Rutledge, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Rutledge is a borough in Delaware County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 860 at the 2000 census. In the borough is a children's park named Triangle Park along with a Fire Department.
Students living in Rutledge attend school in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District
.
“Located ten miles from Philadelphia, on the line of the Central Division of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, three minutes walk from Morton Station – it is reached in from 20 to 30 minutes by 21 trains daily… To the west lies the magnificent Swarthmore College, and to the southeast, three miles away, lies the Delaware River… its school is one of the finest in the county; its houses are neat and attractive, and their owners take great pride in their homes and the adornment of their grounds.”
Since then, there have been a few name changes. The train line is SEPTA’s Media/Elwyn Line, which provides 26 trains on weekdays from Philadelphia to what is now called the Morton-Rutledge Station. But in many ways, this description still holds true today. The schools in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District are still among the finest in the county, and the homes, many of them dating back to the late 19th century, are still kept with pride by their owners.
There is a long-standing legend that the Borough was named after Ann Rutledge, a sweetheart of Abraham Lincoln. This erroneous story is perpetuated in the sign that greets you as you approach Rutledge from the south on Morton Avenue. The actual story, according to the founders’ brochure, is that the town was named after a then-popular romantic novel written in the 1860s. However, the site of what is now Rutledge Borough was once a section of land on the estate of Edward Rutledge
, who served as Representative from South Carolina at the Constitutional Convention of July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, and the person who first suggested the name may also have known of this connection.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 860 people, 297 households, and 217 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 6,410.8 people per square mile (2,554.2/km²). There were 305 housing units at an average density of 2,273.6 per square mile (905.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.51% White, 1.63% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.93% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.
There were 297 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the borough the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $80,972, and the median income for a family was $90,333. Males had a median income of $46,500 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $51,800. About 4.1% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, 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...
. The population was 860 at the 2000 census. In the borough is a children's park named Triangle Park along with a Fire Department.
Students living in Rutledge attend school in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is a midsized, suburban public school district in south-eastern Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It serves the boroughs of Swarthmore, Rose Valley and Rutledge, and the township of Nether Providence...
.
History
Rutledge was founded in 1885 by a group of Philadelphia businessmen, and incorporated as a Borough in 1887. Here is how the community was described in an 1897 promotional brochure:“Located ten miles from Philadelphia, on the line of the Central Division of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, three minutes walk from Morton Station – it is reached in from 20 to 30 minutes by 21 trains daily… To the west lies the magnificent Swarthmore College, and to the southeast, three miles away, lies the Delaware River… its school is one of the finest in the county; its houses are neat and attractive, and their owners take great pride in their homes and the adornment of their grounds.”
Since then, there have been a few name changes. The train line is SEPTA’s Media/Elwyn Line, which provides 26 trains on weekdays from Philadelphia to what is now called the Morton-Rutledge Station. But in many ways, this description still holds true today. The schools in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District are still among the finest in the county, and the homes, many of them dating back to the late 19th century, are still kept with pride by their owners.
There is a long-standing legend that the Borough was named after Ann Rutledge, a sweetheart of Abraham Lincoln. This erroneous story is perpetuated in the sign that greets you as you approach Rutledge from the south on Morton Avenue. The actual story, according to the founders’ brochure, is that the town was named after a then-popular romantic novel written in the 1860s. However, the site of what is now Rutledge Borough was once a section of land on the estate of Edward Rutledge
Edward Rutledge
Edward Rutledge was an American politician and youngest signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He later served as the 39th Governor of South Carolina.-Early years and career:...
, who served as Representative from South Carolina at the Constitutional Convention of July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, and the person who first suggested the name may also have known of this connection.
Geography
Rutledge is located at 39°54′3"N 75°19′39"W (39.900812, -75.327404).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 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
Education System
Rutledge lies within the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (W-SSD). School-age children within the public education system attend the Kids' Place for kindergarten, Swarthmore Rutlege School (SRS) for grades 1-5, Strath Haven Middle School (SHMS) for grades 6-8, and Strath Haven High School (SHHS) for grades 9-12.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 860 people, 297 households, and 217 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 6,410.8 people per square mile (2,554.2/km²). There were 305 housing units at an average density of 2,273.6 per square mile (905.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.51% White, 1.63% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.93% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.
There were 297 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% 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, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the borough the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $80,972, and the median income for a family was $90,333. Males had a median income of $46,500 versus $33,281 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 $51,800. About 4.1% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.