Biglerville, Pennsylvania

Biglerville is a borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,200 at the 2010 census. The National Apple Museum is located on West Hanover St. in Biglerville.[3] The borough is home to Biglerville High School.

Biglerville, Pennsylvania
Borough
Keystone Marker
Location in Adams County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Biglerville Location in Pennsylvania and the United States Show map of Pennsylvania Biglerville Biglerville (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 39°55′49″N 77°14′49″W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Adams
Settled	1817
Incorporated	1903
Government
• Type	Borough Council
• Mayor	Christine Ecker
• Borough President	Neil Ecker
• Borough Vice President	John Angstadt
Area [1]
• Total	0.65 sq mi (1.69 km^2)
• Land	0.65 sq mi (1.69 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km^2)
Elevation	640 ft (200 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,200
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	1,219
• Density	1,872.50/sq mi (722.99/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip code	17307
Area code(s)	717 and 223
FIPS code	42-06296

History

Originally named Middletown, it was renamed Biglerville in 1903 after William Bigler, the 12th Governor of Pennsylvania.[4] The Thomas Brothers Store was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.[5]

Geography

Biglerville is located at 39°55′49″N 77°14′49″W (39.930238, -77.246932).[6]

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.		%±
1910	386		—
1920	539		39.6%
1930	659		22.3%
1940	723		9.7%
1950	870		20.3%
1960	923		6.1%
1970	977		5.9%
1980	991		1.4%
1990	993		0.2%
2000	1,101		10.9%
2010	1,200		9.0%
Est. 2019	1,219	[2]	1.6%
Sources:[7][8][9]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 1,101 people, 443 households, and 299 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,725.3 people per square mile (664.2/km²). There were 460 housing units at an average density of 720.8 per square mile (277.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.55% White, 0.82% African American, 0.18% Asian, 3.91% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races.

There were 443 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $39,861, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $30,813 versus $22,938 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,142. About 7.9% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Map of Adams County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Residents of Biglerville may attend the local, public schools operated by Upper Adams School District which provides full day kindergarten through 12th grade. By 2013, the District's enrollment declined to just 1,669 students.[10] In 2013, Upper Adams School District was ranked 276th out of 498 public schools for academic achievement of its pupils, by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[11] In 2012, Upper Adams School District achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), even though two of its schools were in Warning AYP status, due to lagging student achievement.[12]

Biglerville 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 District provides transportation for its own students, then the District must provide transportation to any school that lies within 10 miles of its borders.

Vida Charter School is a public school located in the Eisenhower Center, 120 E. Broadway, Gettysburg. Vida Charter school offers full day kindergarten through 6th grade. In 2013, Vida Charter School achieved a score 81.1 of out of 100 for student achievement.[13] According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher.

Children residing in the borough of Biglerville also attend Gettysburg Montessori Charter School which offers full day Kindergarten through 6th grade. The Gettysburg Montessori Charter School is located at 120 E Broadway, Gettysburg. In 2013, Gettysburg Montessori Charter School achieved a score of 64 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement.[14] The Gettysburg Montessori Charter School achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status in 2011 and 2012.[15]

Biglerville 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. The resident's public school district is required to pay the charter school and cyber charter school tuition for residents who attend these public schools.[16][17] 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. In 2012, the tuition fees for Upper Adams School District were: Elementary School - $9,182.51, High School - $8,949.98.[18]

High school aged students living in Biglerville as well as resident adults can attend the taxpayer funded Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School for training in the trades and can earn industry certifications. Students attending the school can also earn college credits, while still in high school. Additionally, the school offers a Cooperative Education program where students are placed with an employer in entry-level position to develop job skills while being paid.[19]

Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 provides a wide variety of services to children living in its region, which includes the borough of Biglerville. Early screening, special educations services, speech and hearing therapy, Head start programs 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.

Community members have access to the Harbaugh-Thomas Library in Biglerville; the Adams County Historical Society Library which is located on 111 Seminary Ridge, in Gettysburg; the Adams County Law Library located in the Court House, 117 Baltimore St Rm 305 in Gettysburg and to the statewide PA Power Library[20] which is an online library funded with tax dollars from the state's education budget.

At Harrisburg Area Community College Gettysburg Campus, Biglerville residents have access to college courses at a discounted tuition rate for state residents. While Upper Adams School District is not a tax funding district of the College, residents contribute to the community college through state taxation.

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. "National Apple Museum". National Apple Museum. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
4. "The Borough of Biglerville - History". www.adamscounty.us. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
7. "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
9. "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 June 11, 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
10. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Upper Dauphin School District enrollment - District Fast Facts, 2013
11. Pittsburgh Business Times (April 5, 2013). "Guide to Pennsylvania Schools Statewide ranking 2013".
12. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Upper Adams School District AYP Overview 2012". Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
13. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "Vida Charter School Academic Performance Data 2013".
14. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "Gettysburg Montessori Charter School, Academic Performance Data 2013".
15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Gettysburg Montessori Charter School AYP Overview 2012". Archived from the original on February 22, 2014.
16. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "Charter Schools".
17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "What is a Charter School?".
18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates".
19. Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School Administration (2014). "Cooperative Education Information". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25.
20. http://www.powerlibrary.org/

External links

• Letters to the Biglerville Community during World War II at Gettysburg College