Bethel Twp Real Estate

Bethel Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It contains the two unincorporated communities of Booth's Corner and Chelsea. The population was 8,791 at the 2010 census.

Geography

The township is located in the Southwest corner of Delaware County on the summit between the Delaware River and Brandywine Creek. The township is approximately 3 miles in length and 1.5 miles in width at the widest point.[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 5.7 square miles (15 km2), all of it land. Waterways in Bethel township include the southern branch of Naaman's Creek, Green Creek and Spring Run. Bethel is bordered by Concord Township to the West, Aston Township to the North, Upper Chichester Township to the East and the State of Delaware to the South. The southern border of Bethel is part of the Twelve-Mile Circle, the circular boundary between Delaware and Pennsylvania which dates back to 1681.

Demographics
As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the township was 90.3% White, 1.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 6.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,421 people, 1,984 households, and 1,732 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,132.3 people per square mile (437.2/km2). There were 2,017 housing units at an average density of 355.7/sq mi (137.3/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 94.44% White, 2.18% African American, 0.03% Native American, 2.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.93% of the population.
There were 1,984 households, out of which 50.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.7% were non-families. 9.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the township the population was spread out, with 31.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $84,661, and the median income for a family was $87,248. Males had a median income of $60,496 versus $36,272 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,349. About 1.0% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

History

Bethel Township was the smallest of all the original townships of Chester County, Pennsylvania. The township is mentioned as early as 1683, and means "House of God". In 1683, Edward Beazer and Edward Brown had 500 acres surveyed to them in the northeasterly end of the township. On this tract, Bethel hamlet, afterwards known as Corner Catch (Ketch), is the location of the current village of Chelsea. In 1686, the road now known as Bethel Road was laid out from Bethel to Chichester (Marcus Hook).
The settlers of Bethel Township were among the earliest settlers of the Pennsylvania Colony, and many were members of the Religious Society of Friends, or "Quakers".The list of taxables for Bethel township in 1693, shows nine tax payers: John Gibbons, Ralph Pyle, John Bushel, Nicholas Pyle, Edward Beazer, Robert Eyre, Thomas Garrett, John Howard, Thomas Cooper. In 1715, the list had doubled to include: Robert Pyle, John Grist, Robert Booth, Edward Beazer, John Canady, Benjamin Moulder, Joseph Pyle, John Hickman, Edward Griffith, John Hopton, John Gibbons, and Thomas Durnell. Robert Pyle, a leader of the Society of Friends, was almost continuously a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly from 1688 until 1705.
In 1759, residents of Bethel Township paid "a bounty" of ten pounds "in behalf of the township" along with a wagon and supplies of oats and flour to General John Forbes based on his request to Chester and other counties in the province to support an army about to march to Fort Duquesne under his command.
In 1777, after the Battle of Brandywine, the British Army passed through Bethel Township on Old Concord Road as they chased the retreating Continental Army toward Chester and encamped at nearby Birmingham and Aston. Residents of Bethel were "annoyed and plundered" by the British army and many residents were left entirely without food.
On September 26, 1789, Bethel Township became part of Delaware County as it was established by separating from the eastern portion of Chester County.
The Siloam United Methodist Church in Bethel was founded in 1852 and is the only church in Bethel Township.
Garnet mines were established in Bethel township by Herman Behr & Co. of New York in 1879.The mine operated until 1912. The garnet mine gave rise to the regional name of Garnet Valley.
The Booth Farm built in 1819 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


Information provided by https://en.wikipedia.org/