Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Coatesville, Pennsylvania | |
---|---|
610 and 484 | |
FIPS code | 42-14712 |
Website | coatesville |
Coatesville is a city in
Coatesville developed in the early 20th century with the growth of the
History
Beginnings
Varying cultures of Native Americans lived in this area. The first known settlement in the area which would be known as Coatesville was a historic Lenape village built along the West Branch of the Brandywine River. This settlement was a post for fur trading with the earliest American settlers. The Brandywine River has featured prominently in the history of Coatesville.
William Fleming, originally from Scotland, is one of the earliest landowners on record. He built a log cabin in the area of Harmony Street and 5th Avenue and owned about 207 acres (0.84 km2) of land bordering the Brandywine River.[4]
Moses Coates, a prosperous farmer and the namesake of Coatesville, bought the cabin from Fleming's son in 1787. With the economy rising in the years after the United States gained independence, Moses Coates' son-in-law, Jesse Kersey, came up with a plan to develop the area by selling frontage on the recently completed
Pierre Bizallion, a French fur trader, settled in the area in the early 18th century. He was said to serve as an interpreter between William Penn and Native American peoples.[6] The Veterans Administration Hospital now occupies a large piece of the roughly 500 acres (2.0 km2) of land that was once owned by Bizallion.
19th century
Before Coatesville became a city, the only one in Chester County, it was called Bridge-Town, after the two bridges crossing the Brandywine River. A village named "Midway", named after its station owned by the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad midway between Philadelphia and Lancaster, was formed in 1834[5] on the western bank of the Brandywine. The village of Midway and the village of Bridge-Town merged in 1867 to become the borough of Coatesville.[7] Coatesville citizens voted to become a city in 1915.
Coatesville exploited the natural energy of the Brandywine River. Jesse Kersey, Moses Coates' son-in-law, partnered with the ironmaster Isaac Pennock and purchased over 110 acres (0.45 km2) of Moses Coates' farm along both sides of the Brandywine River in 1810. They formed the Brandywine Iron Works and Nail Factory, the forerunner of Lukens Steel. Charles Lukens, MD, married Isaac Pennock's daughter Rebecca in 1813. Following her husband's death in 1825, Rebecca Lukens took over the operations of the mill, purchasing it from her mother. She directed operations through a period of turmoil and market panic, developing it into a prosperous mill. Rebecca Lukens was one of the first women to operate a major corporation in the United States.[8]
20th century
As Lukens Steel grew so did Coatesville, eventually becoming known as the "Pittsburgh of the East."[4] By the beginning of the 20th century the population had grown to 6,000, attracting immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe to its industrial jobs, as well as both black and white migrants from the rural South. Tensions rose in the city as the population rapidly became more diverse.
In August 1911, steelworker Zachariah Walker was lynched in Coatesville; he had left his wife and children in Virginia while seeking better work. This African-American man was accused of killing Deputy Constable/Coal and Iron Policeman Edgar Rice, a popular figure in town. Walker claimed self-defense and was hospitalized after his arrest. He was dragged from the hospital and burned to death in front of a mob of hundreds in a field south of the city. Fifteen men and teenage boys were indicted, but all were acquitted at trials. The lynching was the last in Pennsylvania and is said to have left a permanent stain on the city's image.[4][9]
Walker's murder was investigated by the
Racial violence was spreading all across America during the Red Summer of 1919 and the local African-American community was on edge. On July 8, 1919, the black community of Coatesville formed a large armed protection group to prevent the rumoured lynching of a rape suspect. When the armed group surrounded the jail to prevent the attack, they learned that there was no suspect and no lynch mob.
In 1929, the
The school system expanded to keep up and the religious community became more diverse, with Roman Catholic churches founded and Beth Israel Congregation, one of Chester County's few synagogues. In 1932 there were a total of 22 churches of various denominations in the city.
After World War II the steel industry began a long decline, but in the 1960s Lukens Steel was still the largest employer in Chester County, with over 10,000 workers. It finally started to restructure due to industry changes, was sold several times, and its workers were reduced in number to 5,000 and eventually to 2,000.[4]
21st century
Since the turn of the century, Coatesville has invested in redevelopment, encouraging private projects. It has torn down
The redevelopment plans have generated controversy.
In 1969, Lukens Steel forged steel beams for the
Twenty-one sites including the
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), of which 0.53% is water.
Climate
Coatesville has a typical Northeast climate with cold, snowy winters and hot humid summers. It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and the hardiness zone is 6b bordering 7a.
