Upper Darby

Upper Darby is home to the historic music venue on 69th Street built in the 1920s. The township hosts a range of housing types including densely populated rowhouse sections. The area was designated as part of the eastern section of that county which was split off on September 26, 1789, to form Delaware County. This continued until 1736, when, for the convenience of the inhabitants, it was decided at a town meeting to separate the upper part from the lower part. It was also decided at the town meeting that the area was subsequently part of, and that the other part may be called, the next year. It is possible to be called a number of different things by many different people at the same time. This includes a "council" or "town hall" and a "town council" or a "city hall" or the "township" and "towns" and even a "county" or even the "state" and the "city" are all called "town" and they are all "counted" by the "countries" in the same way. It can also be "countered" by "town," "city," "town", "town, town, county," state, or state" and it is also known as "town/town" or town/city/county, town/town, county, town or city/town/state, and it can even be "town or town" or county/town or county.

History

Upper Darby is the primary city name, but also Bywood, Highland Park, Kirklyn, Millbourne are acceptable city names or spellings. The area that eventually became Upper Darby had been inhabited by the Lenape tribe of Native Americans for thousands of years. The first permanent Europeans settlers arrived in late 1653 with a group from New Sweden. The Lower Swedish Cabin, thought to have been built in 1654, is believed by many to be a remnant of the early Swedes, who introduced the log cabin to this area. The abundance of creeks and streams in the area favored the development of mills, and some of the first mills in Delaware County could be found. In 1885, the township lost large sections of territory as the citizens of more populated neighborhoods petitioned the state to be recognized as separate municipalities. The township was active in the antislavery movement prior to 1830, and sent a committee of twelve citizens to the meeting of the Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia in 1830. Many homes in the township were stops on the Underground Railroad, including Abraham L. Pennock's home, which was eventually bequeathed to the Pennock family. The site of the former Kent Mills is now a recreation area and dog park known as Kent Park, and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. The area was part of a region that was home to rock quarries, factories, and other various industrial concerns. It was also part of the territory taken from Darby Township by the territory of Aldan when it became part of Delaware County in 1789. The current border of Upper and Lower Darby is the former border of Ridley and Springfield townships.

Community

In the early 1970s, students from Highland Park Elementary School began a campaign to have the Pennsylvania Firefly declared the official state insect of Pennsylvania. In 1991, five Upper Darby policemen were convicted in federal court and sentenced to prison for violating the civil rights of two residents, a father and son. On January 30, 2002, police officer Dennis McNamara was shot and killed in the line of duty by Thomas Campbell. In the wake of the 2020 racial uprising in response to the murder of George Floyd, several protests and actions took place in Upper Darbyshire. The township has seen a rise in LGBTQ activism of late, and a non-profit organization planned a Pride Fest for June 2020. It was cancelled due to the pandemic but held a year later by U.D.T.J. on the grounds of Upper Darbies High School and accompanied by other Pride events in the township. A section of Lansdowne Avenue was renamed in his honor. In 2003, Thomas Campbell pled guilty to his murder in 2003 and was sentenced to life in prison plus ten years. He died in Graterford Prison in 2015. In 2010, Upper Daryshire was the site of the first U.S. Open golf tournament, which was held at the University of Pennsylvania's Quakertown campus. The tournament was a fundraiser for the U.P. Center for the Performing Arts, which is located in the town's downtown. In 2011, the township was home to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, which took place at the Pennsylvania State Theatre.

