East Berlin, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids East Berlin, Pennsylvania
Borough
Coat of arms
Location in Adams County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
East Berlin, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania East Berlin, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Adams
Settled	1764
Incorporated	1879
Government
• Type	Borough Council
Area
• Total	0.73 sq mi (1.89 km2)
• Land	0.70 sq mi (1.82 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	443 ft (135 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,542
• Density	2,193.46/sq mi (847.27/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip code	17316
Area code(s)	717 and 223
FIPS code	42-20792

East Berlin is a small town, called a borough, in Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA. In 2020, about 1,542 people lived there.

It's in southern Pennsylvania, near the York County border. The town is about 13 miles (21 km) west of the city of York.

History of East Berlin

Early Days and Settlers

Long ago, before Europeans came, the Susquehannock Native Americans lived in the area that is now East Berlin. Starting around 1734, settlers from Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands, along with Quakers, began to move into the land that would become Adams County.

In 1736, a peace agreement was signed in Philadelphia. This treaty was between Thomas Penn and members of the Six Nations. After this, many settlers felt safe moving to the area.

How East Berlin Got Its Name

In 1764, a man named John Frankenberger bought 200 acres of land. He bought it from Thomas and Richard Penn, who were the sons of William Penn. John Frankenberger divided the land into 85 lots with streets and alleys.

He named the new settlement "Berlin" after Berlin, Germany. That city was the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, which was his home country. Later, people got confused because there was another town in Pennsylvania called Berlin. So, the name was changed to "East Berlin."

By 1797, a new owner, John Hildebrand, was in charge. East Berlin had grown to about 100 houses. In 1800, York County was divided, and East Berlin became part of the new Adams County.

Becoming an Official Borough

For many years, East Berlin was not an official town with its own government. It was part of a nearby area called Hamilton Township. On November 10, 1879, the people of East Berlin asked the court to make their community a borough.

The court agreed, and 407 acres of land became the official Borough of East Berlin. The town then started to build important things like streets, sidewalks, and streetlights. In 1897, they built a water reservoir to store water for the town.

East Berlin During the Civil War

During the Gettysburg campaign of the American Civil War, Confederate soldiers marched through East Berlin. This happened just a few days before the famous Battle of Gettysburg. Many townspeople knew the soldiers would look for food and supplies. So, they left milk and other items outside their homes. They hoped this would keep the soldiers from causing trouble.

There are many stories from that time. One story says that Confederate soldiers saw women baking bread in outdoor ovens. The soldiers then made the women hand over the fresh bread. Another story says a man shot at the Confederates from a tavern window. Also, two families named Lincoln from nearby Dover reportedly hid in East Berlin. They heard that Confederates might harm anyone named "Lincoln."

General Jubal Early, a Confederate leader, even spent a night near town. He stayed at the Zinn farmhouse on June 27. There, he enjoyed many traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dishes.

Railroads and Modern Changes

In 1877, the Berlin Branch Railroad was finished. This connected East Berlin to other towns by train. The railroad was used until 1914. The tracks were removed, but then put back in 1916. The train line, called the East Berlin Railroad, ran until 1939. The tracks were removed again in 1940.

In the 1920s and 1930s, East Berlin started getting modern services. Power lines were built in 1921, bringing electricity to homes. In 1933, natural gas pipes were installed. In the 1950s, the town built a new system for sewage and water treatment. This project was difficult, but it was finished in 1957.

Famous Visitors

George F. Kennan, a well-known American diplomat, bought a farm in East Berlin in 1942. He used it as a second home for many years. In 1967, his daughter, Grace, hosted a very special guest. She housed Svetlana Stalin, the daughter of Joseph Stalin, in their East Berlin home for the summer. Svetlana had recently moved to the United States. Grace said that the people of East Berlin did not know they had such a famous visitor in their town.

The East Berlin Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means that many of the old buildings in East Berlin are protected because of their history.

Geography of East Berlin

East Berlin is located at 39°56′16″N 76°58′51″W / 39.93778°N 76.98083°W / 39.93778; -76.98083.

The United States Census Bureau says the borough covers about 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) of land. East Berlin is found where two state highways meet: Route 194 and Route 234.

Education

Students in East Berlin attend schools in the Bermudian Springs School District.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 1,365 people living in East Berlin. There were 557 households, and 387 of these were families. The average household had about 2.45 people. The average family had about 2.95 people.

About 26.4% of the people were under 18 years old. About 15.3% were 65 years or older. The median age was 35 years old.

Most people in East Berlin were White (97.44%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 2.86% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The median income for a household was $38,819. For a family, it was $43,646. About 6.7% of all people in East Berlin lived below the poverty line. This included 10.5% of those under 18.

See also

In Spanish: East Berlin (Pensilvania) para niños