Climate data for Coatesville, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
4 (40) |
10.2 (50.4) |
16.8 (62.2) |
22.7 (72.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.7 (83.7) |
25.4 (77.7) |
19.1 (66.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
5.3 (41.6) |
17.1 (62.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.2 (20.8) |
−6.2 (20.9) |
−1.4 (29.4) |
3.8 (38.8) |
9.5 (49.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
17.3 (63.2) |
16.3 (61.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
5.7 (42.3) |
0.4 (32.8) |
−4.6 (23.8) |
5.1 (41.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 91 (3.6) |
84 (3.3) |
97 (3.8) |
94 (3.7) |
99 (3.9) |
110 (4.5) |
110 (4.4) |
110 (4.5) |
94 (3.7) |
84 (3.3) |
84 (3.3) |
97 (3.8) |
1,160 (45.8) |
Source: Weatherbase[19] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 2,025 | — | |
1880 | 2,766 | 36.6% | |
1890 | 3,680 | 33.0% | |
1900 | 5,721 | 55.5% | |
1910 | 11,084 | 93.7% | |
1920 | 14,515 | 31.0% | |
1930 | 14,582 | 0.5% | |
1940 | 14,006 | −4.0% | |
1950 | 13,826 | −1.3% | |
1960 | 12,971 | −6.2% | |
1970 | 12,331 | −4.9% | |
1980 | 10,698 | −13.2% | |
1990 | 11,038 | 3.2% | |
2000 | 10,838 | −1.8% | |
2010 | 13,100 | 20.9% | |
2020 | 13,350 | 1.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[20][21][2] |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 1990[22] | Pop 2000[23] | Pop 2010[24] | Pop 2020[25] | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
6,079 | 4,040 | 3,565 | 3,137 | 55.07% | 37.28% | 27.21% | 23.50% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
4,322 | 5,235 | 5,841 | 5,864 | 39.16% | 48.30% | 44.59% | 43.93% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
15 | 30 | 37 | 24 | 0.14% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 0.18% |
Asian alone (NH) | 51 | 49 | 109 | 149 | 0.46% | 0.45% | 0.83% | 1.12% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | N/A | 1 | 9 | 0 | N/A | 0.01% | 0.07% | 0.00% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 21 | 19 | 27 | 79 | 0.19% | 0.18% | 0.21% | 0.59% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | N/A | 299 | 504 | 741 | N/A | 2.76% | 3.85% | 5.55% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 550 | 1,165 | 3,008 | 3,355 | 4.98% | 10.75% | 22.96% | 25.13% |
Total | 11,038 | 10,838 | 13,100 | 13,350 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
The
There were 4,498 households, out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.3% were married couples living together, 27.7% had a female householder with no spouse present, 8.2% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 35.8% were non-families. 42.4% of all households had individuals under 18 living in them, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.4% under the age of 18. The median age was 31 years. The population was 50.6% female and 49.4% male.
Coatesville had 4,998 housing units, of which 90.2% were occupied. Of the occupied housing units, 37.5% were owner-occupied.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $29,912, and the median income for a family was $36,375. Males had a median income of $31,782 versus $24,774 for females. The
According to the 2017 American Community Survey, the racial makeup was 25.9%
Government
The city is a third class city and is governed by a Council–manager form of government. There are seven council members, one for each of the five voting wards and two elected at-large.
Council Members
as of November 5, 2021[update]:
Ward | Council member | Party | Term ends |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Edward Simpson | Republican | 2023 |
2 | Donald Folks | Democratic | 2025 |
3 | C. Arvilla Hunt | Democratic | 2023 |
4 | Carmen Green | Democratic | 2025 |
5 | Linda Lavender-Norris | Republican | 2023 |
At-Large | Khadijah Al Amin | Democratic | 2025 |
Charrisse Allen | Democratic | 2025 |
Transportation
As of 2018, there were 31.15 miles (50.13 km) of public roads in Coatesville, of which 6.50 miles (10.46 km) were maintained by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 24.65 miles (39.67 km) were maintained by the city.[28]
The main east–west road serving Coatesville is
A general aviation airport, Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport, which allows private and corporate aircraft to easily access the town, is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) west in neighboring Valley Township. The nearest airport with commercial air service is the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia.
