Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
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Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
Fredrickstown | ||
---|---|---|
GNIS feature ID 1213972[5] | | |
Website | www |
Hummelstown is a
Originally named Fredrickstown, the town was established in 1762.
History
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Hummelstown was founded as "Fredrickstown" in 1762 by two Germans, Frederick and Rosina Hummel.[7] They purchased the land for 200 pounds sterling, then divided the area into building lots, which were sold to German settlers. During the mid-19th century, the Union Canal along Swatara Creek was an important factor in the development of the local economy, promoting trade and transportation.
The town was located on the Berks-Dauphin Turnpike, and later it was served by the Union Canal[9] which paralleled Swatara Creek bordering the north and the west sides of the town, and was opened in 1827. The Lebanon Valley Railroad arrived in 1858. This brought about many jobs of stone cutting and shipyard work and helped facilitate the Hummelstown Brownstone Company which became the leading employer of Hummelstown residents.[9] The company mined Hummelstown brownstone at its quarries from 1867 until 1929. The company was the largest producer of brownstone on the East Coast.
Throughout the history of the town it has been a stopping point for tourists traveling to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, or to Hershey, the home of
has had several ceremonies conducted in Hummelstown over the years.The borough celebrated its
The Dr. William Henderson House, Keystone Hotel, Enoch Matlack House, and Zion Lutheran Church and Graveyard are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[10] The Hummelstown Historical Society building is located at North Rosanna Street and North Alley Street in the original building for the Zion Lutheran Church, which is now the main brownstone church on Main Street of Hummelstown. The society has a library, museum, and genealogy section, and hosts numerous Native American relics, such as arrowheads, bones, and pottery.[9]
Hummelstown is within a thirty-minute drive of several colleges and educational institutions, such as HACC, Lebanon Valley College, Penn State Harrisburg, YTI Career Institute, Kepler Career Institute, and VoTech. Many residents of Hummelstown have jobs in Derry Township, mainly through Hershey Foods and its subsidiaries.
Hummelstown currently has three
Geography
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Hummelstown is located in southern Dauphin County at 40°15′55″N 076°42′30″W / 40.26528°N 76.70833°W (40.265168, −76.710995) at an elevation of 397 feet (121 m) above sea level.
Climate
The climate of Hummelstown is similar to Harrisburg's. The lows during winter reach about −5 °F (−21 °C), and the highs during summer reach about 95 °F (35 °C).
Weather
Few
Hummelstown has had numerous
Highways
East of the center of Hummelstown, Main Street ends at the Boro Bar and Walton Avenue (previously Main Street) turns into and becomes
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1840 | 480 | — | |
1850 | 619 | 29.0% | |
1860 | 807 | 30.4% | |
1870 | 837 | 3.7% | |
1880 | 1,043 | 24.6% | |
1890 | 1,485 | 42.4% | |
1900 | 1,729 | 16.4% | |
1910 | 2,128 | 23.1% | |
1920 | 2,654 | 24.7% | |
1930 | 3,036 | 14.4% | |
1940 | 3,264 | 7.5% | |
1950 | 3,789 | 16.1% | |
1960 | 4,474 | 18.1% | |
1970 | 4,723 | 5.6% | |
1980 | 4,267 | −9.7% | |
1990 | 3,981 | −6.7% | |
2000 | 4,360 | 9.5% | |
2010 | 4,538 | 4.1% | |
2020 | 4,535 | −0.1% | |
2021 (est.) | 4,523 | [6] | −0.3% |
Sources:[14][15][16][3] |
According to the United States Census Bureau the median house value in Hummelstown is $99,400.[17] Directly within the main limits of the town, excluding those of the development of Graystone, as well as those that have Hummelstown addresses, there is a total of 1,953 housing units.[18]
Units in structure | Number | Percent[19] |
---|---|---|
1-Unit Detached | 1,031 | 52.8% |
1-Unit Attached | 195 | 10% |
2-Units | 116 | 5.9% |
3 or 4 Units | 216 | 11.1% |
5 to 9 Units | 220 | 11.3% |
10 to 19 Units | 65 | 3.3% |
20 or more Units | 74 | 3.8% |
Mobile Home | 36 | 1.8% |
Boat, RV, or Van (etc.) | 0 | 0.00% |
Hummelstown is home to many older homes; a large number were built in the earlier decades of the 1900s.
Year structure built | Number | Percent[20] |
---|---|---|
1999 to March 2000 | 21 | 1.1% |
1995 to 1998 | 85 | 4.4% |
1990 to 1994 | 33 | 1.7% |
1980 to 1989 | 143 | 7.3% |
1970 to 1979 | 239 | 12.2% |
1960 to 1969 | 250 | 12.8% |
1940 to 1959 | 531 | 27.2% |
1939 or earlier | 651 | 33.3% |
According to the United States Census Bureau, the estimated upkeep cost and home improvement costs to percentage of house value in Hummelstown, has a median of less than 15% (which comes to a median cost of $14,910).[21]
2000 census records
As of the
There were 1,879 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $41,625, and the median income for a family was $50,572. Males had a median income of $36,500 versus $27,547 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,394. About 4.2% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
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Annual cultural events
- The Lollipop Drop – New Year's Eve (discontinued)
- Movie Nights – at the Herbert A. Schaffner Memorial Park
- Taste of Hummelstown – food sampling by restaurants along the Main Street
- The Hummelstown Arts Festival – a non-profit annual arts festival held each September to raise money for scholarships for graduating seniors at Lower Dauphin High School continuing their education in the arts.
