Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol, Pennsylvania | |
---|---|
EDT) | |
ZIP Code | 19007 |
Area codes | 215, 267, and 445 |
FIPS code | 42-08760 |
Website | www |
Designated | January 13, 1949[3] |
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 23 miles (37 km) northeast of Center City Philadelphia, opposite Burlington, New Jersey on the Delaware River.
Bristol was settled in 1681 and first incorporated in 1720. After 1834, it became very important to the development of the
Although its charter was revised in 1905, the original charter remains in effect, making it the third-oldest borough in
Bristol is located 70.9 miles (114.1 km) southeast of Allentown and 22.4 miles (36.0 km) northeast of Philadelphia.
History
Bristol Borough was settled in 1681, and named after Bristol, England.[5] It was originally used as a port and dock. It is rich in history, with many historic and restored houses along the streets of Radcliffe and Mill.
In 1697, the Pennsylvania Provincial Council ordered that a town be laid out in the location. A petition was submitted by Joseph Bond, Anthony Burton, John Hall and William Wharton to the Council for incorporation, and was granted in 1702.[6]
Until 1725, Bristol Borough served as county seat of Bucks County.[7]
From its earliest days, it was a center of textile mills,
In 1740, William Davis established a shipyard in Bristol, building small vessels such as schooners and sloops. One such vessel was the Morning Glory, noted as the fastest sailing craft on the Delaware. In 1800, John Reed acquired the shipyard.[6]
The expense of digging the canal was justifiable as the banks of the Delaware southerly from Easton were less suitable, there was insufficient real estate for extensive additional docks, so the legislature figured the Delaware Canal avoided the need to transship barge loads of coal to boats, drastically saving costs and time. Since Bristol Borough's long established docks were accessible to the Delaware River, the town also became the Delaware Canal's southern (main distribution) terminal end.[notes 3] Consequently, later, the Pennsylvania Railroad would also connect to the anthracite flowing through the canals, to the riverine barge and boat traffic, and to provide rail depots servicing the manufacturies. Even before the canal, Bristol Borough was located along a main land route to New York City,[8] Trenton, and New England so with construction of the canal and railroads, it became a major center of transportation and an even more attractive location for industry.[8]
By the 1880s, Bristol Borough was home to many factories, including companies manufacturing wall paper and carpet.
In 1961, Bristol Borough gained national attention when the song "Bristol Stomp", by The Dovells hit #2 on the Billboard pop chart. The song remains a local favorite, and it is often played at ceremonies, parades, and sporting events. The Merchant Shipbuilding site returned to the news in the 1990s when the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority using state and federal funding[10] targeted the area as a priority for urban redevelopment.
Given its riverfront location, the old shipbuilding site was ranked highest in priority,[10] and on 20 October 2000 various legislators and officials held a press conference at the former shipyard heralding the construction of the residential development already under way, known as the 'Riverfront North Project',[10] and publicizing how derelict portions of the slipways were being removed.[10] The project also established a park with four monuments celebrating the town's past in the redevelopment.[8]
Today the preserved elements of the shipyard, and other buildings once important in Bristol Borough's past service are enshrined and celebrated in the Bristol Historic District, Bristol Industrial Historic District,[8] and tourism sites celebrating the town's history and rich ethnic diversity. Various annual festivals, in particular keep a multi-ethnic cultural identity alive and well.[8]
Historic sites in the town such as the Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, Dorrance Mansion, General Stores and Mold Loft Building-Harriman Yard of the Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation, Grundy Mill Complex, Harriman Historic District, Jefferson Avenue School and Jefferson Land Association Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal is also designated a National Historic Landmark District.[12]
In March 2023, there was a chemical spill in the Delaware River, caused by an equipment failure at the Trinseo chemical plant in Bristol.[13]
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1800 | 511 | — | |
1810 | 628 | 22.9% | |
1820 | 908 | 44.6% | |
1830 | 1,262 | 39.0% | |
1840 | 1,438 | 13.9% | |
1850 | 2,570 | 78.7% | |
1860 | 3,314 | 28.9% | |
1870 | 3,269 | −1.4% | |
1880 | 5,273 | 61.3% | |
1890 | 6,553 | 24.3% | |
1900 | 7,104 | 8.4% | |
1910 | 9,256 | 30.3% | |
1920 | 10,273 | 11.0% | |
1930 | 11,799 | 14.9% | |
1940 | 11,895 | 0.8% | |
1950 | 12,710 | 6.9% | |
1960 | 12,364 | −2.7% | |
1970 | 12,085 | −2.3% | |
1980 | 10,867 | −10.1% | |
1990 | 10,405 | −4.3% | |
2000 | 9,923 | −4.6% | |
2010 | 9,726 | −2.0% | |
2020 | 9,861 | 1.4% | |
Sources:[14][15][16][17][2] |
As of a 2014 estimate, the borough was 69.2% Non-Hispanic White, 16.4% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American and Alaskan Native, 0.2% Asian, 3.5% Some other race, and 3.4% were Two or more races. 15.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry [18]
As of the 2010 census, the borough was 81.1 White, 9.5% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, and 3.5% were two or more races. 14.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[19] There are 661 veterans living in Bristol Borough. There were 9,726 people, 4,237 households, and 3,926 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,016.5 inhabitants per square mile (2,323.0/km2). There were 4,207 housing units at an average density of 2,550.8 per square mile (984.9/km2).
