Lynn Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the largest township by area in Lehigh County and also the most rural and least densely populated township in the county. The population of Lynn Township was 4,229 at the 2010 census.[2]
Lynn Township | |
|---|---|
 A Lynn Township farm in February 2008 | |
 Seal | |
 Location of Lynn Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania | |
  Lynn Township Location of Lynn Township in Pennsylvania  Lynn Township Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 40°40′06″N 75°52′35″W / 40.66833°N 75.87639°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| County | Lehigh |
| Incorporated | 1753 |
| Area | |
• Township | 41.54 sq mi (107.60 km2) |
| • Land | 41.24 sq mi (106.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2) |
| Elevation | 584 ft (178 m) |
| Population | |
• Township | 4,229 |
• Estimate (2016)[3] | 4,348 |
| • Density | 105.43/sq mi (40.71/km2) |
| • Metro | 865,310 (US: 68th) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area codes | 610 and 484 |
| FIPS code | 42-077-45656 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1216692 |
| Primary airport | Lehigh Valley International Airport |
| Major hospital | Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest |
| School district | Northwestern Lehigh |
| Website | www |
Lynn Township is a suburb of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. as of the 2020 census.
Geography
edit
The township is in the northwest corner of Lehigh County. Blue Mountain separates it from Schuylkill County in the north. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 41.5 square miles (107.6 km2), of which 41.2 square miles (106.8 km2) are land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km2), or 0.70%, are water.[1] It is in the Delaware River watershed and drained by Ontelaunee Creek and Kistler Creek to the Schuylkill River via Maiden Creek, except for the area near the boundary with Weisenberg Township that is drained by Switzer Creek via Jordan Creek into the Lehigh River.
Its villages include Jacksonville, Lochland (also in Heidelberg Township), Lynnville, Lynnport, New Tripoli, Stines Corners (also in Weisenberg), and Wanamakers.
Adjacent municipalities
edit- Heidelberg Township (east)
- Lowhill Township (tangent to the east)
- Weisenberg Township (southeast)
- Albany Township (southwest)
- West Penn Township (north)
- East Penn Township (tangent to the northeast)
Climate
editLynn Township has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and the hardiness zones are 6a and 6b. Average monthly temperatures in Lynnport range from 28.1 °F (−2.2 °C) in January to 72.9 °F (22.7 °C) in July.[4]
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3,849 | — | |
| 2010 | 4,229 | 9.9% | |
| 2016 (est.) | 4,348 | [3] | 2.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] | |||
As of the 2000 census,[6] there were 3,849 people, 1,397 households, and 1,071 families residing in the township. The population density was 92.9 inhabitants per square mile (35.9/km2). There were 1,453 housing units at an average density of 35.1 units per square mile (13.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 98.08% White, 0.23% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.12% of the population.
There were 1,397 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.4% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the township, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males. The median income for a household in the township was $53,883, and the median income for a family was $61,520. Males had a median income of $38,510 versus $29,866 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,688. About 2.1% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and none age 65 or over.
History
editLynn Township was established in 1732, a part of what was known as the Allemängel or Allemaengel. Its settlers early were predominantly German and Swiss.[7] The Kistler Valley area of Lynn Township is named after Johaness Jeorg Kistler, who came to the U.S. in 1737 from the Palatinate region of Germany.[8]
In 2004, in recognition of its historical significance, the Frederick and Catherine Leaser Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[9]
Education
editThe township is served by the Northwestern Lehigh School District.
Government
editLegislators:
- State Representative Ryan Mackenzie, 187th district, Republican
- State Senator Jarrett Coleman, 16th district, Republican
- U.S. Representative Susan Wild, 7th district, Democrat
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 1,759 | 65.90% | 862 | 32.30% | 48 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | 1,517 | 66.33% | 682 | 29.82% | 88 | 3.85% |
| 2012 | 1,343 | 63.26% | 739 | 34.81% | 41 | 1.93% |
| 2008 | 1,170 | 56.66% | 867 | 41.99% | 28 | 1.36% |
| 2004 | 1,290 | 62.96% | 742 | 36.21% | 17 | 0.83% |
Transportation
edit
As of 2015, there were 117.10 miles (188.45 km) of public roads in Lynn Township, of which 50.22 miles (80.82 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 66.88 miles (107.63 km) were maintained by the township.[11]
Numbered routes in Lynn Township include Pennsylvania Route 143, Pennsylvania Route 309, and Pennsylvania Route 863. Other local roads of note include Kistler Valley Road/Holbens Valley Road, Mountain Road/Mosserville Road, Owl Valley Road, Schochary Road, and Sechler Road.
References
editLynn Township is served by two volunteer fire companies: the Community Fire Company of New Tripoli and the Lynnport Fire Company. Emergency medical services are provided by Cetronia Ambulance Corps in Cetronia. Law enforcement is provided by the Pennsylvania State Police from their Fogelsville barracks. The local newspaper is The Northwestern Press.[12] New Tripoli in Lynn Township houses a bank and post office.
In addition to a number of one-room schoolhouses and traditional Pennsylvania Dutch farms, local attractions include:
- Bear Rock Junction, New Tripoli
- Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli
- Carriage Museum, New Tripoli[13]
- Eight Oaks Craft Distillers, New Tripoli
- Leaser Lake
- Olde Homestead Golf Course, New Tripoli
- Ontelaunee Park, New Tripoli
- Ontelaunee Rod & Gun Club, New Tripoli
- Zeisloff Log House, New Tripoli
Recreation
editThe Appalachian National Scenic Trail passes along the northern portion of the township, and a very small portion of the Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 106 is located in the northwestern corner of the township.[14][15]
Notable people
edit- Edward Hermany, Pennsylvania German poet
- Augustus Frederick Sherman, former Ellis Island official
References
edit- ^ a b "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
- ^ a b "Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Lynn township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ "Prism Climate Group at Oregon State University". Oregon State University. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Lynn-Heidelberg Historical Society". www.lynnheidelberg.org. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
- ^ "History". Lynn Township, Lehigh County, PA. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places - Asset Detail". National Park Service. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
- ^ "ELECTION RESULTS". lehighcounty.org. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ "Lynn Township map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ "Times News Online". www.tnonline.com.
- ^ "History". horsedrawnfunerals. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
- ^ "The National Map - Advanced Viewer". apps.nationalmap.gov.
- ^ "Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 106" (PDF). /www.pgc.pa.gov. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
External links
edit