Adams County, Pennsylvania
Adams County | |
---|---|
UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional district | 13th |
Website | www |
Type | City |
Designated | November 6, 1982[1] |
Adams County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,852.[2] Its county seat is Gettysburg.[3] The county was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County, and was named for the second President of the United States, John Adams. On July 1–3, 1863, a crucial battle of the American Civil War was fought near Gettysburg; Adams County as a result is a center of Civil War tourism.
Adams County comprises the Gettysburg metropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area.
Geography
According to the
The county is in the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay and is drained by the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers.
Adjacent counties
- Cumberland County (north)
- York County (east)
- Carroll County, Maryland (southeast)
- Frederick County, Maryland (southwest)
- Franklin County (west)
National protected areas
Climate
Adams has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa).
Climate data for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 72 (22) |
78 (26) |
87 (31) |
93 (34) |
93 (34) |
98 (37) |
104 (40) |
104 (40) |
98 (37) |
92 (33) |
83 (28) |
79 (26) |
104 (40) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39 (4) |
43 (6) |
52 (11) |
64 (18) |
73 (23) |
82 (28) |
86 (30) |
84 (29) |
77 (25) |
66 (19) |
55 (13) |
43 (6) |
64 (18) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 21 (−6) |
23 (−5) |
30 (−1) |
40 (4) |
49 (9) |
58 (14) |
63 (17) |
61 (16) |
53 (12) |
41 (5) |
33 (1) |
25 (−4) |
41 (5) |
Record low °F (°C) | −25 (−32) |
−14 (−26) |
0 (−18) |
16 (−9) |
27 (−3) |
35 (2) |
43 (6) |
35 (2) |
31 (−1) |
20 (−7) |
12 (−11) |
−5 (−21) |
−25 (−32) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.24 (82) |
3.00 (76) |
3.54 (90) |
3.53 (90) |
4.33 (110) |
4.29 (109) |
3.36 (85) |
3.81 (97) |
4.22 (107) |
3.28 (83) |
3.40 (86) |
3.23 (82) |
43.23 (1,097) |
Source: The Weather Channel[5] |
Recreation
Recreational areas of Adams County include
- state park named for an iron furnace that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens. Most of this park is in neighboring Franklin County, but a portion of it extends into Adams. It is near U.S. Route 30 between Chambersburg and Gettysburg.
- Eisenhower National Historic Site, the home and farm of 34th President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower.
- Gettysburg Battlefield, Civil War battlefield fought July 1–3, 1863
- Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, federally designated National Heritage Area in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
- McPherson Ridge, landform used during the Battle of Gettysburg
- Michaux State Forest
- Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 249, providing hunting, trapping and other activities.
- Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve
Government
Commissioners
Adams County is administered by a three-person board of commissioners, who serve four-year terms. Elections occur in the odd-numbered years that precede U.S. presidential elections, with the most recent election falling in 2023. All three commissioners are chosen in the same election, and voters may vote for no more than two of the candidates. The commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.
Official | Party | Term ends |
---|---|---|
Randy Phiel | Republican | 2023 |
Jim Martin | Republican | 2023 |
Marty Qually | Democratic | 2023 |
Elected county officials
As of the November 2017 election:[6]
