Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia : B : BU : BUC : Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bucks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 597,635. A 2004 U.S. Census estimate placed the population at 621,342. The county seat is Doylestown6. Bucks County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the Delaware Valley area.
- 1 History
- 2 Law/Government
- 3 Geography
- 4 Industry and Commerce
- 5 Development and Population Growth
- 6 Arts & Culture
- 7 Sports & Recreation
- 8 Politics
- 9 Pennsylvania State Senate
- 10 United States House of Representatives
- 11 Demographics
- 12 Municipalities
- 13 Education
- 13.1 Colleges and universities
- 13.2 Public School Districts
- 13.3 Community, Junior and Technical Colleges
- 14 External links
History
Founding
Bucks County was one of the three original counties in Pennsylvania. It was named by William Penn in 1682 after Buckinghamshire, England. Penn's home, Pennsbury Manor, is also located within the county.Place names in Bucks County derived from places in Buckinghamshire include Buckingham, Chalfont (named after Chalfont St Giles), Wycombe and Solebury (spelled Soulbury in England). Buckingham was the former county town of Buckinghamshire; Buckingham, PA, now called Bristol, was the county seat of Bucks County from 1705-1726. Chalfont St. Giles in Buckinghamshire was the parish home of William Penn's first wife, and the location of the Jordans Quaker Meeting House, where Penn is buried.
Revolutionary War
In December of 1776, Bucks County became the setting for Gen. George Washington and his troops as they prepared to cross the Delaware and storm Trenton, New Jersey on Christmas Day. The attack caught the Hessian army by surprise and would represent a turning point in the American War of Independence. The town of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing Historic Park were named to commemorate the event.See also Washington's crossing of the Delaware
Law/Government
The executive government is run by a three-seat Board of Commissioners, one member of which serves as chairperson. Commissioners are elected through at-large voting and serve four-year terms. In cases of vacancy, a panel of county judges appoints members to fill seats.The current commissioners are James F. Cawley (R) (Chairman), Charles H. Martin (R) and Sandra A. Miller (D). The current terms expire at the end of 2007.
Geography
Bucks County lies in the southeastern edge of the state along the Delaware River. Most of the land is typical of the piedmont region, with hills becoming more distinct further north. Unlike in the Southern Piedmont, soil in the Pennsylvania Piedmont has historically been fertile, giving Bucks County large areas of valuable farmland. With the decline of the farming industry, debate has arisen over how much of this open space should be preserved, and how much should be allotted for commercial and residential development.The southern third of the county between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey, often called Lower Bucks, is flat and near sea level, and the county's most populated and industrialized area. Unlike those from more northern areas of Bucks County, people in Lower Bucks tend to relate more to Philadelphia, since the area is more urbanized and closer to Philadelphia.
The county shares most of its western border with Montgomery County, and also borders Philadelphia to the southwest, and Northampton and Lehigh Counties to the north. From north to south, it is linked to Warren, Hunterdon, Mercer and Burlington Counties in New Jersey by bridges.
Tohickon Creek and Neshaminy Creek are the largest tributaries of the Delaware in Bucks County. Tohickon Creek empties into the river at Point Pleasant and Neshaminy at Bristol.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,611 km² (622 mi²). 1,573 km² (607 mi²) of it is land and 38 km² (15 mi²) of it (2.37%) is water.
Adjacent Counties
- Lehigh County (northwest)
- Northampton County (north)
- Warren County, New Jersey (northeast)
- Hunterdon County, New Jersey (east)
- Mercer County, New Jersey (east)
- Burlington County, New Jersey (south)
- Philadelphia County (southwest)
- Montgomery County (west)
Industry and Commerce
The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such Levittown designed by William Levitt.
Among Bucks' largest employers in the Twentieth Century were U.S. Steel in Falls Township, and the Vulcanized Rubber & Plastics and Robertson Tile companies in Morrisville. Rohm and Haas continues to operate several chemical plants around Bristol. Waste Management operates a landfill in Tullytown that is largely the receptacle of out-of-state waste.
