Abbottstown, Pennsylvania

Abbottstown is a borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,011 at the 2010 census.[3]

Abbottstown, Pennsylvania
Borough
U.S. Route 30 in Abbottstown
Location in Adams County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Abbottstown Location in Pennsylvania and the United States Show map of Pennsylvania Abbottstown Abbottstown (the United States) Show map of the United States Abbottstown Abbottstown (North America) Show map of North America
Coordinates: 39°53′08″N 76°59′10″W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Adams
Settled	1753
Incorporated	1835
Government
• Type	Borough Council
Area [1]
• Total	0.55 sq mi (1.43 km^2)
• Land	0.55 sq mi (1.41 km^2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km^2)
Elevation	564 ft (172 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,011
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	1,026
• Density	1,879.12/sq mi (725.54/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip code	17301
Area code(s)	717
FIPS code	42-00116
Website	adams.pacounties.org/Munic/AbbottstownBorough/Pages/default.aspx

History

Abbottstown is named for John Abbott, who founded it in 1753.[4] The John Abbott House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[5] The town had rail service via the East Berlin Railroad from 1877 to 1914 and 1916 to 1939. The tracks were removed in 1940.[6]

In 1950 Abbottstown had a population of 538.[7]

Geography

Abbottstown is located at 39°53′8″N 76°59′10″W (39.885621, -76.986120).[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	334		—
1870	325		—
1880	368		13.2%
1890	381		3.5%
1900	345		−9.4%
1910	332		−3.8%
1920	334		0.6%
1930	457		36.8%
1940	441		−3.5%
1950	538		22.0%
1960	561		4.3%
1970	552		−1.6%
1980	558		1.1%
1990	539		−3.4%
2000	905		67.9%
2010	1,011		11.7%
Est. 2019	1,026	[2]	1.5%
Sources:[9][10]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 905 people, 323 households, and 254 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,592.2 people per square mile (613.0/km²). There were 346 housing units at an average density of 608.7 per square mile (234.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.25% White, 0.22% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.87% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.52% of the population.

There were 323 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the borough the population is spread out over several age groups, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $49,063, and the median income for a family was $52,578. Males had a median income of $31,736 versus $24,083 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,246. About 1.6% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

In 2010 Abbottstown had a population of 1,011. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 88.4% non-Hispanic white, 1.4% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 1.2% reporting two or more races and 9.4% Hispanic or Latino.[12]

Education

Map of Adams County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Residents of Abbottstown may attend the local, public schools operated by Conewago Valley School District which provides full day kindergarten through 12th grade. In 2013, the Conewago Valley School District's enrollment declined to 3,936 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.[13] In 2010, Conewago Valley School District enrollment was 4,024 pupils. Conewago Valley School District operates: New Oxford High School (9th-12th), New Oxford Middle School (7th-8th), Conewago Valley Intermediate School (4th-6th), Conewago Township Elementary School (K-3rd) and New Oxford Elementary School (K-3rd). None of the District's schools are located in the Abbottstown.

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked Conewago Valley School District 310th out of 498 public schools for academic achievement of its pupils.[14] In 2012, Conewago Valley School District declined to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, due to lagging student achievement in both reading and mathematics.[15]

High school aged students can attend the taxpayer funded Adams County Tech Prep for training in the building trades, the culinary arts, Diesel Mechanics, allied health including Emergency medical technician (EMT) certification and other areas. The school is located on the Gettysburg Area High School campus at 1130 Old Harrisburg Road. Adams County Tech Prep is funded by a consortium of the school districts, which includes: Gettysburg Area School District, Littlestown Area School District, Fairfield Area School District, Conewago Valley School District and Bermudian Springs School District.

Residents may also choose between two local public charter schools: Vida Charter School and Gettysburg Montessori Charter School. In Pennsylvania, residents may attend public charter schools at no cost to the parents. The tuition is paid by their public school system. By Commonwealth law, if the public school district provides transportation for its own students, then the district must also provide transportation to any school that lies within 10 miles of its borders, as well as, all schools within its borders.[16] Tuition at Conewago Valley School District rates in 2012 were Elementary School - $8,102.21, High School - $8,514.19.[17]

Alternatively, Abbottstown school-aged residents may also apply to attend any of the Commonwealth's 14 public, cyber charter schools (in 2013) at no additional cost to the parents. Conewago Valley School District is required to pay the charter school and cyber charter school tuition for residents who attend these public schools in the Commonwealth.[18][19] Residents may also seek admission for their school aged child to any other public school district. When accepted for admission, the student's parents are responsible for paying an annual tuition fee set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 provides a wide variety of services to children living in its region which includes Abbottstown Borough. Early screening, special educations services, speech and hearing therapy, autistic support, preschool classes and many other services like driver education are available. Services for children during the preschool years are provided without cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements. Intermediate units receive taxpayer funding: through subsidies paid by member school districts; through direct charges to users for some services; through the successful application for state and federal competitive grants and through private grants.

Libraries

Community members have access to the Adams County Public Library which is located on 140 Baltimore Street in Gettysburg; the East Berlin Community Library which is located on 105 Locust Street, East Berlin; the Littlestown Library, located at 232 North Queen Street, Littlestown; the New Oxford Area Library located at 122 North Peter Street, in New Oxford; the Adams County Historical Society Library which is located on 111 Seminary Ridge, in Gettysburg; and the Adams County Law Library located in the Court House, 117 Baltimore St Rm 305 in Gettysburg. All residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have access to the PA Power Library which is an online library funded with tax dollars from the state's education budget.

At Harrisburg Area Community College Gettysburg Campus, Abbottstown residents have access to college courses at a discounted tuition rate for state residents. Conewago Valley School District is not a tax funding district of the College. Abbottstown residents contribute to the community college through state taxation and funding in the annual Commonwealth budget.

Notable people

• Henry Louis Baugher, born in Abbottstown, Lutheran preacher and president of Gettysburg College[20]

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Abbottstown borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 22.
5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
6. Taber, Thomas T. III (1987). Railroads of Pennsylvania Encyclopedia and Atlas. Thomas T. Taber III. p. 6. ISBN 0-9603398-5-X.
7. Encyclopædia Britannica Atlas, 1959 Edition, p. 298.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
9. "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
10. "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
12. 2010 population report for Abbottstown, Pennsylvania
13. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "District Fast Facts - Conewago Valley School District".
14. Pittsburgh Business Times (April 5, 2013). "Guide to Pennsylvania Schools Statewide ranking 2013".
15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Conewago Valley School District AYP Overview 2012". Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
16. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "Pupil Transportation -Frequently Asked Questions".
17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates".
18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "Charter Schools".
19. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "What is a Charter School?".
20. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.

External links

• Borough of Abbottstown official website
• Contact Information for Abbottstown, Pennsylvania