Office | Official | Party | Term ends |
---|---|---|---|
Clerk of Courts | Kelly A. Lawver | Republican | 2023 |
Controller | John Phillips | Republican | 2023 |
Coroner | Patricia Felix | Republican | 2023 |
Treasurer | Chrissy Redding | Republican | 2021 |
District Attorney | Brian Sinnett | Republican | 2023 |
Prothonotary | Beverly Boyd | Republican | 2023 |
Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills | Karen Heflin | Republican | 2023 |
Sheriff | James W. Muller | Republican | 2021 |
Politics
Presidential politics
Adams is a consistently
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 37,567 | 66.13% | 18,254 | 32.13% | 988 | 1.74% |
2016 | 31,423 | 65.48% | 14,219 | 29.63% | 2,348 | 4.89% |
2012 | 26,767 | 62.80% | 15,091 | 35.40% | 767 | 1.80% |
2008 | 26,349 | 58.89% | 17,633 | 39.41% | 759 | 1.70% |
2004 | 28,247 | 66.89% | 13,764 | 32.59% | 217 | 0.51% |
2000 | 20,848 | 62.34% | 11,682 | 34.93% | 914 | 2.73% |
1996 | 15,338 | 51.98% | 10,774 | 36.51% | 3,396 | 11.51% |
1992 | 13,552 | 45.94% | 9,576 | 32.46% | 6,373 | 21.60% |
1988 | 15,650 | 64.92% | 8,299 | 34.43% | 156 | 0.65% |
1984 | 16,786 | 69.44% | 7,289 | 30.15% | 99 | 0.41% |
1980 | 13,760 | 61.42% | 7,266 | 32.43% | 1,378 | 6.15% |
1976 | 12,133 | 56.90% | 8,771 | 41.14% | 418 | 1.96% |
1972 | 13,593 | 70.19% | 5,529 | 28.55% | 243 | 1.25% |
1968 | 11,303 | 59.78% | 5,993 | 31.70% | 1,611 | 8.52% |
1964 | 8,617 | 43.39% | 11,148 | 56.13% | 95 | 0.48% |
1960 | 12,933 | 62.02% | 7,895 | 37.86% | 26 | 0.12% |
1956 | 12,250 | 66.11% | 6,281 | 33.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 11,016 | 65.82% | 5,691 | 34.00% | 30 | 0.18% |
1948 | 7,988 | 59.13% | 5,409 | 40.04% | 112 | 0.83% |
1944 | 8,787 | 59.63% | 5,881 | 39.91% | 67 | 0.45% |
1940 | 8,609 | 53.86% | 7,354 | 46.01% | 21 | 0.13% |
1936 | 8,313 | 47.75% | 8,336 | 47.88% | 761 | 4.37% |
1932 | 6,084 | 45.09% | 7,185 | 53.25% | 225 | 1.67% |
1928 | 9,656 | 67.29% | 4,635 | 32.30% | 58 | 0.40% |
1924 | 5,778 | 52.92% | 4,840 | 44.33% | 300 | 2.75% |
1920 | 5,323 | 56.94% | 3,852 | 41.20% | 174 | 1.86% |
1916 | 3,290 | 43.76% | 3,963 | 52.71% | 266 | 3.54% |
1912 | 819 | 11.36% | 3,682 | 51.07% | 2,709 | 37.57% |
1908 | 3,685 | 46.95% | 4,034 | 51.40% | 130 | 1.66% |
1904 | 4,017 | 50.65% | 3,812 | 48.06% | 102 | 1.29% |
1900 | 3,718 | 47.47% | 3,967 | 50.65% | 147 | 1.88% |
1896 | 4,170 | 50.95% | 3,814 | 46.60% | 201 | 2.46% |
1892 | 3,384 | 47.20% | 3,716 | 51.83% | 70 | 0.98% |
1888 | 3,371 | 46.54% | 3,794 | 52.38% | 78 | 1.08% |
1884 | 3,080 | 46.15% | 3,530 | 52.89% | 64 | 0.96% |
1880 | 3,137 | 45.08% | 3,752 | 53.92% | 69 | 0.99% |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Adams County consists of two Pennsylvania House Districts. The 91st district is exclusively in Adams County, comprising the southern and middle parts of the county, including Gettysburg. The 193rd District spans into Cumberland County to the north.
District | Representative | Party |
---|---|---|
91 |
Dan Moul | Republican |
193 |
Torren Ecker | Republican |
Pennsylvania Senate
Adams County is entirely contained within the 33rd Senatorial District, which also includes parts of York and Franklin counties.
District | Representative | Party |
---|---|---|
33 |
Doug Mastriano | Republican |
United States House of Representatives
From 2012 until 2018, Adams County was part of the 4th Congressional District until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the Commonwealth's Congressional Districts constituted an illegal partisan Gerrymander.[12] As a result, Adams County was moved from the 4th District to the 13th Congressional District and elected a new representative in the 2018 election.
