Cornwall, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornwall, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Location in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
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 Cornwall, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Cornwall, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Pennsylvania | |
| County | Lebanon | |
| Settled | 1734 | |
| Incorporated | 1926 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Borough Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 9.76 sq mi (25.27 km2) | |
| • Land | 9.70 sq mi (25.13 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2) | |
| Elevation | 554 ft (169 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,604 | |
| • Density | 474.49/sq mi (183.20/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
17016
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| Area code(s) | 717 | |
| FIPS code | 42-16256 | |
Cornwall is a small town, called a borough, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the larger Lebanon, PA area. In 2020, about 4,604 people lived there.
Contents
A Look Back: Cornwall's History
How Cornwall Began
Cornwall was first settled in 1734 by a man named Peter Grubb. He was a stonemason from Chester County. Peter came to this area, which was then part of Lancaster County, looking for good quality stone.
After building his house and a store, Peter found something even more exciting: magnetite iron ore! He tested it and discovered it was very pure. In 1734, he got permission to buy about 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land.
For three years, Peter kept exploring. He followed veins of ore until he found a huge deposit that was easy to get to. This new ore wasn't on his original land, so in 1737, he bought another 142.5 acres (0.58 km²).
The Famous Cornwall Iron Furnace
In 1742, Peter Grubb built a special furnace to make iron. He named it Cornwall, after his father's birthplace in England. The Cornwall Iron Furnace was very important. At one point, the Cornwall Iron Mine was the biggest open-pit mining operation in the world! People mined iron there continuously for 236 years, until June 30, 1973.
Peter found everything needed to make iron nearby: water, limestone, and wood for charcoal. The operation also included the Hopewell Forges on a nearby stream called Hammer Creek.
Peter Grubb didn't stay long to run the ironworks himself. In 1745, he leased it out for 20 years and moved to Wilmington, Delaware. Later, in 1765, Peter's sons, Curtis and Peter Jr., took over the business. In 1798, the operation passed to Robert Coleman and his family.
The Cornwall Furnace made iron from 1742 until 1883. Today, it looks much like it did when it stopped working. In 1932, the Coleman family gave the property to the state of Pennsylvania. Now, it's a special place called a National Historic Landmark that you can visit.
Becoming a Borough
Eventually, the entire area became known as Cornwall. It officially became a borough on October 11, 1926. Before that, it had been part of Lancaster County and then Dauphin County. When it became a borough, Cornwall included six different villages spread out across the area.
In 2011, a historic building called Alden Villa was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Where is Cornwall?
Cornwall's Location and Size
Cornwall is located at 40°16′23″N 76°24′38″W / 40.27306°N 76.41056°W.
The United States Census Bureau says that the borough covers a total area of about 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²). Most of this area, about 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²), is water.
Who Lives in Cornwall?
Population Changes Over Time
The number of people living in Cornwall has grown over the years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,837 | — | |
| 1940 | 1,680 | −8.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,760 | 4.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,934 | 9.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,111 | 9.2% | |
| 1980 | 2,653 | 25.7% | |
| 1990 | 3,231 | 21.8% | |
| 2000 | 3,486 | 7.9% | |
| 2010 | 4,112 | 18.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,604 | 12.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
A Snapshot of Cornwall's Residents (2000 Census)
In 2000, there were 3,486 people living in Cornwall. There were 1,210 households, and 965 of these were families. The population density was about 357 people per square mile (138 people per km²).
Most people in Cornwall were White (97.79%). A small number were African American (0.34%), Native American (0.20%), or Asian (1.06%). Some people were from other backgrounds or more than one background. About 0.75% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Many households (32.6%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (71.9%) were married couples living together. About 17.5% of all households were single individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household had about 2.58 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- 20.9% were under 18 years old.
- 4.9% were from 18 to 24 years old.
- 22.7% were from 25 to 44 years old.
- 28.1% were from 45 to 64 years old.
- 23.5% were 65 years or older.
The average age in Cornwall was 46 years old.
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