There were 4,004 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% 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 3.20.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough in 2016 was $42,962. Males had a median income of $28,653 versus $19,278 for females. About 8.2% of families and 16% of the population were below the
Geography
Bristol Borough is located at 40°6′12″N 74°51′5″W / 40.10333°N 74.85139°W (40.103382, -74.851448).[20] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (10.81%) is water.
Education
The Bristol Borough School District comprises two public schools: Warren Snyder-John Girotti Elementary School (K-6) and Bristol High School (7-12). Other schooling opportunities in Bristol are offered through the Roman Catholic parish school of St. Mark Church (K-8), located in the borough. Conwell-Egan Roman Catholic School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania provides private/parochial schooling for children in grades 9-12. Higher education in Bristol Borough includes Pennco Tech.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Bristol has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature > 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid in Bristol, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 110 °F (43 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 103.1 °F (39.5 °C) on 07/06/2010, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 75.5 °F (24.2 °C) on 08/13/2016. The average wettest month is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 6.15 inches (156 mm) on 08/27/2011.
During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is 5.1 °F (−14.9 °C).
Climate data for Bristol. Elevation: 20 feet (6 m). 1981-2010 Averages (1981-2018 Records). | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 71.9 (22.2) |
77.9 (25.5) |
87.8 (31.0) |
94.9 (34.9) |
96.1 (35.6) |
97.3 (36.3) |
103.1 (39.5) |
101.1 (38.4) |
99.0 (37.2) |
89.1 (31.7) |
81.7 (27.6) |
76.1 (24.5) |
103.1 (39.5) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.8 (4.9) |
44.0 (6.7) |
52.0 (11.1) |
64.0 (17.8) |
73.5 (23.1) |
82.7 (28.2) |
86.8 (30.4) |
85.2 (29.6) |
78.5 (25.8) |
67.2 (19.6) |
56.4 (13.6) |
45.2 (7.3) |
64.8 (18.2) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.6 (0.3) |
35.0 (1.7) |
42.2 (5.7) |
52.9 (11.6) |
62.1 (16.7) |
71.6 (22.0) |
76.2 (24.6) |
74.8 (23.8) |
67.7 (19.8) |
56.3 (13.5) |
46.7 (8.2) |
36.9 (2.7) |
54.7 (12.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.3 (−4.3) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
32.5 (0.3) |
41.7 (5.4) |
50.8 (10.4) |
60.6 (15.9) |
65.6 (18.7) |
64.3 (17.9) |
57.0 (13.9) |
45.3 (7.4) |
37.0 (2.8) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
44.6 (7.0) |
Record low °F (°C) | −9.1 (−22.8) |
−2.4 (−19.1) |
4.4 (−15.3) |
18.1 (−7.7) |
32.8 (0.4) |
42.1 (5.6) |
48.3 (9.1) |
43.1 (6.2) |
36.7 (2.6) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
12.6 (−10.8) |
0.5 (−17.5) |
−9.1 (−22.8) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.60 (91) |
2.71 (69) |
4.29 (109) |
3.83 (97) |
4.18 (106) |
4.18 (106) |
4.97 (126) |
4.37 (111) |
3.99 (101) |
3.70 (94) |
3.40 (86) |
3.90 (99) |
47.12 (1,197) |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
65.2 | 61.8 | 58.1 | 57.3 | 62.2 | 65.7 | 66.4 | 68.4 | 69.3 | 68.3 | 66.7 | 66.8 | 64.7 |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 22.2 (−5.4) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
38.2 (3.4) |
49.0 (9.4) |
59.5 (15.3) |
64.2 (17.9) |
63.7 (17.6) |
57.3 (14.1) |
46.0 (7.8) |
36.2 (2.3) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
43.0 (6.1) |
Source: PRISM Climate Group[22] |
Transportation
As of 2017 there were 27.31 miles (43.95 km) of public roads in Bristol, of which 6.17 miles (9.93 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 21.14 miles (34.02 km) were maintained by the borough.[23]
The
Ecology
According to the
Notable people
This article's list of residents may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (June 2018) |
- Poul Anderson, science fiction writer[29]
- Daniel W. Bursch, astronaut[30]
- John F. Cordisco, former State Representative and Bucks County Democratic Committee Chairman[31]
- Tony DiStefano, former professional motocross racer[32]
- John Thompson Dorrance, chemist and inventor of condensed soup.[33]
- Ileen Getz, actress (3rd Rock from the Sun)[34]
- Joseph R. Grundy, textile manufacturer and U.S. Senator[35]
- William Edward Hanford, chemist
- Lauren Holly, actress
- Jeff Manto, professional baseball player
- Joe McEwing, professional baseball player