District | Representative | Party |
---|---|---|
13 | John Joyce | Republican |
United States Senate
Voter registration
As of July 17, 2023 there were 70,831 registered voters in the county. Republicans hold a majority of the voters. There were 40,766 registered Republicans, 18,835 registered Democrats, 8,201 voters without any partisan affiliation, and 3,029 voters registered to other parties. "Other parties" also includes voters who left their preferred party blank; only those who chose "no affiliation" are included under "no partisan affiliation".[13]
Voter registration and party enrollment | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Number of voters | Percentage | |||
Republican | 40,766 | 57.55% | |||
Democratic | 18,835 | 26.59% | |||
No partisan affiliation | 8,201 | 11.58% | |||
Other parties | 3,029 | 4.28% | |||
Total | 70,831 | 100% |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1800 | 13,172 | — | |
1810 | 15,152 | 15.0% | |
1820 | 19,370 | 27.8% | |
1830 | 21,379 | 10.4% | |
1840 | 23,044 | 7.8% | |
1850 | 25,981 | 12.7% | |
1860 | 28,006 | 7.8% | |
1870 | 30,315 | 8.2% | |
1880 | 32,455 | 7.1% | |
1890 | 33,486 | 3.2% | |
1900 | 34,496 | 3.0% | |
1910 | 34,319 | −0.5% | |
1920 | 34,583 | 0.8% | |
1930 | 37,128 | 7.4% | |
1940 | 39,435 | 6.2% | |
1950 | 44,197 | 12.1% | |
1960 | 51,906 | 17.4% | |
1970 | 56,937 | 9.7% | |
1980 | 68,292 | 19.9% | |
1990 | 78,274 | 14.6% | |
2000 | 91,292 | 16.6% | |
2010 | 101,407 | 11.1% | |
2020 | 103,852 | 2.4% | |
2022 (est.) | 106,027 | 2.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[14] 1790–1960[15] 1900–1990[16] 1990–2000[17] 2010–2017[18][19] |
As of the 2010
as their first language.There were 33,652 households, of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.10% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.02.
The county population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males. Adams County is one of two counties in Pennsylvania where Latter-Day Saints make up 1% of the population.
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (NH)
|
89,945 | 86.6% |
Black or African American (NH)
|
1,473 | 1.42% |
Native American (NH)
|
147 | 0.14% |
Asian (NH)
|
952 | 1% |
Pacific Islander (NH)
|
33 | 0.03% |
Other/mixed (NH)
|
3,512 | 3.4% |
Latino
|
7,790 | 7.5% |
Metropolitan and combined statistical area
The
Education
Colleges and universities
Community, junior and technical colleges
Public school districts
- Bermudian Springs School District
- Conewago Valley School District
- Fairfield Area School District
- Gettysburg Area School District
- Littlestown Area School District
- Upper Adams School District
Public charter schools
- Gettysburg Montessori Charter School– Gettysburg (K-6)
- Vida Charter School– Gettysburg (K-6)
County residents may apply to attend any of the Commonwealth's 14 (as of 2015) public, cyber charter schools at no additional cost to the parents.[24]
Private schools
As reported by Pennsylvania Department of Education April 2015:
- Academy for Media Production – McSherrystown
- Adams County Christian Academy – Gettysburg
- Delone Catholic High School – McSherrystown
- Forest Lane Mennonite School – Gettysburg
- Freedom Christian School – Gettysburg
- Gettysburg SDA Church School – Gettysburg
- Independent Baptist Day School – Biglerville
- JIL Christian School – Biglerville
- Littlestown Christian Academy – Littlestown
- Oxford Christian Academy – New Oxford
- Paradise School – Abbottstown
- St. Teresa of Calcutta School -McSherrystown
- St James Child Care Center – Gettysburg
- St Joseph Academy Preschool – McSherrystown
Intermediate Unit
Lincoln
Libraries
- A R Wentz Library – Gettysburg
- Adams County Historical Society[26] – Gettysburg
- Carroll Valley Library – Carroll Valley[27]
- Adams County Law Library – Gettysburg[27]
- Adams County Library - Gettysburg[27]
- Harbaugh-Thomas Library – Biglervilleh[27]
- Jean Barnett Trone Memorial Library of East Berlin[28] – East Berlin
- Littlestown Community Library – Littlestown[27]
- Musselman Library – Gettysburg
- New Oxford Area Library – New Oxford[27]
Transportation
Air
There are currently no scheduled commercial flights into Adams County. The nearest airports with regular commercial service are in Hagerstown, Maryland (Hagerstown Regional Airport), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Harrisburg International Airport), and Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Lancaster Airport).
