North Wales, Pennsylvania
From Open Encyclopedia
- For alternate meanings, see Wales (disambiguation)
North Wales is a borough located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is one of the three historic population centers that make up the North Penn Valley. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,342.
Like many small boroughs in Pennsylvania, North Wales is at "build out," meaning that its boundaries have not kept up with population growth. Summarily, many businesses and residences with North Wales addresses are located in outlying townships that were never annexed by the borough.
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Geography
North Wales is located at 40°12'39" North, 75°16'30" West (40.210703, -75.274994)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.5 km² (0.6 mi²). 1.5 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there are 3,342 people, 1,299 households, and 869 families residing in the borough. The population density is 2,263.8/km² (5,848.7/mi²). There are 1,330 housing units at an average density of 900.9/km² (2,327.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 90.31% White, 4.82% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,299 households out of which 34.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% are married couples living together, 9.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% are non-families. 27.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.56 and the average family size is 3.18.
In the borough the population is spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $54,605, and the median income for a family is $63,235. Males have a median income of $41,265 versus $33,045 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $26,590. 4.7% of the population and 3.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.0% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
As its name suggests, North Wales was settled by Welsh immigrants. (For more on Welsh settlements in colonial Pennsylvania, see "Welsh Tract.") It began as a pastoral village in agricultural Gwynedd Township.
Its rural character was abruptly disrupted by the building of the North Pennsylvania Railroad starting in 1852. Service from Bethlehem to Philadelphia through North Wales began in 1857. The town quickly grew around the railroad station, with hotels and restaurants lining Walnut Street and Main Street within walking distance. North Wales was incorporated as a borough in 1869, taking land from today's Upper Gwynedd Township, then the northern portion of Gwynedd Township.
During the late 19th and early 20th century, much of North Wales borough's housing stock was built. Most houses in the borough remain today rowhouses, twins, and modest detached homes.
Between 1900 and 1926, Lehigh Valley Transit operated its Chestnut Hill Branch trolley line, which connected North Wales to surrounding towns through service to either Philadelphia or Norristown. The trolley ran down Main Street through the borough, but detoured onto Pennsylvania Avenue to enable it to cross the North Penn Railroad tracks rather than being stopped at the grade-crossing while the train passed.
Although trolley service ended and trackage has been removed, rail service to North Wales is currently served by SEPTA. Many North Wales residents commute to Center City, Philadelphia by the R5 train.
North Wales' Main Street, although a shadow of its former glory, still serves the community by providing basic services such as pizza parlors (one a Papa John's franchise), a bank, a pharmacy, doctors offices, and other commercial shops.
External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth
