Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Phoenixville is a borough
in Chester County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, 28 miles (45.1 km) northwest of Philadelphia
, at the junction of French Creek
with the Schuylkill River
. The population is 16,440 as of the 2010 Census.
, boiler
works, silk
mill, underwear and hosiery factories
, a match factory, and the famous (and now highly collectible) Etruscan majolica
pottery. Like so many American towns and cities, Phoenixville owes its growth to its waterways. It is not only situated on the broad Schuylkill River
, a historic thoroughfare to Native Americans
and early settlers alike, but it is bisected by the fast-flowing French Creek
, which was quickly harnessed for water power.
Much of this history was recognized by the creation of the Phoenixville Historic District
, the largest National Register of Historic Places
site in Chester County.
When the borough was incorporated in 1849, it incorporated the name of its major employer.
After several ownership changes, the plant was completely shut down in 1949 and later acquired by the Barium Steel Corp. and renamed the Phoenix Iron & Steel Company, later The Phoenix Steel Corporation. The entire plant was shut down for the last time in 1987.
Phoenixville is home to the Colonial Theatre
, opened in 1903. In 1958, the theatre, along with some other parts of the borough, was featured in the motion picture The Blob
. Beginning in 2000, Phoenixville has celebrated this with the annual Blobfest. Festivities include a reenactment of the scene featuring the Colonial. The Colonial runs special programs some weekends in July, and an ongoing series of movies and events for children.
Since 2004 on the first Friday night of every month the downtown stores, restaurants and businesses and volunteer community groups hold special events including street musicians and entertainers and some outdoor concerts.
Phoenixville is in close proximity to Valley Forge park and both the Perkiomen and Schuylkill River trails.
and Molly Macguire's Pub, both located on Bridge Street. Customers Bank
, the nation's fourth best earnings
performing community bank, according to the American Bankers Association
, is headquartered in downtown Phoenixville.
From 2002 to 2010, assessed property values in Phoenixville Borough grew by over 20 percent.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (4.27%) is water. Phoenixville was home to Showalter's Dairy until it closed in the early 1980s. Phoenixville is home of the highest recorded temperature in Pennsylvania, 111 degrees Fahrenheit, set in 1936.
Average annual rainfall: 30"
Average snowfall: 13"
Average temperature in winter: 34°
Average temperature in summer: 73°
Schuylkill Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
-South and East
Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
-North
, 29
, and 113
. Phoenixville is currently served by SEPTA's Route 99 bus, which connects with the Manayunk/Norristown Line
Regional rail
service at the Norristown Transportation Center
, the Route 205 bus, which connects with the Paoli station during weekday rush hours, and the Route 139 bus, which connects the King of Prussia Mall
with the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick.
Several major railroads once served Phoenixville. The Reading Railroad
entered the east side of town via a station above Bridge Street. The line passes under the north side of town in the Black Rock Tunnel
, the second rail tunnel constructed in the United States. Regular commuter trains last stopped at the Phoenixville Station in 1981, when SEPTA ceased operating non-electrified commuter lines. Norfolk Southern Railway
(NS) currently utilizes the busy line on a daily basis as part of its Harrisburg Line
.
The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
Schuylkill Branch
also served Phoenixville. The line enters town crossing the Schuylkill River from neighboring Mont Clare
on a high bridge, north of French Creek. The line passes along the north side of the former Phoenix Iron Works site. The station on Vanderslice Street, west of Gay Street, no longer exists. Past the Works, the line splits. The main fork passed through the now abandoned Phoenixville Tunnel
, which partially collapsed in the 1990s, and continued toward Reading
. The other fork continued along the Pickering Creek Valley and used to connect with the Main Line
at Paoli
. A section of the line remains in place, and is currently known as the Phoenixville Industrial track (also owned by NS). Passenger service ended in 1928 and regular freight service on the line ceased in 2004. During the 2008 replacement of the Gay Street Bridge, the line was severed at its crossing of Main Street and that rail bridge raised a few feet to allow emergency vehicles to reach the north side of town.
