Trappe, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Trappe is a borough
in Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 3,509 at the 2010 census. Augustus Lutheran Church
, built in 1743, is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the United States in continuous use by the same congregation. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
. South Elementary school lies in the borough, as does the old Collegeville-Trappe high school
.
The Augustus Lutheran Church
, formerly called Providence, was the first congregation established. Construction of the Old Church (on the property) was started in 1743 and was designed by Heinrich Melchior Muhlenberg, a Lutheran minister who had immigrated to the colony in 1742 and who founded many congregations in the area. After a severe storm in the 1850s that damaged the colonial building, it was restored according to his original plans. It is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the US in continuous use by the same congregation. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark
.
A c. 1730 building across from Augustus Lutheran Church served as the US Post Office until 1929, when operations were moved to a larger regional location. The post office/general store is now a private residence.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 3,210 people, 1,292 households, and 886 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,547.1 people per square mile (598.7/km²). There were 1,351 housing units at an average density of 651.1 per square mile (252.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.02% White, 2.40% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.34% from other races
, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 1,292 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 41.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $67,500, and the median income for a family was $76,544. Males had a median income of $52,337 versus $37,212 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $31,281. About 0.6% of families and 0.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty-five or over.
form of government with a mayor
and a seven-member borough council. The mayor is Constance Peck. The current borough council members are Fred Schuetz (president), Matthew Watson (vice-president), Nevin Scholl, Steve Kurcik, Paul Edwards, Lew DiPrete, and Cathy Johnson.
The borough is part of the Sixth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Jim Gerlach
), the 150th State House District (represented by Rep. Mike Vereb) and the 19th State Senate District represented by Sen. Andrew Dinniman).
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, 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 3,509 at the 2010 census. Augustus Lutheran Church
Augustus Lutheran Church
Augustus Lutheran Church, built during 1743-1745 in Trappe, Pennsylvania, is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the United States in continuous use by the same congregation....
, built in 1743, is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the United States in continuous use by the same congregation. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Geography
Trappe is located at 40°11′50"N 75°28′31"W (40.197111, -75.475244).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 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
Schools
Trappe falls within the boundaries of the Perkiomen Valley School DistrictPerkiomen Valley School District
The Perkiomen Valley School District is a school district based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania . PVSD was created in 1969 through the merger of the Collegeville-Trappe School District and the Schwenksville School District...
. South Elementary school lies in the borough, as does the old Collegeville-Trappe high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
.
History
European settlers arrived in the area of Trappe in the early decades of the 18th century and included many German immigrants. They had landed at the port of Philadelphia and moved west, where land was available.The Augustus Lutheran Church
Augustus Lutheran Church
Augustus Lutheran Church, built during 1743-1745 in Trappe, Pennsylvania, is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the United States in continuous use by the same congregation....
, formerly called Providence, was the first congregation established. Construction of the Old Church (on the property) was started in 1743 and was designed by Heinrich Melchior Muhlenberg, a Lutheran minister who had immigrated to the colony in 1742 and who founded many congregations in the area. After a severe storm in the 1850s that damaged the colonial building, it was restored according to his original plans. It is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the US in continuous use by the same congregation. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
A c. 1730 building across from Augustus Lutheran Church served as the US Post Office until 1929, when operations were moved to a larger regional location. The post office/general store is now a private residence.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, 89.2% White, 3.2% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.5% Asian, and 2.0% were two or more races. 2.7% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA.As of the census
Census
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 3,210 people, 1,292 households, and 886 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 1,547.1 people per square mile (598.7/km²). There were 1,351 housing units at an average density of 651.1 per square mile (252.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.02% White, 2.40% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.34% 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 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 1,292 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% 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, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 41.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $67,500, and the median income for a family was $76,544. Males had a median income of $52,337 versus $37,212 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 $31,281. About 0.6% of families and 0.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty-five or over.
Politics and government
Trappe has a city managerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
form of government with a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a seven-member borough council. The mayor is Constance Peck. The current borough council members are Fred Schuetz (president), Matthew Watson (vice-president), Nevin Scholl, Steve Kurcik, Paul Edwards, Lew DiPrete, and Cathy Johnson.
The borough is part of the Sixth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Jim Gerlach
Jim Gerlach
James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...
), the 150th State House District (represented by Rep. Mike Vereb) and the 19th State Senate District represented by Sen. Andrew Dinniman).
Notable people
- Trappe is the birth place of Frederick MuhlenbergFrederick MuhlenbergFrederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg was an American minister and politician who was the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A delegate and a member of the U.S...
, US Congressman and the first Speaker of the United States House of RepresentativesSpeaker of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
. - Birth place of Jimmy PopJimmy PopJimmy Pop is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, main songwriter, and founding member of the band Bloodhound Gang.-Biography:After graduating from Perkiomen Valley High School in 1990, he studied mass communication and history at Temple...
, front-man and vocalist for The Bloodhound GangThe Bloodhound GangThe Bloodhound Gang may be a reference to:*The Bloodhound Gang , a segment on the program 3-2-1 Contact*The Bloodhound Gang, a band that took its name from the TV show segment...
.