This industry, however, belies another important asset of the county: tourism. Renowned for its natural scenery, farmland, colonial history, and proximity to major urban areas, Bucks County is regarded by Philadelphians, New Yorkers, and New Jerseyans alike as a rural haven for weekend getaways and artistic colonies, especially in its more bucolic northern regions. Bucks County Town and Country Living, LifeStyle Magazine, Nouveau, and BUCKS Magazine, are just some of the locally-based publications that cater to this demographic. Popular sites in Bucks County include the shops of New Hope, Peddlers Village, Washington Crossing Historic Park, and Bucks County River Country. Southern Bucks is home to two important shopping centers, Neshaminy Mall and Oxford Valley Mall, and Sesame Place, a family theme park based on the Sesame Street television series.
Development and Population Growth
Suburban development began in earnest in 1951 when William Levitt purchased hundreds of acres to build Levittown, spreading across three townships and one borough. The construction of Levittown led to the building of strip malls and other housing developments.Beginning soon after the 1970s, the second development wave since Levittown occurred. At this point many significant places in the county were constructed, such as the sprawling Lake Luxembourg in Core Creek Park, the massive, award-winning St.Mary's Hospital, and the Oxford Valley Mall. People now were starting to spread out of Levittown and the many boroughs into the various townships. These townships have become the perfect example of American suburbs. Newly-constructed homes, many of which are McMansions, acres of landscaping, large freeways, and traffic.
Although originally a product of "White Flight," Bucks County has experienced a fast-growing African-American population and significantly increased immigration from Latin America, Asia, mainly from India, Europe, and Africa. Cultural and ethnically diverse towns include Bensalem Township, Bristol, Morrisville, and Warminster Heights. Many Jewish immigrants, mostly from Russia and Ukraine, have also settled in the area.
Arts & Culture
Fine & Performing Arts
Many artists and writers based in New York City have called Bucks County home, settling mainly in the small stretch between Doylestown and New Hope and along the Delaware River. Notable residents have included Pearl S. Buck, Oscar Hammerstein, II (of Rodgers and Hammerstein), Moss Hart, James Michener, Dorothy Parker, S. J. Perelman, Stan and Jan Berenstain, and Jean Toomer. Bucks County is the home of writer/musician James McBride and was also home to furniture designer George Nakashima.
The county boasts many local theater companies, the most famous of which is the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope.
Popular culture
Alecia Moore, more commonly known as Pink, was born in Doylestown as was motion picture writer and director, Stefan Avalos. Screen writer Stephen Susco (The Grudge) grew up in Bucks County. Oscar Winner, Joe Renzetti (The Buddy Holly Story) is a lifelong Bucks County resident as is the movie's producer, Fred Bauer. Bucks County has also given two sons to the hit pop-culture show American Idol: Justin Guarini, who was born in Atlanta, but moved to Bucks County; and Anthony Fedorov, who was born in Ukraine and currently resides in Trevose, in Lower Southampton Township.Film
M. Night Shyamalan's 2002 film Signs, starring Mel Gibson, was filmed and takes place in Bucks County. The town scenes, in particular, were filmed on State Street in Newtown Borough. Shyamalan's film, Lady in the Water, was shot in Bristol Township. With the exception of the Pine Barrens footage, all of The Last Broadcast was shot in Bucks County (though the name was changed).Sports & Recreation
- Football
- *New Orleans Saints free safety Bryan Scott is a Bucks County native. He attended Central Bucks East High School.
- * Former Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins star Troy Vincent resides in Lower Makefield and attended Pennsbury High School.
- Little League - The county has a considerable history of producing Little League baseball contenders. Since its inception in 1947, four of the seven Pennsylvania teams to compete in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania have come from Bucks County: Morrisville (1955), Levittown American (1960 and 1961), and Council Rock-Newtown (2005). Two of these squads, Morrisville and Levittown (1960), went on to win the World Series title.
- Philadelphia Park Racetrack, formerly the home of Triple Crown contender Smarty Jones, is in Bensalem.