Interest to resume passenger rail service was spurred by the Schuylkill Valley Metro
(SVM) project, which was rejected by Federal Transit Administration
in 2006. Another project, called the Greenline
, has since been proposed an alternative to the SVM. It would utilize the Phoenixville Industrial track, to give Phoenixville a rail link to Philadelphia via Paoli and the Paoli/Thorndale Line
of regional rail. The effort to resume passenger train service has led to the creation of the group Citizens for the Train.
of Phoenixville is governed by a mayor and by eight council members, two for each of four wards
: Middle, East, North, and West. Each ward is further divided into three numbered election precincts. The precincts do not have government representatives.
Phoenixville is in Pennsylvania's 6th federal Congressional District
, the 157th State House of Representatives District, and the 19th State Senatorial District.
, which has three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. The School District also serves the surrounding municipalities of East Pikeland and Schuylkill Townships.
Charlestown Playhouse
of 2010, there were 16,440 people, 7,590 households.
. There were 6,793 housing units at an average density of 1,892.6/sq mi (730.6/km²).
The racial makeup of the borough was 81.7% White
, 8.9% African American
, 0.5% American Indian
, 3.3% Asian
, 0.00% Pacific Islander
, 4.1% from other races,
and Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 5.6% of the population.
In the Borough the population was 6.3% under the age of 5,
79.9% (12,822) from 18 years and olders, 11.6% (1,870) from 65 and older,
The median age was 37.90 years, 52.6% (8,448) are females, and 47.4% (7,606) are males.
The median income for a household in the Borough was $56,704,
and the median income for a family was $71,005.
58.4% of residents are Catholic
7.3% are of the United Methodist Church
, 6.7% are Presbyterians, 4.5% are of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
, 3.4% are of the Episcopal Church
, 2.7% are Baptists, 2.4% are Muslims, 1.9% are of the United Church of Christ, 1.2% are Quakers, and 11.5% are classified as other.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in 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...
, 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...
, 28 miles (45.1 km) northwest of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, at the junction of French Creek
French Creek (Schuylkill River)
French Creek, once known as Saukanac Creek, is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in Berks and Chester counties, Pennsylvania in the United States.French Creek travels through French Creek State Park and joins the Schuylkill in Phoenixville...
with the Schuylkill River
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...
. The population is 16,440 as of the 2010 Census.
History
Originally called Manavon, Phoenixville was settled in 1732 and incorporated as a borough in 1849. In its industrial heyday early in the twentieth century, it was an important manufacturing center and it was the site of great iron and steel mills such as the Phoenix Iron WorksPhoenix Iron Works
The Phoenix Iron Works , located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, was a significant manufacturer of iron and related products during the 19th century and early 20th century. Phoenix Iron Company was a major producer of cannons for the Union Army during the American Civil War...
, boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
works, silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
mill, underwear and hosiery factories
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
, a match factory, and the famous (and now highly collectible) Etruscan majolica
Victorian majolica
Victorian Majolica is earthenware pottery made in 19th century Britain, Europe and the USA with molded surfaces and colorful clear lead glazes.-History:...
pottery. Like so many American towns and cities, Phoenixville owes its growth to its waterways. It is not only situated on the broad Schuylkill River
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...
, a historic thoroughfare to Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and early settlers alike, but it is bisected by the fast-flowing French Creek
French Creek (Schuylkill River)
French Creek, once known as Saukanac Creek, is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in Berks and Chester counties, Pennsylvania in the United States.French Creek travels through French Creek State Park and joins the Schuylkill in Phoenixville...
, which was quickly harnessed for water power.
Much of this history was recognized by the creation of the Phoenixville Historic District
Phoenixville Historic District
The Phoenixville Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places site. The district consists of the older part of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, especially the former Phoenix Iron Works site and its employee and owner housing....
, the largest 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...
site in Chester County.
Name
The first nail factory in the U.S., the French Creek Nail Works, was established in Phoenixville (then called Manavon) in 1790. In 1813, a bridge builder, Lewis Wernwag, became part owner and renamed it the Phoenix Iron Works. In 1840, new owners added a blast furnace. In 1855 a new group of owners incorporated as the Phoenix Iron Co.When the borough was incorporated in 1849, it incorporated the name of its major employer.
