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
and Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
. It was also the original location of the Milford Science Fiction Writers Workshop
Milford Writer's Workshop
The Milford Writer's Workshop or more properly Milford Writers' Conference is an influential science fiction writer's event founded by Damon Knight among others in the mid-1950s in Milford, Pennsylvania...
, founded in 1956 by Damon Knight
Damon Knight
Damon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, critic and fan. His forte was short stories and he is widely acknowledged as having been a master of the genre.-Biography:...
, James Blish
James Blish
James Benjamin Blish was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. Blish also wrote literary criticism of science fiction using the pen-name William Atheling, Jr.-Biography:...
and Kate Wilhelm
Kate Wilhelm
Kate Wilhelm is an American writer whose works include science fiction, mystery, and fantasy.- Career :Wilhelm was born in Toledo, Ohio....
, all residents of Milford at the time.
Gallery
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pike County, PennsylvaniaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Pike County, PennsylvaniaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pike County, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States...