- Hummelstown Winter Fling - January event featuring music, food, and drinks on the square. Established in 2014.
- Trick or Treat – Halloweenis the night used for the annual Trick or Treat. Houses with their porchlight on from 6 pm until 8 pm are houses participating.
Borough of Hummelstown: Calendar of Events
Museums and other points of interest
Hummelstown has a historical society constructed with Hummelstown brownstone. The Hummelstown Historical Society is both a museum and visitor center. The town is home to a historical landmark, the Warwick Hotel, which is still a tavern reminiscent of its pre-Revolutionary War days. George Washington stayed a night there and drank from its bar.[citation needed]
Indian Echo Caverns, located one-half mile south of the borough limits, is one of the main attractions near Hummelstown. The caverns were originally used by the Susquehannock tribe, who lived and hunted in the nearby area until they vanished in the 1670s; it opened to the public in 1929.
The
In the town
In the town there is an American Legion, a borough office building, and a post office. The legion and the post office are located on Walton Avenue (Main Street). The borough office building is located on South Hanover Street. The town also has several churches, most located on Main Street.
The Hummelstown Chemical Fire Department occasionally serves as a distribution center for Potassium Iodide pills supplied by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Hummelstown falls within a 10-mile radius of Three Mile Island.
Religion
As much of Pennsylvania, in the initial days of its founding, Hummelstown had a large base of
Parks and recreation
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Several parks are located throughout the borough:[23]
- Barry E. Mehaffie Memorial Park (formerly West End Park)
- Herbert A. Schaffner Memorial Park (formerly Borough Park)
- Hummel Nature Trail
- Marion F. Alexander Memorial Park
- Shope's Field
Education
Hummelstown is located in Lower Dauphin School District. Lower Dauphin High School, Lower Dauphin Middle School, Nye Elementary School, and the Price Building are located within the borough, as is the school district's administration building.
Libraries
Hummelstown's public library, the William H. and Marion C. Alexander Family Library, named for its major donors and local philanthropists, is located on the corner of 2nd and Railroad Streets.
- HUM at a glance:[24]
- 2,821 square feet of net space
- 27,456 volumes
- Opened in 1953.
- Building constructed in 1957 as Hummelstown Teen Center, later Hummelstown Civic Center.
- Library moved into building in 1965.
- Became part of the Dauphin County Library System in 1975. Library took over entire building in 1983. (This address is the current location of the library but the building info pertains to the former location across from the NYE Elementary School.)
Media
Hummelstown is home to The Sun newspaper, which covers Hummelstown, Hershey and Palmyra area (Lower Dauphin, Derry Township, Milton Hershey and Palmyra Area school districts). In early 2008, The Sun acquired the subscribers of the now-defunct Hershey Chronicle newspaper[25] making The Sun the largest paid-circulation weekly in Dauphin County. The Sun began in 1871.[9]
Other newspapers that cover Hummelstown include:
Radio stations
This is a list of
Callsign |
MHz | Band | "Name", Format, Owner | City of license |
---|---|---|---|---|
WDCV
|
88.3 | FM | Indie/College Rock, Dickinson College | Carlisle |
WXPH
|
88.7 | FM | WXPN relay, University of Pennsylvania | Harrisburg |
WSYC
|
88.7 | FM | Alternative, Shippensburg University
|
Shippensburg |
WITF-FM | 89.5 | FM | NPR | Harrisburg |
WVMM | 90.7 | FM | Indie/College Rock, Messiah College
|
Grantham |
WJAZ
|
91.7 | FM | WRTI relay, Classical/Jazz, Temple University | Harrisburg |
WKHL | 92.1 | FM | "K-Love", Contemporary Christian | Palmyra |
WPPY | 92.7 | FM | "Nu 92.7" Adult Contemporary | Starview |
WTPA-FM | 93.5 | FM | "93.5 WTPA" Classic Rock | Mechanicsburg |
WRBT | 94.9 | FM | "Bob" Country | Harrisburg |
WLAN | 96.9 | FM | "FM 97" Top 40 | Lancaster |
WRVV | 97.3 | FM | "The River" Classic Hits and the Best of Today's Rock | Harrisburg |
WYCR | 98.5 | FM | 98.5 The Peak | York |
WQLV | 98.9 | FM | "Love 99" Adult Contemporary | Millersburg |
WHKF | 99.3 | FM | "Kiss-FM" CHR | Harrisburg |
WFVY | 100.1 | FM | Adult Contemporary | Lebanon |
WROZ | 101.3 | FM | "The Rose" Adult Contemporary | Lancaster |
WARM | 103.3 | FM | "Warm 103" Adult Contemporary | York |
WNNK
|
104.1 | FM | "Wink 104" Hot AC | Harrisburg |
WQXA
|
105.7 | FM | "105.7 The X" Hard Rock | York |
WWKL
|
106.7 | FM | "Hot 106.7" CHR | Hershey |
WGTY | 107.7 | FM | "Great Country" | York |
This is a list of
Callsign |
kHz | Band | Format | City of license |
---|---|---|---|---|
