| Borough of Millbourne | |
| Borough | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Delaware |
| Elevation | 128 ft (39 m) |
| Coordinates | 39°57′48″N 75°15′14″W / 39.96333°N 75.25389°W |
| Area | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| - land | 0.1 sq mi (0 km2) |
| - water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2), 0% |
| Population | 943 (2000) |
| Density | 13,749.1 /sq mi (5,308.6 /km2) |
| Timezone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code | 610 |
 Location of Millbourne in Delaware County
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  Location of Millbourne in Pennsylvania
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 Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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Millbourne (pronounced /ˈmɪlbərn/) is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 943 at the 2000 census. Millbourne borders Philadelphia along Cobbs Creek. Many people believe the borough to be part of neighboring Upper Darby, as Millbourne students attend Upper Darby School District schools.
Contents |
Geography
Millbourne Borough is located at 39°57′48″N 75°15′14″W / 39.96333°N 75.25389°W (39.963412, -75.253998)[1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), all land, making it the smallest municipality in Delaware County, Pennsylvania by area.
The borough is small enough that it is entirely within walking distance of its elevated station on the Market-Frankford Line. The Millbourne station, newly rebuilt and rededicated in mid 2008, offers a 15-minute commute to Center City. Millbourne is also within easy walking distance of the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby and the 63rd Street Station in West Philadelphia, both of which are on the Market-Frankford Line. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in the early 2000s that, according to U.S. Census data, only about one-third of Millbourne workers commuted by car. There is a PhillyCarShare shared car "node" at 69th Street Station, easily accessible from Millbourne or by commuters exiting the Market Frankford El at 69th Street.
The Borough is approximately bounded on the north and east by Cobbs Creek, and on the south by Market Street. Across Cobbs Creek to the north lies an extension of Fairmount Park and the Cobbs Creek Golf Course. Against all odds, snowy egrets have been seen in this very urban creek environment. In the 1990s what was apparently a pet cougar got lose in the park. Despite police efforts to catch it (and the neighborhood's efforts to keep it well fed with Big Macs) the cougar was last seen loping west on the median strip of West Chester Pike—free.
Cobbs Creek originally hosted the Millbourne Mills, and slightly further south in Upper Darby the first mill in the country, established by Ben Franklin at the corner of 63rd Street and Walnut Street. In the 19th century the Cardington Mill (cotton) was built nearby along Naylor's Run. A paper mill existed around the time of the Civil War somewhat farther north-west on Cobbs Creek, near the current site of the 69th Street Station. The paper was used to wrap guns for the war.
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 396 |
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| 1940 | 393 | −0.8% | |
| 1950 | 901 | 129.3% | |
| 1960 | 793 | −12.0% | |
| 1970 | 637 | −19.7% | |
| 1980 | 652 | 2.4% | |
| 1990 | 831 | 27.5% | |
| 2000 | 943 | 13.5% | |
| www.dvrpc.org/data/databull/rdb/db82/appedixa.xls.</ref> | |||
The borough is the most densely populated municipality in Pennsylvania with 13,749 people living per square mile.[2]
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 943 people, 366 households, and 214 families residing in the borough. The population density was 13,749.1 people per square mile (5,201.3/km²). There were 420 housing units at an average density of 6,123.7/sq mi (2,316.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 21.31% White, 17.18% African American, 0.21% Native American, 54.29% Asian, 2.55% from other races, and 4.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.04% of the population.
There were 366 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.5% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.43.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 113.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.6 males.
Economy
As of the census[3] of 2000, the median income for a household in the borough was $30,185, and the median income for a family was $39,063. Males had a median income of $22,188 versus $21,458 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,752. About 7.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.
Millbourne was the home of the Millbourne Mills, a grain mill originally established in the 1700s by the Sellers family, and closed in 1927. The old mill dam is still visible on the creek today, as is an arch that covered a rail line serving the Mill.
Later, a Sears department store was located on a plot of land at the north eastern end of Millbourne on what is commonly thought to be a flood plain for Cobbs Creek. The Sears department store, through mercantile tax, provided approximately half of the Borough's revenues. It was relocated to the corner of Walnut Street and 69th Street in Upper Darby in 1992. This relocation has caused significant financial difficulties for the Borough, which now has one of the top two tax rates in Delaware County.
Millbourne was designated a financially distressed municipality in 1993 by the state of Pennsylvania. It was removed from distressed status in approximately 2006, but has since applied for status as a "blighted" community. A blight certification request was completed by the Delaware County Planning Department in 2006.
Culture
In 2000, 40.2% of Millbourne residents identified themselves as being of Asian Indian heritage. This was the highest percentage of Indian Americans of any place in the United States. One source [4] estimates that as of 2006[update], Millbourne's percentage of Indian American residents had increased to 63%. Millbourne is also the only community in Pennsylvania, and the only community outside California and Hawaii with an Asian American majority.[citation needed] Millbourne is home to a gurudwara, where the Philadelphia Sikh Society holds services.. There is a mosque about a quarter mile away in Upper Darby, PA. A number of members of the local chapter of Kalaa, the Keralite Art and Literary Association of America, live in Millbourne. The Borough also boasts an expert in the ancient art of Cambodian court dance.
Fire protection is provided by the Millbourne Fire Company in partnership with the Upper Darby Fire Department. The Borough also maintains its own police department, which provides frequent coverage of each street. Millbourne has a Town Watch as well, a volunteer organization run in cooperation with the police department.
The Upper Darby/Sellers Memorial Free Library Municipal Branch is within easy walking distance of Millbourne. A library card from the Upper Darby system allows access to the county-wide libraries, and offers an excellent interlibrary loan program as well as many local resources. A myriad of ethnic grocery stores also exist within easy walking distance, allowing residents to buy home made tofu, a wide range of Punjabi and other Indian foods, Halal chicken and lamb, a wide range of Asian greens, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean-made foods, Central American foods, and mainstream American foods within minutes of their homes.
Korean, Mexican, Peruvian, Colombian, Vietnamese, Caribbean, southern rib, Punjabi and an award-winning pizza restaurant (and, until recently, a Filipino-owned restaurant where adobo was served) all exist within walking distance.
The Cobbs Creek Bikeway runs from a corner at the eastern end of Millbourne, 63rd and Market Streets, to approximately 86th and Cobbs Creek Parkway. It is used by walkers and bicyclists as well as occasional all terrain vehicles. Plans exist to eventually connect this bikeway to the John Heinz Wildlife Refuge. For bicyclists, it is also feasible outside of rush hour to take a bicycle on the Market Frankford Line to reach 30th Street, and bicycle along the Schuylkill River Path to Valley Forge, and the Perkiomen Creek trail to Collegeville or beyond.
The Millbourne Borough Council has recently re-established a paper recycling program, which will be active in early 2009. County "igloos" for recycling glass are located behind the auto parts store approximately at the corner of Powell Lane and Market Street.
Across Market Street, just into Upper Darby on the eastern end of town, there's a community garden. There's a bit of a wait for a plot. Farther east of the garden, also in Upper Darby, is the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County. This is a 50-bed homeless shelter for individual adults. Many residents of Millbourne volunteer serving or making food at this facility, which is quiet, well-run and well maintained.
After decades of Republican majority in Millbourne, the Borough has recently become majority Democratic in terms of registration. The Borough Council consists of 5 members, 2 Democrats and 3 Republicans.
References
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ The Center for Rural Pennsylvania
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://www.littleindia.com/october2005/IndianMajority.htm "Indian Majority,"
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