Coatesville is served by the
Two bus services serve Coatesville. The Coatesville Link, which is operated by
Notable people
- Whittier C. Atkinson, founder of the Clement Atkinson Memorial Hospital
- Vince Belnome, MLB infielder, Tampa Bay Rays
- Walt Downing, NFL center for the San Francisco 49ers (1978–1983)
- United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- IBFfeatherweight title in 1988
- Richard Hamilton, NBA All-Star guard for the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls
- Ralph Hudson, last person to be put to death by the state of New Jersey
- Billy Joe, 1963 rookie of the year for AFL Denver Broncos; member of the NFL champion New York Jets, 1969
- Joseph C. Keech (1833–1915), member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives[36]
- Ray Keech, auto racing pioneer in the 1920s, won the 1929 Indianapolis 500
- Terrance Laird, NCAA Division I collegiate sprinter
- Rodney Linderman, founding member of punk band The Dead Milkmen, grew up in the Coatesville area
- Rebecca Lukens, owner of Lukens Steel Company, first American female CEO of an industrial company
- Mary Alice Dorrance Malone, billionaire Campbell Soup heiress, lives in Coatesville[37]
- Fred Mascherino, musician and vocalist, Taking Back Sunday, The Color Fred, Terrible Things
- Helsinki 1952
- Derrick Morgan, defensive end, Tennessee Titans
- John Grubb Parke, Union general during the American Civil War
- Rod Perry, actor best known for his role as Sgt. David "Deacon" Kay in the 1970s TV series S.W.A.T.
- Susan Richardson, actress, best known for her role as Susan Bradford on the television series Eight Is Enough
- George A. Spratt (1870–1934), inventor and aviation pioneer associated with the Wright brothers
- Zack Steffen, professional soccer player for Manchester City
- Essie Mae Williams, daughter of Senator Strom Thurmond, grew up in Coatesville
- Avery Storm, born in Coatesville
- Johnny Weir, figure skater, Olympian, and TV personality
- John L. Withrow, minister, author
Legacy
- In 2006, a Pennsylvania historical marker was placed along PA 82 in East Fallowfield, where Zachariah Walker was lynched.[9][38]
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Coatesville city, Pennsylvania". www.census.gov. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 0-7385-1198-6.
- ^ a b "City of Coatesville website". Archived from the original on July 6, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
- ^ Chester Co PA; Caln; 1881 HISTORY
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 603.
- ^ "Rebecca Lukens" Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today, National Steel Heritage Museum
- ^ a b Eric S. Smith, "Zachariah Walker's lynching haunts the city", Daily Local News (Chester County), 13 August 2011, accessed 5 January 2016
- ^ "History - Coatesville VA Medical Center". va.gov. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. June 9, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ Smith, Eric S. (May 5, 2012). "Marriott Courtyard opens in Coatesville". Daily Local News (Chester Co., PA). dailylocal.com. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
- ^ Authority, council seek to close rift - dailylocal.com Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Thomas, Pierre; Date, Jack; Cook, Theresa (February 19, 2009), "2 Arrests in Devastating Pa. House Fires", ABC News, ABC News, archived from the original on December 10, 2013, retrieved December 3, 2013
- ^ a b Brady Shea, Kathleen (June 8, 2010), "Coatesville arsonist sentenced to 60 years", The Philadelphia Inquirer, ABC News, retrieved December 3, 2013
- ^ Rellahan, Michael P. (September 18, 2010). "Serial arsonist pleads guilty". Daily Local News (Chester Co., PA). dailylocal.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
- ^ a b "World Trade Center Steel Beams Returning Home". CBS News. CBSNews.com. April 14, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ "Memorializing 9/11 with World Trade Center Steel". World Architects. world-architects.com. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places - Digital Archive on NPGallery". npgallery.nps.gov. National Park Service-U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on October 24, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2020".
- ^ "Pennsylvania: 1990, Part 1" (PDF).
- ^ "Pennsylvania: 2000" (PDF).
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Coatesville city, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Coatesville city, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2011-9-6.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Coatesville city, Pennsylvania". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ "Coatesville City map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ISBN 0-87530-778-7.
- ^ a b Chester County Ride Guide (Map). Chester County Planning Commission. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ^ Rodgers, Lucas (March 7, 2019). "SEPTA Regional Rail set to return to Coatesville". Daily Local News. West Chester, PA. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
- ^ MediaNews Group (July 14, 2021). "Coatesville train station bids authorized; construction to start this year". Daily Local News. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ "Insurance maps of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, April 1921". digital.libraries.psu.edu. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ "The Outfitter to Launch February 8th". TMACC. February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- ^ "The Outfitter schedule" (PDF). TMACC. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- ^ "Mary Alice Dorrance Malone". Forbes.com. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ Dennis Downey, with Raymond Hyser, Coatesville and the Lynching of Zachariah Walker (revised 20th anniversary edition, 2011)
Further reading
- Rodriguez, Ismael Jr. (August 2020). "Local Citizen Helps VFW Post Commemorate Its Namesake". VFW Magazine. Vol. 107, no. 10. Kansas City, Mo.: ISSN 0161-8598.
A history enthusiast delved deep into the past to uncover the friendship that forged and chartered a Pennsylvania VFW Post more than a century ago.
External links
- Media related to Coatesville, Pennsylvania at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website