After several ownership changes, the plant was completely shut down in 1949 and later acquired by the Barium Steel Corp. and renamed the Phoenix Iron & Steel Company, later The Phoenix Steel Corporation. The entire plant was shut down for the last time in 1987.
Attractions
In March 2010, Philadelphia Magazine listed Phoenixville as one of "10 Awesome Neighborhoods To Call Home".Phoenixville is home to the Colonial Theatre
Colonial Theatre (Phoenixville)
The Colonial Theatre is located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania at 227 Bridge Street. Built in 1903 as a vaudeville house, the "Colonial Opera House" brought professional shows and live entertainment to Phoenixville for the first time....
, opened in 1903. In 1958, the theatre, along with some other parts of the borough, was featured in the motion picture The Blob
The Blob
The 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...
. Beginning in 2000, Phoenixville has celebrated this with the annual Blobfest. Festivities include a reenactment of the scene featuring the Colonial. The Colonial runs special programs some weekends in July, and an ongoing series of movies and events for children.
Since 2004 on the first Friday night of every month the downtown stores, restaurants and businesses and volunteer community groups hold special events including street musicians and entertainers and some outdoor concerts.
Phoenixville is in close proximity to Valley Forge park and both the Perkiomen and Schuylkill River trails.
Economy
Phoenixville has a diverse local economy that largely includes many local artisans and restaurants. Local hotspots include an Iron Hill BreweryIron Hill Brewery
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is a chain of brewpubs in the Delaware Valley. The chain is named after the hill in Delaware on which the Battle of Cooch's Bridge took place....
and Molly Macguire's Pub, both located on Bridge Street. Customers Bank
Customers Bank
Customers Bank, with Executive Offices in Wyomissing, PA, is a $1.6 billion asset bank with 11 branches in suburban Philadelphia, Hamilton, NJ, and Port Chester NY. In 2010, Customers Bank was recognized as one of America’s top performing banks in its size category by the ABA Banking Journal...
, the nation's fourth best earnings
EBITDA
EBITDA is an acronym for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. It is a non-GAAP metric that is measured exactly as stated. All interest, tax, depreciation and amortization entries in the income statement are reversed out from the bottom-line net income...
performing community bank, according to the American Bankers Association
American Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association is an industry trade group and professional association representing the United States' banking industry...
, is headquartered in downtown Phoenixville.
From 2002 to 2010, assessed property values in Phoenixville Borough grew by over 20 percent.
Geography and Climate
Phoenixville is located at 40°7′51"N 75°31′9"W (40.130819, -75.519061).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 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (4.27%) is water. Phoenixville was home to Showalter's Dairy until it closed in the early 1980s. Phoenixville is home of the highest recorded temperature in Pennsylvania, 111 degrees Fahrenheit, set in 1936.
Average annual rainfall: 30"
Average snowfall: 13"
Average temperature in winter: 34°
Average temperature in summer: 73°
Adjacent Municipalities
East Pikeland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania-WestSchuylkill Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Schuylkill Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Schuylkill Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It contains the village of Valley Forge. The population was 8,516 at the 2010 census....
-South and East
Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Upper Providence Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 21,219.- History :...
-North
Transportation
Phoenixville is at the intersection of three state routes: 23Pennsylvania Route 23
Pennsylvania Route 23 is a state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The route begins at Pennsylvania Route 441 in Marietta and heads east to U.S. Route 1 in Philadelphia.-Marietta to Valley Forge:...
, 29
Pennsylvania Route 29
Pennsylvania Route 29 is a 118 mile long north–south state highway that runs through most of eastern Pennsylvania. The route currently exists in two segments, a southern segment and a northern segment. The southernmost terminus of the designation is at U.S. Route 30 in Malvern...
, and 113
Pennsylvania Route 113
Pennsylvania Route 113 is a long state route in eastern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 30 Business in Downingtown. Its northern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 611 in Tinicum Township...
. Phoenixville is currently served by SEPTA's Route 99 bus, which connects with the Manayunk/Norristown Line
Manayunk/Norristown Line
The Manayunk/Norristown Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to the Elm Street station in Norristown, Montgomery County.-Route:...
