Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°12′44″N 77°00′22″W / 40.21222°N 77.00611°W / 40.21222; -77.00611
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Mechanicsburg
Borough
717
FIPS code42-48376
Websitewww.mechanicsburgpa.org

Mechanicsburg is a

2020 census
reported the population at 9,311.

Geography

Mechanicsburg is located in eastern Cumberland County at 40°12′44″N 77°00′22″W / 40.212089°N 77.006143°W / 40.212089; -77.006143.[4] It is in a rich agricultural region known as the Cumberland Valley, a broad zone between South Mountain and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians.

Mechanicsburg is bordered by

Interstate 76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, passes just south of Mechanicsburg, with access to the southeast of town via Exit 236 (U.S. Route 15
).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.41 square miles (6.25 km2), of which 1.1 acres (4,478 m2), or 0.07%, is water.[3] It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and monthly average temperatures range from 29.9 °F (−1.2 °C) in January to 74.8 °F (23.8 °C) in July.[5] The hardiness zone is borderline between 6b and 7a, meaning that the annual average absolute minimum temperature is approximately 0 °F.[6]

Demographics

In 1900, 3,841 people lived here; in 1910, the population was 4,469, which increased to 5,709 in 1940. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 8,981.

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1830534—
184067025.5%
185088832.5%
18601,939118.4%
18702,56932.5%
18803,01817.5%
18903,69122.3%
19003,8414.1%
19104,46916.3%
19204,6884.9%
19305,64720.5%
19405,7091.1%
19506,78618.9%
19608,12319.7%
19709,38515.5%
19809,4871.1%
19909,452−0.4%
20009,042−4.3%
20108,981−0.7%
20209,3113.7%
Sources:[7][8][9][2]

As of the

Latino
of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 4,024 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. Of all households, 32.8% were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $45,200, and the median income for a family was $54,228. Males had a median income of $37,130 versus $27,940 for females. The

poverty line
, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

History

Mechanicsburg was named after a settlement of mechanics who made and repaired Conestoga wagons in the early 19th century.

In 1837, when the

Norfolk Southern. Although automotive technology changed the town forever, today's residents cannot dismiss the vital role the railroad played in its development.[10]

Another part of Mechanicsburg's growth occurred when the Naval Support Activity was built on 840 acres (340 ha) of land in Hampden Township, Pennsylvania. NSA Mechanicsburg continues to serve as one of the Defense Department's major logistics sites.

Present-day Mechanicsburg is centered on 100 acres (40 ha) that Leonard Fisher purchased from Joseph Heynes' tract (No. 1442 of an original grant of 267 acres (1.08 km2) from William Penn. Before becoming incorporated on April 12, 1828, the town went by several different names. First, Drytown, because of the extreme scarcity of water during the winter and summer. It was also known as Pinchgut, a German name used as a sign of amusement given to a small village of only a few people. Some also referred to the town as Staufferstown, in honor of Henry Stauffer, the owner of much of the land in the center of town, or briefly as Creekville during the Colonial Era.

On June 28, 1863, Confederate troops led by Brig. Gen. Albert G. Jenkins raided Mechanicsburg, and two days later, met with Union forces in the Skirmish of Sporting Hill, just east of town. Following the Skirmish of Sporting Hill, the Confederate forces retreated south into the little town of Gettysburg where the Battle of Gettysburg would be fought.[10]

The oldest building in Mechanicsburg is the Frankeberger Tavern. One of Mechanicsburg's first residents was George Frankeberger, who in 1801 applied for a license to open his newly built log home for the "convenience" of travelers. In exchange for a small fee, Mr. Frankeberger offered cattle drivers a warm meal and a place to sleep. This proved to be rather lucrative, as many people were making the two-day trek between Harrisburg (the state capital) and Carlisle (Cumberland County's county seat).

Mechanicsburg is home to many historic markers, such as Irving Female College (named for Washington Irving, a trustee), the first women's college in Pennsylvania to grant degrees in arts and sciences.[10] The Mechanicsburg Commercial Historic District, Irving Female College, Cumberland Valley Railroad Station and Station Master's House, Adam Orris House, and Simpson Street School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[11]

Government and infrastructure

The

US Route 15 passing in close proximity to the borough. The Appalachian Trail passes through Pennsylvania a few miles west of Mechanicsburg, in nearby Boiling Springs. The Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg
is located off the Carlisle Pike just outside of Mechanicsburg.

Points of interest

Notable people

See also

flag Pennsylvania portal

References

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Oct 12, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Mechanicsburg city, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ^ https://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/
  6. ^ https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx
  7. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  8. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  9. ^ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  10. ^ a b c "Mechanicsburg Museum". Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  11. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  12. ^ "Contact Us." Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Retrieved on October 5, 2012. "Central Office: 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050"
  13. ^ "Street Map." (Archive) Hampden Township. Retrieved on October 5, 2012.
  14. ^ Ahearn, Cale (August 28, 2019). "Animal cruelty charges filed against former MLB player after his 14-year-old dog was found decaying inside his Mechanicsburg home". Fox43. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Rodearmel, William (1893). Portraits of the Heads of State Departments and Portraits and Sketches of Members of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, 1893-1894. E.K. Meyers Printing House. p. 164. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  16. ^ Mautner, Chris (September 18, 2013). "Mechanicsburg expat, cartoonist Charles Forsman explores teen-age angst, alienation in 'TEOTFW'". PennLive. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  17. ^ Adams, Sean (February 23, 2024). "How this central Pa. comedian went from fired 'SNL' cast member to host". PennLive. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  18. ^ "Fire destroys Bret Michaels' Pennsylvania childhood home". Las Vegas Sun. January 28, 2016. Archived from the original on February 6, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  19. ^ Linder, Brian (January 19, 2023). "Cumberland Valley grad 'Scump' Abner, one of the greatest Call of Duty players ever, retires from gaming". PennLive. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  20. ^ Billingsley, Matthew (2007). "Andrew Kevin Walker". Pennsylvania Center for the Book. Retrieved May 14, 2024.

External links

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