Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania
Borough of Fountain Hill | |
---|---|
EDT) | |
ZIP Code | 18015 |
Area codes | 610 and 484 |
FIPS code | 42-27008 |
Primary airport | Lehigh Valley International Airport |
Major hospital | Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest |
School district | Bethlehem Area |
Website | www |
Fountain Hill is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Fountain Hill was 4,832 at the 2020 census, an increase over the figure of 4,597 tabulated in 2010. It is part of the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. as of the 2020 census.
History
The region which would become Fountain Hill was home to
The Moravians would directly own the area which would become Fountain Hill for 32 years, and for 100 years after the purchase the area consisted of non-Moarvian tenant farmer, the largest of which was a 147-acre farm owned by the Hoffert family. The farm house was built in 1755 by Cornelius Weygandt and remains the oldest standing structure in the borough.[3]
In 1846 the Moravians sold 2-acres of the property to Dr. Francis Henry Oppelt who opened a hotel and mineral spa on the site. Oppelt was a staunch believer in balneotherapy, and believed the mineral waters could cure diseases and other ailments. Oppelt's facility would remain open for 25 years from 1846 until 1871.[3]
Oppelt eventually went
In 1848 the Hoffert farm was sold to
In 1866 Jeter was choosing a name for the property and settled on "Fountain Hill", due to the earlier Fontainebleau estate, which stood on a small hill. In 1886 the growing town became the home to several Silk Mills with the birth of the Industrial Revolution.[3]
With the advent of local industry, the regions population surged, however, there was still no incorporated government, with the region operating as a village within Salisbury Township. After a successful petition to the Lehigh County government, Fountain Hill became an incorporated municipality on November 13, 1893.[3]
In 1905 the residents of Fountain Hill rejected a proposal to join the municipality of South Bethlehem (annexed by Bethlehem in 1917) to form an Independent city.[4] In 1919 Fountain Hill annexed some portions of neighboring Salisbury township, and around this time, Fountain Hills most famous resident, Stephen Vincent Benét, began his literary career, publishing his famed poem John Brown's Body in 1929.[3] Through the 1940s Fountain Hill would remain a cultural retreat for Bethlehemites, hosting many operas, playhouses, and theaters. In 1949 Fountain Hill annexed another parcel from Salisbury township, bringing the borough to its present borders.[5]
Geography
Fountain Hill is located at 40°36′6″N 75°23′47″W / 40.60167°N 75.39639°W (40.601698, -75.396357).
Transportation
As of 2010, there were 13.60 miles (21.89 km) of public roads in Fountain Hill, of which 0.88 miles (1.42 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 12.72 miles (20.47 km) were maintained by the borough.[8]
No numbered highways pass through Fountain Hill. The main thoroughfare through the borough is Broadway, which follows a northeast–southwest alignment through the middle of town. Pennsylvania Route 378 and Pennsylvania Route 412 are the closest numbered highways, both of which pass just to the east of Fountain Hill.
Education
Fountain Hill is served by the Bethlehem Area School District. Fountain Hill Elementary School for kindergarten through grade five is located in Fountain Hill.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census,
Notable people
- Stephen Vincent Benét, former author
- Joseph F. Brennan, former Pennsylvania State Representative
- Edwin Drake, "Father of the Oil industry", first American to drill for crude oil
- Justin D. Jirolanio, former Pennsylvania State Representative and State Senator
- T. J. Rooney, former Pennsylvania State Representative
- Alejandra Feliz, singer, member of the Carlos & Alejandra
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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "About Fountain Hill". fountainhill.org. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "Fountain Hill". bapl.org. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "Fountain Hill's Rich History". bapl.org. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "18015 ZIPCode Map Bethlehem Pennsylvania - HipCodes.com". www.hipcodes.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ "Fountain Hill Borough map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)".
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.