Arts and culture

The community is known for its Irish pubs, and the Llanerch Diner was the setting for a pivotal scene in the film Silver Linings Playbook. Upper Darby restaurants feature a diverse range of cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Liberian, Indian, Italian, Korean, Mexican, and Colombian. The Tower Theater, located in Terminal Square at the intersection of 69th and Ludlow Streets, opened as a movie and vaudeville theater in 1927. The University of Pennsylvania operated the Flower and Clark Observatory in the Highland Park neighborhood from 1897 to 1956, the site is now known as Observatory Park. The Philadelphia Museum of Art opened the first branch museum in the United States, modeled on the Carnegie Library branch system, on 69th Street in the 1930s and 1940s. In 2018, Rolling Stone listed the Tower as one of the 10 best live music venues in the U.S. and named it one of their top 10 places to watch live music in the country. The UpperDarby Art Gallery opened in 2018 and features local, national and international artists and works, as well as art classes. The annual Music Man Festival is held at Greenhorn Gardens in Arlington Cemetery and features live music, food, beer gardens, and a 5k fundraiser for arts programs. It is held in September and features performances, artwork, and food reflecting the diverse cultural backgrounds of the community. The community is also home to a number of youth theater programs, including the Summer Stage.

Geography

Upper Darby lies on the edge of the Piedmont slightly above the City of Philadelphia (60 to 260 ft or 18 to 79 m above sea level) The borough of East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania is an enclave completely surrounded by Upper Darby Township. The township has a subtropical climate (Cfa) and the hardiness zone is 7a bordering 7b. The Norristown High Speed Line has stops in UpperDarby at 69th Street and Parkview Station. It is also the western terminal stop of the Market-Frankford Line and the eastern terminal stop for the NorristOWN Highspeed Line (formerly Route 100) and SEPTA trolley routes 101 and 102. It has three public library branches as part of the Delaware County Library System: Sellers Memorial Free Library, Municipal Branch, and Primos Branch. It also has a non-denominational burial ground, a Jewish burial ground and a private cemetery. The town is home to a number of Christian, Jewish, and Greek Orthodox churches, Sikhism and their Gurdwara, and an Islamic center. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the township has 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²) of land, which is about half the size of New York City. Its population is about 6,000 people (as of the 2010 census). It is located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with an estimated population of 6,500 (as of the 2000 census).

Demographics

In 2019, three out members of the LGBTQ community were elected to the Upper Darby School Board. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the racial makeup of the township was 46.8% White, 34.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 13.2%, Asian, 1.9% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.4%. As of 2000, there were 85,038 people, 32,551 households, and 20,474 families residing in the township. The population density was 14,658.7 people per square mile. There were 34,322 housing units at an average density of 4,361.6 per squaremile (1,683.8/km²) The median income for a household in the Township was $41,489, and medianincome for a family was $52,500. The per capita income for the township is $20,770. About 7.3% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11. 1% of those under age 18 and 6.9%) of those age 65 or over. For every 100 females, there are 91.6 males. For each 100 females age 18 or over, there there are 88.2 males. The racial make-up of the Township is 59.1%, with 20.5%, African American; 15.3%, Asian; 0.1%.

Historic sites

Arlington Cemetery is on the former site of Riverview Farm, a stop on the Underground Railroad. Collen Brook Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Sellers Hall is one of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania, and was the ancestral home to one of Upper Darby's earliest settling families, the Sellers. The oldest part of the building was built in 1684 by Samuel Sellers, and served as a station on the Railroad in the 1800s. The downtown Terminal Square area contains several Art Deco buildings centered around the McClatchy Building on the corner of 69th and Market. Thornfield Abolitionist Thomas Garrett's home, built around 1800, is the home of the town's first black mayor, Thomas Garrett, who was hanged in 1838. The town's oldest building, the Lower Swedish Cabin, is believed to be the oldest log cabin in the United States. It was built around 1684 and is the oldest building in Pennsylvania. It is located on a site that was once the site of the Riverview farm, which was a stop for the Underground Railway in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and is now part of Arlington Cemetery. The home of political leader George Smith, built in 1820, was the home to his son, George Smith II, who served as mayor from 1828 to 1837. The house was listed in 1988 as a National Historic Landmark and is located in the historic district of Lower Darby, Pennsylvania.