Regional rail
Regional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
service at the Norristown Transportation Center
Norristown Transportation Center
Norristown Transportation Center is a two-level multimodal public transportation regional hub located in Norristown, Pennsylvania and operated by SEPTA...
, the Route 205 bus, which connects with the Paoli station during weekday rush hours, and the Route 139 bus, which connects the King of Prussia Mall
King of Prussia Mall
The King of Prussia Mall is the largest shopping mall on the East Coast of the United States, and largest shopping mall in the United States of America in terms of leasable retail space....
with the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick.
Several major railroads once served Phoenixville. The Reading Railroad
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
entered the east side of town via a station above Bridge Street. The line passes under the north side of town in the Black Rock Tunnel
Black Rock Tunnel
The Black Rock Tunnel is an active rail road tunnel of the old Reading Railroad. The 1835 tunnel was the second rail tunnel constructed in the United States, and is the oldest still in use. The tunnel is also notable as being the first for which shafts were sunk during construction. The tunnel...
, the second rail tunnel constructed in the United States. Regular commuter trains last stopped at the Phoenixville Station in 1981, when SEPTA ceased operating non-electrified commuter lines. Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(NS) currently utilizes the busy line on a daily basis as part of its Harrisburg Line
Harrisburg Line
The Harrisburg Line is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Philadelphia west to Harrisburg along the former Reading Company main line....
.
The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
Schuylkill Branch
Schuylkill Branch
The Schuylkill Branch was a rail line owned and operated by the former Pennsylvania Railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line ran from the Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line at 52nd Street in Philadelphia north via Norristown, Reading, and Pottsville to Delano Junction...
also served Phoenixville. The line enters town crossing the Schuylkill River from neighboring Mont Clare
Mont Clare, Pennsylvania
Mont Clare is a village in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. The village is located on the left bank of the Schuylkill River, opposite Phoenixville, at the site of the former Jacobs' ford. Mont Clare hosts the only functional lock and one of only two remaining...
on a high bridge, north of French Creek. The line passes along the north side of the former Phoenix Iron Works site. The station on Vanderslice Street, west of Gay Street, no longer exists. Past the Works, the line splits. The main fork passed through the now abandoned Phoenixville Tunnel
Phoenixville Tunnel
The Phoenixville Tunnel, originally called the Fairview Tunnel, was part of the Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley Railroad in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.-History:The tunnel was built in 1884. It is approximately 811 feet long and 24 feet 8 inches wide...
, which partially collapsed in the 1990s, and continued toward 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,...
. The other fork continued along the Pickering Creek Valley and used to connect with the Main Line
Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)
The Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was a rail line in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting Philadelphia with Pittsburgh via Harrisburg...
at Paoli
Paoli, Pennsylvania
Paoli is a census-designated place in Chester County near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated in portions of two townships: Tredyffrin and Willistown...
. A section of the line remains in place, and is currently known as the Phoenixville Industrial track (also owned by NS). Passenger service ended in 1928 and regular freight service on the line ceased in 2004. During the 2008 replacement of the Gay Street Bridge, the line was severed at its crossing of Main Street and that rail bridge raised a few feet to allow emergency vehicles to reach the north side of town.
Interest to resume passenger rail service was spurred by the Schuylkill Valley Metro
Schuylkill Valley Metro
The Schuylkill Valley Metro was a proposal for a 62-mile railway system that would link Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the city of Reading, Pennsylvania in central Berks County, USA, using the SEPTA Manayunk/Norristown Line and Cynwyd Line, as well as two current freight-only rights-of-way owned...
(SVM) project, which was rejected by Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
in 2006. Another project, called the Greenline
Green Line (Pennsylvania)
The Greenline is a proposed $138 million mass transit line for the Upper Schuylkill Valley region in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. It is still in the planning stages and its construction is not guaranteed. The line is being advocated by a group called Citizens for the Train...