Bus
Public bus service in Adams County is available through the
Major highways
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Adams County, as well as unincorporated areas and CDPs:
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data, but are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
Unincorporated areas
- Advance
- Amatus
- Barlow
- Beechersville
- Berlin Junction
- Bermudian
- Bittinger
- Bridgeport
- Brush Run
- Brushtown
- Brysonia
- Cedar Ridge
- Centennial
- Center Mills
- Charnita
- Cross Keys
- Deardorffs Mill
- Edgegrove
- Fairplay
- Five Points
- Floradale
- Fountain Dale
- Gargol
- Georgetown
- Germantown
- Gladhill
- Goldenville
- Green Springs
- Greenmount
- Greenstone
- Guernsey
- Guldens
- Hafer's Mill
- Hershey Heights
- Hilltown
- Indian Village
- Irishtown
- Iron Springs
- Jacks Mountain
- Kingsdale
- Knoxlyn
- Latimore
- Maria Furnace
- Menges Mill
- Mount Hope
- Mount Misery
- Mount Tabor
- Mummasburg
- New Chester
- Oak Grove
- Peach Glen
- Plainview
- Round Hill
- Quaker Valley
- Sedgwick
- Sell
- Seven Stars
- Shanks Mill
- Slate Ridge
- Square Corner
- Stremmels
- The Pines
- Two Taverns
- Virginia Mills
- Waldheim
- Wenksville
- Whitehall
- Zora
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Adams County.[23]
† county seat
Rank | City/town/etc. | Population (2010 Census) | Municipal type | Incorporated |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | † Gettysburg | 7,620 | Borough | 1806 |
2 | Littlestown | 4,434 | Borough | 1864 |
3 | Carroll Valley | 3,876 | Borough | 1974 |
4 | McSherrystown | 3,038 | Borough | 1882 |
5 | Lake Meade | 2,563 | CDP | |
6 | Midway | 2,125 | CDP | |
7 | Bonneauville | 1,800 | Borough | 1961 |
8 | New Oxford | 1,783 | Borough | 1874 |
9 | East Berlin | 1,521 | Borough | 1879 |
10 | Lake Heritage | 1,333 | CDP | |
11 | Biglerville | 1,200 | Borough | 1903 |
12 | Abbottstown | 1,011 | Borough | 1835 |
13 | Arendtsville | 952 | Borough | 1896 |
14 | York Springs | 833 | Borough | 1868 |
15 | Heidlersburg | 707 | CDP | |
16 | Bendersville | 641 | Borough | 1866 |
17 | Hampton | 632 | CDP | |
18 | Hunterstown | 547 | CDP | |
19 | Fairfield | 507 | Borough | 1896 |
20 | Cashtown | 459 | CDP | |
21 | Aspers | 350 | CDP | |
22 | McKnightstown | 226 | CDP | |
23 | Idaville | 177 | CDP | |
24 | Orrtanna | 173 | CDP | |
25 | Gardners | 150 | CDP | |
26 | Table Rock | 62 | CDP | |
27 | Floradale | 38 | CDP |
Notable people
- Joel Funk Asper, former U.S. Congressman[29]
- Gabor Boritt, historian of Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War, professor at Gettysburg College
- Jake Boritt, documentary producer
- Henry R. Brinkerhoff, former U.S. Congressman[29]
- David A. Day, former Lutheran missionary to Liberia
- Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mamie Eisenhower, their retirement home outside Gettysburg is preserved as Eisenhower National Historic Site
- Erik Harris, professional football player, Atlanta Falcons
- John A. Hauser, former president of C. H. Musselman Company
- Baseball Hall of Fameinductee
- Studebaker Corporation
See also
- Adams County Courthouse (Pennsylvania)
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Pennsylvania
- List of counties in Pennsylvania
References
- ^ "PHMC Historical Markers Search". Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original (Searchable database) on March 21, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Adams County, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Gettysburg, PA Monthly Weather". The Weather Channel.
- ^ "Administration & Elected Officials- Departments". www.adamscountypa.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
- ^ "2016 Election Results" (PDF).
- ^ Sullivan, Robert David; "How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century"; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - U.S. President". Retrieved January 22, 2021.
- ^ League of Women Voters of Pa. v. Commonwealth, 159 MM 2017 (Pa. Dec. 29 2017).
- ^ Pennsylvania Department of State (July 17, 2023). "Voter registration statistics by county". dos.pa.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
- ^ "Census 2020".
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Adams County, Pennsylvania".
- ^ "Office of Management and Budget". The White House.
- ^ a b "2010 Census Population Map". Archived from the original on 2014-08-05.
- ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2015). "Pennsylvania Charter School".
- ^ Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 website (accessed April 2010)
- ^ "Home — Adams County Historical Society". www.achs-pa.org.
- ^ a b c d e f "Home - Adams County Library". www.adamslibrary.org.
- ^ "East Berlin Community Library". October 19, 2011. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago IL: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.