Brookhaven, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brookhaven, Pennsylvania
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Town hall
|
|||
|
|||
| Motto(s):
We are Brookhaven strong.
|
|||
Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
|
|||
 Brookhaven, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Brookhaven, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Pennsylvania | ||
| County | Delaware | ||
| Formed | 1945 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1.71 sq mi (4.43 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1.71 sq mi (4.42 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 98 ft (30 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 8,300 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
8,291 | ||
| • Density | 4,859.48/sq mi (1,875.73/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
19015
|
||
| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 | ||
| FIPS code | 42-09080 | ||
Brookhaven is a small town, also known as a borough, located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. In 2020, about 8,300 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Brookhaven?
Brookhaven is found at 39°52′14″N 75°23′27″W / 39.87056°N 75.39083°W. It sits about 98 feet (30 meters) above sea level. The borough covers an area of about 1.7 square miles (4.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small part being water.
How Many People Live Here?
The number of people living in Brookhaven has changed over the years. Here's how the population has grown:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 1,042 | — | |
| 1960 | 5,280 | 406.7% | |
| 1970 | 7,370 | 39.6% | |
| 1980 | 7,912 | 7.4% | |
| 1990 | 8,567 | 8.3% | |
| 2000 | 7,985 | −6.8% | |
| 2010 | 8,006 | 0.3% | |
| 2020 | 8,300 | 3.7% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2010, most of the people living in Brookhaven were White (92.4%). There were also African American (3.7%), Asian (1.9%), Native American (0.1%), and other groups. About 2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Brookhaven's Story
Brookhaven's history began a long time ago, in 1681. That's when King Charles II of England gave a large piece of land to William Penn. Penn then worked with the Lenni-Lenape Indians, who were the first people to live on this land. After that, the land was divided into different areas. Brookhaven was part of Chester Township.
Some of the first settlers to get land here were Thomas Coebourn in 1682, Richard Few, and Thomas Brassey in 1684. Over time, these large pieces of land were sold in smaller parts to new settlers. You can still see the names of some of these early families on the streets in Brookhaven today, like Trimble, Edwards, Lister, and Shepherd. The local elementary school, Coebourn Elementary, is named after Thomas Coebourn!
For about 250 years, Brookhaven was mostly a farming area. People also ran two busy mills along Chester Creek and Ridley Creek. In the mid-1800s, Brookhaven started to grow into a small town with services and offices. The name "Brookhaven" became popular in 1872. It was first used on the papers of the Beatty Brothers General Store.
Many doctors and lawyers came to live in Brookhaven. At the start of the 1900s, it was a popular place for people from nearby cities to visit on Sundays.
The Important Mills
The mills were a big part of Brookhaven's early business. Thomas Coebourn built the second gristmill (a mill for grinding grain) in the new Pennsylvania colony. This was a big deal because it challenged William Penn's special right to have the only mill. After a court case in 1687, individuals were allowed to build their own mills.
The creeks in the area had a good drop in height, which was perfect for powering machinery. Many businesses used this power, including the Johnson Ax Factory and cloth mills.
Later, in the late 1800s, there were large farms in Brookhaven. By the 1900s, many of these farms belonged to John Price Crozer, who raised racehorses and prize bulls. After World War II, these farms were sold to developers, and new homes were built.
In 1902, the New Chester Water Company built a water plant in Brookhaven. This plant is still used today to provide water to the area. Brookhaven officially became a borough on April 4, 1945. At that time, it had 672 people and 150 homes.
The trolley line that used to run through Brookhaven stopped in 1938. The tracks were removed in 1945, and the roads were made wider for cars. In the last 50 years, Brookhaven has changed a lot. It went from being a farming area to a busy community with over 8,000 people and many homes and businesses.
Shopping and Fun
The Cambridge Shopping Center opened in 1972 and is a well-known place in Brookhaven. It currently has a Lowe's store.
A famous restaurant in Brookhaven is Tom Jones Restaurant. It was once sued by the singer Tom Jones for using his name! The lawsuit was later dropped, and the restaurant is still there today, though it has new owners.
Getting Around
_just_north_of_Meadowbrook_Lane_in_Brookhaven,_Delaware_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg)
Brookhaven has about 25.78 miles (41.49 kilometers) of public roads. Some are kept up by the state, and others by the borough itself.
Pennsylvania Route 352 is the main highway that goes through Brookhaven. It follows Edgmont Avenue. Brookhaven is also only about 15 minutes away from South Philadelphia and 20 minutes from Wilmington, Delaware.
Schools in Brookhaven
Brookhaven is part of the Penn-Delco School District. The borough is also home to Coebourn Elementary School.
Our Lady of Charity School, a Catholic school, used to be in Brookhaven. It closed in 2011 because not enough students were attending.
Sports and Athletics
Brookhaven has a youth baseball league called Brookhaven Babe Ruth Baseball. They play at Scott Park. There's also a youth Basketball league that plays at the Brookhaven Municipal Center.
See also
In Spanish: Brookhaven (Pensilvania) para niños