WHP (AM) | 580 | AM | Conservative News/Talk | Harrisburg |
WHYF | 720 | AM | Contemporary Christian | Shiremanstown |
WSBA (AM) | 910 | AM | News/Talk | York |
WADV | 940 | AM | Gospel | Lebanon |
WHYL | 960 | AM | Adult Standards | Carlisle |
WIOO | 1000 | AM | Classic Country | Carlisle |
WKBO | 1230 | AM | Christian Contemporary | Harrisburg |
WQXA
|
1250 | AM | Country | York |
WLBR | 1270 | AM | Talk | Lebanon |
WHGB | 1400 | AM | Now ESPN Radio (Formerly Adult R&B: The Touch) | Harrisburg |
WTKT | 1460 | AM | sports: "The Ticket" | Harrisburg |
WRDD | 1480 | AM | Country | Shippensburg |
WRKY | 1490 | AM | Classic rock | Lancaster |
WPDC | 1600 | AM | Spanish | Elizabethtown |
Folklore
There is a great history to the area, with its fields, creek, and the caves nearby. The biggest case of folklore around the town is the case of the sister and brother duo of William "Amos" Wilson and Elizabeth "Harriot" Wilson. William would later be known as "the Pennsylvania Hermit".
Notable people
- Kate Baer, poet[26]
- Brian Baker, actor[citation needed]
- Terry Farrell, model and actress[citation needed]
- Bill Gaudette, soccer player for the New York Red Bulls
- presidential candidate, was raised by his mother and step-father on Main Street in an apartment above what is now a computer store. There is a tree on Main Street dedicated to his step-father as well as a plaque commemorating the site as their place of residence.
- George M. Leader, former governor of Pennsylvania
- Laurel Martin, field hockey player formerly for the US Olympic Team
- John D. Payne, Republican member of the US House of Representatives
- Alexander Ramsey, second governor of Minnesota
- US House of Representatives
- Buffalo State Collegefootball team
- William K. Thierfelder, psychologist
- Chris Villarrial, American football player, formerly for the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears
- James M. Wallace, member of the US House of Representatives
- Richard Winters, WWII veteran best known for his direction in "Band of Brothers"
Historic buildings and listings
- Dr. William Henderson House – 31 East Main Street
- Keystone Hotel – 40 East Main Street
- Enoch Matlack House – 250 East Main Street
- John Todd House – South Meadow Lane
- Zion Lutheran Church and Graveyard – Rosana Street, home of the Hummelstown Historical Society
- Brownstone Station - 320 E 2nd St
Native Americans
There were several Native American tribes located around Hummelstown, including the Susquehannocks, the Iroquois, and several smaller tribes that would later be conquered or assimilated into the Iroquois.[27]
See also
- Hummelstown Brownstone
- Indian Echo Caverns
- List of museums in Pennsylvania
- List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania
- Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Hummelstown". Geographic Names Information System. 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Oct 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Hummelstown borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
- ^ a b Bureau, US Census. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ a b Hopkins, Thomas Cramer (1896). "The building materials of Pennsylvania: I. Brownstones". Pennsylvania State College. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Clarence M. Busch, State Printer: 48. Retrieved 2009-05-01.
place names Hummelstown.
- ^ Hummelstown profile, fizber.com; accessed December 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Hummelstown Historical Society and Museum
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Hummelstown Brownstone Quarries Marker, hmdb.org; accessed December 3, 2016.
- ^ "Swatara Creek". Geographic Names Information System. 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Fizber Hummelstown Climate, climate.fizber.com; accessed March 10, 2017.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "United Census Bureau Page 2". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
- ^ "UCB Page 2". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
- ^ "United Census Bureau Housing Chart". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
- ^ "United Census Bureau House Aging Chart". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
- ^ "FactFinder.census.gov Hummelstown Housing Costs". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
- ^ pennlive.com
- ^ "Borough of Hummelstown – Parks". Retrieved 2009-05-02.
- ^ "Hummelstown Community Library". Archived from the original on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ The Sun, February 4, 2009.
- ^ Bennett, Jessica (13 March 2021). "Kate Baer Is Speaking Truth. From Her Minivan". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ Information on Native Americans – Indigenous to Pennsylvania, accessgenealogy.com; accessed March 10, 2017.