Politics
| Year | GOP | Dems |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 46.4% ''154,469 | 53.0% ''163,438 |
| 2000 | 46.3% ''121,927 | 50.5% ''132,914 |
| 1996 | 41.8% ''94,899 | 45.5% ''103,313 |
| 1992 | 38.1% ''94,584 | 39.4% ''97,902 |
| 1988 | 60.0% ''127,563 | 38.8% ''82,472 |
| 1984 | 63.3% ''130,119 | 36.2% ''74,568 |
| 1980 | 55.5% ''100,536 | 32.6% ''59,120 |
| 1976 | 50.7% ''85,628 | 47.3% ''79,838 |
| 1972 | 62.3% ''99,684 | 35.5% ''56,784 |
| 1968 | 48.6% ''69,646 | 40.2% ''57,634 |
| 1964 | 38.9% ''50,243 | 60.6% ''78,287 |
| 1960 | 54.0% ''67,501 | 45.7% ''57,177 |
- Registered voters - As of November 2004,
- * 46.2% of registered voters in Bucks County are Republicans,
- * 38.5% are Democrats, and
- * 15.4% are independents.
Bucks County was once a safeguard for the Republican Party, and although politicially the county has diversified, Republicans still control most of the offices at all levels of government. County Republicans tend to hold moderate positions on environmental and social issues while advocating fiscal restraint. While the GOP controls most offices locally, at the national level, voters have favored the Democratic presidential candidate in the last four elections. However, the county is becoming more and more Democratic, as Philadelphians, and other migrants from the neighboring Liberal states, move to the area.
Bucks County is represented in U.S. Congress by Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional District ([map]). While concerns about gerrymandering are on the rise, the 8th District remains one of the few districts in the United States that is almost fully synonymous with a single county. Since 2002, however, the 8th District has included small portions of neighboring Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
The current representative for the 8th District is Mike Fitzpatrick (R).
Pennsylvania State Senate
- Robert M. Tomlinson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 19th Senate District
- Joe Conti, Republican, Pennsylvania's 10th Senate District
- Stewart J. Greenleaf, Republican, Pennsylvania's 12th Senate District
- Robert C. Wonderling, Republican, Pennsylvania's 24th Senate District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Gene DiGirolamo, Republican, Pennsylvania's 18th Legislative District
- Bernard T. O'Neill, Republican, Pennsylvania's 29th Legislative District
- David J. Steil, Republican, Pennsylvania's 31st Legislative District
- Thomas C. Corrigan Sr., Democrat, Pennsylvania's 140th Legislative District
- Anthony J. Melio, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 141st Legislative District
- Matthew N. Wright, Republican, Pennsylvania's 142nd Legislative District
- Charles McIlhinney Jr., Republican, Pennsylvania's 143rd Legislative District
- Katharine M. Watson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 144th Legislative District
- Paul I. Clymer, Republican, Pennsylvania's 145th Legislative District
- Scott A. Petri, Republican, Pennsylvania's 178th Legislative District
United States House of Representatives
- Mike Fitzpatrick,Republican, 8th Congressional District of Pennsylvania
Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 597,635 people, 218,725 households, and 160,981 families residing in the county. The population density was 380/km² (984/mi²). There were 225,498 housing units at an average density of 143/km² (371/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.01% White, 4.08% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 3.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 3.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 218,725 households out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $59,727, and the median income for a family was $68,727. Males had a median income of $46,587 versus $31,984 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,430. About 3.10% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.80% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.
Municipalities
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places
Education
Colleges and universities
Public School Districts
- Bensalem Township School District
- Bristol Borough School District
- Bristol Township School District
- Centennial School District
- Central Bucks School District
- Council Rock School District
- Easton Area School District (also in Northampton County)
- Morrisville Borough School District
- Neshaminy School District
- New Hope-Solebury School District
- Palisades School District
- Pennridge School District
- Pennsbury School District
- Quakertown Community School District
- Souderton Area School District (also in Montgomery County)
Community, Junior and Technical Colleges
- Bucks County Community College
- Bucks County School of Beauty Culture
- CHI Institute
- Pennco Tech
External links
- [Bucks County Government Official Web Site]
- [Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau]
- [Art Chatter] - Bucks County Artist and Gallery Guide
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