Education

Upper Darby Township's public education is provided by the Upper Darby School District. In all, the 12 public schools plus the Kindergarten Center serve nearly 12,000 students. Monsignor Bonner High School (for boys) and Archbishop Prendergast High School are the largest private schools in the Township. Almost all of the private academic schools are administered by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia except for the Holy Child Academy, which is a Catholic academy run by the Society of the Holy child Jesus. Delaware County Community College's Upper Dar by Center holds day and evening classes serving 600 students. UDAEP offers professional development and general education classes to township residents. The township is home to nine parochial primary and middle schools with a combined enrollment of 2,867. It is also home to a number of private schools, including St. Laurence School and St. Bernadette of Lourdes School, a Catholic K-8 school. The Township is located on the Delaware River, which runs through the town of Drexel Hill. It has a population of about 8,000. The population of Secane, Clifton Heights, and Millbourne is about 6,000, and the population of Millbourne, about 5,000 is about 2,500, according to the 2010 census. The town's population is about 4,000; the population was 6,500 in the 2010 Census. The school district has a total of 12 schools, with two middle schools and 10 public elementary schools.

Politics

Upper Darby is in Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional district, currently represented by Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 25,475 votes (66.3%) and Republican Donald Trump received 11,967 (31.1%) votes. In local politics, Democrats hold an 8-3 majority of the town council seats as well as the mayor's office, and all nine seats on the school board are held by Democrats. U.S. Senate race: Democrat Katie McGinty received 23,294 votes over Republican Pat Toomey, who received 13,539 votes in Upper Darby. State legislature: Democrat Gina Curry in the 164th District and Democrat Mike Zabel is in the 163rd House District. In 2020 Presidential Election, Democrat Joseph R. Biden received 71.1% of the vote in UpperDarby with Republican Donald J. Trump receiving 28.9%. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the town in 2012 and spoke to local residents about the need to improve the quality of life in the town. The town has a population of 3,000. It is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, one of the busiest highways in the United States. It has an elevation of 1,200 feet (400 meters) above sea level and is located in the Susquehanna River watershed. It was the site of the U.K.’s World War II-era Battle of the Bulge.

Religion

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia operates several Catholic churches in Upper Darby. Soji Zen Center is a Buddhist Temple in the Drexel Hill section of Upper Dar by. Masjid Omar and AL-Quran Center are in the Stonehurst and Bywood neighborhoods. Sree Sree Sanatan Shangho and Sree Narayana Guru Deva Temple are Hindu Temples located in Bywood. St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church is located in Stonehurst neighborhood. Presbyterian, Baptist, United Methodist, Lutheran, and non-denominational denominations are also located in the area. There are also a number of churches in the Highland Park section of the city. There is also a large number of homes for sale in the Bywood area of the town. The town is home to the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Philadelphia Eagles mascot, the Philadelphia Inquirer. It is also the home of the U.S. Air Force base, which is based in the city's South Philadelphia neighborhood. It also hosts the Philadelphia Museum of Nature and Science, a museum of art, science, and culture. The city also has the Philadelphia International Airport, which was built in the 1930s. It was the first airport in the United States, and is one of the largest in the world. The airport is located on the Delaware River, which runs through the town's downtown area. It has an international airport, which connects to the New York City and LaGuardia airports.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Upper Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania = 20.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 5. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Upper Darby = 3.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 85,681 individuals with a median age of 37.7 age the population dropped by -4.63% in Upper Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 10,559.62 residents per square mile of area (4,076.89/km²). There are average 2.51 people per household in the 31,020 households with an average household income of $48,924 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.80% of the available work force and has dropped -4.83% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 21.54%. The number of physicians in Upper Darby per 100,000 population = 341.4.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Upper Darby = 41 inches and the annual snowfall = 19.6 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 117. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 204. 87 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 24.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 43, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Upper Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania which are owned by the occupant = 58.21%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 61 years with median home cost = $132,860 and home appreciation of -9.36%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $20.05 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,933 per student. There are 15.3 students for each teacher in the school, 968 students for each Librarian and 418 students for each Counselor. 6.58% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 17.22% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 9.15% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).