- Joseph McIlvaine, U.S. Senator
- David Miscavige, leader of the Church of Scientology[36]
- Mike Missanelli, Philadelphia sports personality
- William Rodman, U.S. Congressman
- Ryan Samsel, arrested for his participation in the January 6 United States Capitol attack
- Charlie Saxton, actor
- Will Thomas, novelist
- David Todd, record promoter and producer
- Joanna Fox Waddill, American Civil War nurse known as the Florence Nightingale of the Confederacy
- Todd Weiner, professional football player
See also
- Burlington-Bristol Bridge
Notes
- ^ Delaware Canal was later organized and known as the Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division).
- ^ Steam boat service between Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia also played a key role in community development, since many lines had historic sailing ship ferry stops in Bristol.
- great depression.
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Oct 12, 2022.
- ^ "PHMC Historical Markers Search". Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original (Searchable database) on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
- ^ Ferguson, Paul. "Founding to Revolution 1681-1780". Bristol History. Bristol Cultural & Historic Society. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ Espenshade, A. Howry (1925). Pennsylvania Place Names. Pennsylvania state college studies in history and political science,no. 1College series. Harrisburg, PA: The Evangelical Press. p. 37.
- ^ a b c Place Names in Bucks County, Pennsylvania; George MacReynolds; 1955; Bristol
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 582.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j official town website, unattributed. "The History of Bristol Borough". Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ official town website, unattributed. "The History of Bristol Borough". Archived from the original on 2016-04-16. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
(Between Bristol Borough's docks and Easton), quote: `the (Delaware) canal was sixty miles long, forty feet wide, and five feet deep'.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Bristol Yard". www.globalsecurity.org. Global Security. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ "Bristol Borough, PA: History, Destinations and Activities". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Sandoval, Polo; Tebor, Celina; Cullinane, Susannah (2023-03-27). "Philadelphia officials closely monitor drinking water after a chemical spill in the Delaware River". CNN. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
- ^ "Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Census 2020".
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
- ^ "Census 2010: Pennsylvania". Usatoday.Com. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ a b "USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map". United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- ^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
- ^ "Bristol Borough map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ Bucks County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
- ^ SEPTA Official Transit & Street Map Suburban (PDF) (Map). SEPTA. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "Need a Lift?". TMA Bucks. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
- ^ "Bristol Rushbus schedule" (PDF). TMA Bucks. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
- ^ "U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)". Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- ^ "Poul Anderson". www.britannica.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ "The Official Website of Astronaut Dan Bursch". Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ^ Quann, Peg (April 29, 2022). "Chair of Bucks County Democrats won't seek another term. 'You know when it's time'". phillyburbs.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ "Tony DiStefano". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ "Dorrance, Arthur Calbraith". MIT Museum. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ "Ileen Getz". Variety. August 9, 2005. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ LaVO, Carl (April 2, 2018). "Bristol's King-maker". Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ Nark, Jason (May 12, 2016). "Father of Scientology's leader: 'I lost my family'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
Bibliography
- Harold Mitchener & Carol Houser-Mitchener, Images of America : Bristol; Arcadia Publishing, 2000; 128 pages; ISBN 978-0-7385-0427-8