Phoenixville (fē'nĭksvĭl), borough (1990 pop. 15,066), Chester co., SE Pa., on the Schuylkill River; settled 1720, inc. 1849. Iron deposits in the region led to the early development of an iron industry and later (1886) to the manufacture of steel. Food processing and tool and die manufacture are important; other products include corrugated boxes, plastics, and adhesives. Phoenixville was the westernmost point in the state reached (1777) by the British during the Revolutionary War. Several 18th-century stone houses are there. Valley Forge is a few miles to the southeast.
Phoenixville
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| Wikipedia: Phoenixville, Pennsylvania |
| Borough of Phoenixville | |
| Borough | |
 Phoenixville, looking across the Phoenix Iron Works site and French Creek.
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Chester |
| Elevation | 138 ft (42.1 m) |
| Coordinates | 40°07′51″N 75°31′09″W / 40.13083°N 75.51917°W |
| Area | 3.8 sq mi (9.8 km2) |
| - land | 3.6 sq mi (9 km2) |
| - water | 0.2 sq mi (1 km2), 5.26% |
| Population | 14,788 (2000) |
| Density | 4,120.0 /sq mi (1,590.7 /km2) |
| Incorporated | March 6, 1849 [1] |
| Mayor | Leo Scoda |
| Timezone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Zip code | 19460 |
| Area code | 610, 484, 835 |
  Location of Phoenixville in Pennsylvania
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 Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| Website: http://www.phoenixville.org | |
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States, 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. The population was 14,788 at the 2000 census.
Contents |
History
Originally called Manovan, 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 Works, 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, an 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.
Attractions
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.[2] Festivities include a reenactment of the scene featuring the Colonial. The Colonial runs special programs each weekend, and an ongoing series of movies and events for children.
The Valley Forge Christian College, located in neighboring Schuylkill and Charlestown Townships, is a part of this community, using the land belonging to the former Valley Forge General Hospital. The hospital was built in 1942 to accommodate the wounded of World War II. It was scheduled to be closed around 1949, but remained open until after the Vietnam War, closing in 1975.
Every year the Phoenixville Jaycees host their annual Dogwood Festival, typically beginning in the third week in May.
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.
Sports & recreation
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The Borough of Phoenixville has a strong Parks & Recreation Department. The Mission of the Phoenixville Recreation Department is to advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life of all people.
Geography
Phoenixville is located at 40°7′51″N 75°31′9″W / 40.13083°N 75.51917°W (40.130819, -75.519061).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.7 km²), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 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.
Transportation
Phoenixville is at the intersection of three state routes: 23, 29, and 113. Phoenixville is currently served by SEPTA's Route 99 bus, which connects with the R6 Regional rail line at the Norristown Transportation Center.
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) currenty 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 R5 regional rail. The effort to resume passenger train service has led to the creation of the group Citizens for the Train.
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 12,029 |
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| 1940 | 12,282 | 2.1% | |
| 1950 | 12,932 | 5.3% | |
| 1960 | 13,797 | 6.7% | |
| 1970 | 14,823 | 7.4% | |
| 1980 | 14,165 | −4.4% | |
| 1990 | 15,066 | 6.4% | |
| 2000 | 14,788 | −1.8% | |
| www.dvrpc.org/data/databull/rdb/db82/appedixa.xls.</ref> | |||
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 14,788 people, 6,460 households, and 3,675 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,120.0 people per square mile (1,590.4/km²). 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 86.94% White, 7.66% African American, 0.15% Native American, 2.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.92% of the population.
There were 6,460 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $54,424. Males had a median income of $40,319 versus $32,295 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,911. About 4.2% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notables
- Rich Kraynak, former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, is a graduate of Phoenixville Area High School.
- Mike Piazza, former catcher and designated hitter for Major League Baseball, is a graduate of Phoenixville Area High School.
- André Thornton, former Major League Baseball player, is a graduate of Phoenixville Area High School.
- Creighton Gubanich former Major League Baseball player with Boston Red Sox, is a graduate of Phoenixville Area High School.
- The Fountain Inn in Phoenixville was the farthest point inland reached by the British in the Northern Colonies during the Revolutionary War.[5]
- Terry Gilkyson (1916-1999), Disney composer, was born here.
- John-Paul Lavoisier, soap opera actor on "One Life to Live" is a graduate of Phoenixville Area High School.
- "The Sundance Kid", Harry A. Longabaugh moved from Mont Clare to Phoenixville at an early age. He worked on farms and attended school in Phoenixville. His parents & sister are buried in the Morris Cemetery in Phoenixville.
- David White (Daniel David White). Although born in Colorado, the actor who portrayed Larry Tate in the TV series Bewitched was a 1933 graduate of Phoenixville High School.
- Neal Olkewicz, born January 30, 1957 in Phoenixville, 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.
- John Smiley, former MLB pitcher, was born here.
- Love, Stargirl, teen novel that was set here.
- Portions of The Blob, starring Steve McQueen, were filmed here.
References
- ^ Pennypacker, Samuel Whitaker (1872). Annals of Phoenixville and Its Vicinity: From the Settlement to the Year 1871. Phoenixville, PA: Bavis & Pennypacker, printers. pp. 148.
- ^ BlobFest/ thecolonialtheatre.com
- ^ "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.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Twadell, Meg Daly (September 1984). Inns, Tales, and Taverns of Chester County. Country Publications.
External links
- Website of the Borough of Phoenixville
- From Steel to Steal
- Main Street
- Downtown Phoenixville
- Phoenixville Historical Society
- Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce
- Phoenixville Jaycees
- Phoenixville Area School District
- Phoenixville Hospital
- "The Phoenix" - Phoenixville's Daily Newspaper
- Phoenixville Magazine, a Guide to Phoenixville and Chester County
- Bridge and Main
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Mentioned in
- Phoenixville Area High School
- Terry Gilkyson (Folk Artist, '50s, '60s)
- Joseph Whitaker (Phoenixville)
- Joseph Whitaker
- Phoenixville Historic District
- West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
- List of cities and towns along the Schuylkill River
- Joe Devlin (American football)
- The Easy Riders (Folk Band, '50s)
- Colonial Theatre (Phoenixville, Pennsylvania)