, has since been proposed an alternative to the SVM. It would utilize the Phoenixville Industrial track, to give Phoenixville a rail link to Philadelphia via Paoli and the Paoli/Thorndale Line
Paoli/Thorndale Line
The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
of regional rail. The effort to resume passenger train service has led to the creation of the group Citizens for the Train.
Governance
The boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
of Phoenixville is governed by a mayor and by eight council members, two for each of four wards
Wards of the United States
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city or town, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes...
: Middle, East, North, and West. Each ward is further divided into three numbered election precincts. The precincts do not have government representatives.
Phoenixville is in Pennsylvania's 6th federal Congressional District
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District was substantially redrawn in 2002. Its strange shape brought charges of gerrymandering by Democrats who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties." ...
, the 157th State House of Representatives District, and the 19th State Senatorial District.
Education
Public School
Phoenixville is served by the Phoenixville Area School DistrictPhoenixville Area School District
The Phoenixville AreaSchool District is a public school district serving the portions of Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is centered on the borough of Phoenixville and also incorporates East Pikeland and Schuylkill Townships...
, which has three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. The School District also serves the surrounding municipalities of East Pikeland and Schuylkill Townships.
Private Schools
Holy Family SchoolCharlestown Playhouse
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 16,440 people, 7,590 households.
. There were 6,793 housing units at an average density of 1,892.6/sq mi (730.6/km²).
The racial makeup of the borough was 81.7% White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
, 8.9% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.5% American Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, 3.3% Asian
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, 0.00% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
, 4.1% from other races,
and Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 5.6% of the population.
In the Borough the population was 6.3% under the age of 5,
79.9% (12,822) from 18 years and olders, 11.6% (1,870) from 65 and older,
The median age was 37.90 years, 52.6% (8,448) are females, and 47.4% (7,606) are males.
The median income for a household in the Borough was $56,704,
and the median income for a family was $71,005.
Religion
Phoenixville is home to 34 designated places of worship of several different religions.58.4% of residents are Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
7.3% are of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, 6.7% are Presbyterians, 4.5% are of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
, 3.4% are of the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church
An episcopal church has bishops in its organisational structure which is calledEpiscopal polityEpiscopal Church may refer to:Anglican Communion:...
, 2.7% are Baptists, 2.4% are Muslims, 1.9% are of the United Church of Christ, 1.2% are Quakers, and 11.5% are classified as other.
Notable people
- Terry GilkysonTerry GilkysonHamilton H. Gilkyson III , better known as Terry Gilkyson, was an American folk singer, composer, and lyricist.-Biography:...
, Disney composer - Creighton GubanichCreighton GubanichCreighton Wade Gubanich is a retired baseball player who played briefly in the major leagues in 1999 for the Boston Red Sox...
, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player with the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Rich KraynakRich KraynakRichard Bernard "Rich" Kraynak is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons ....
, former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles - John-Paul LavoisierJohn-Paul Lavoisier-Career:Lavoisier is known for his role as Rex Balsom on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live. He has portrayed this character since 2002. During that same year, he also appeared in the horror movie Wolves of Wall Street....
, soap opera actor on "One Life to Live" - Harry A. Longabaugh, Old West outlaw
- Neal OlkewiczNeal OlkewiczNeal T. Olkewicz is a former American football linebacker who played his entire eleven year career with the Washington Redskins from 1979 to 1989 in the National Football League....
, former American Football linebacker - Mike PiazzaMike PiazzaMichael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
, former catcher and designated hitter in Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League... - John Smiley, former MLB pitcher
- André ThorntonAndre ThorntonAndré Thornton , nicknamed "Thunder," is a former first baseman and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and Cleveland Indians during a 14-year career...
, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - David WhiteDavid White (actor)David White was an American stage, film and television actor best known for playing Darrin's boss Larry Tate in the 1964-72 sitcom Bewitched.-Early life:...
, actor - William George WilsonWilliam George WilsonWilliam G. Wilson was an American cinematographer and Director of Photography who filmed hundreds of championship sporting events during a career that spanned more than 50 years. Wilson filmed baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, golf, boxing, horse-racing and auto racing...
, award-winning sports cinematographer - Kevin BaconKevin BaconKevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
, actor