Tinicum Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tinicum Township, Delaware County,
Pennsylvania |
|
|---|---|
|
Township
|
|
The Philadelphia Lazaretto, November 2009
|
|
Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Delaware |
| Settled | 1643 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.78 sq mi (22.75 km2) |
| • Land | 5.75 sq mi (14.90 km2) |
| • Water | 3.03 sq mi (7.86 km2) |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population
(2010)
|
|
| • Total | 4,091 |
| • Estimate
(2016)
|
4,103 |
| • Density | 713.44/sq mi (275.45/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
19029
|
| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 |
Tinicum Township, also known as Tinicum Island or The Island, is a special kind of town called a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2010, about 4,091 people lived here. The township includes the small communities of Essington and Lester.
Tinicum Township is home to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. This refuge is a great place for nature lovers. Part of the Philadelphia International Airport is also located within the township. This includes the international terminal and some runways.
Contents
History of Tinicum Township
Tinicum Township holds a special place in Pennsylvania's history. It was the very first place where Europeans settled in Pennsylvania.
Early European Settlement
In 1643, a group of colonial Swedes built Fort Nya Gothenborg here. This fort was located on the Delaware River, which they called the South River. For a while, Tinicum was the capital of the New Sweden colony. The colony was led by Royal Governor Johan Björnsson Printz.
Governor Printz built his home, called The Printzhof, on Tinicum Island. From this house, he managed the entire colony. The original Lenape people, who lived here first, called the area Mahtanikunk. This name means "where they catch up with each other."
The Philadelphia Lazaretto
Tinicum Township is also the site of the Philadelphia Lazaretto. This was the first quarantine hospital in the United States. A quarantine hospital is a place where sick people are kept separate to stop diseases from spreading. Both the Lazaretto and the Printzhof are very important historical sites. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography and Nature
Tinicum Township is in the southeastern part of Delaware County. It's located at 39°52′8″N 75°17′17″W / 39.86889°N 75.28806°W.
Where is Tinicum Township?
To the south, Tinicum Township is bordered by the Delaware River. To the west and northwest, it's next to Darby Creek. The city of Philadelphia is to its northeast. The township even touches the state of New Jersey in the middle of the Delaware River.
The community of Essington is in the western part of the township. Lester is just to its east. A large part of the township's center and east is taken up by the western side of Philadelphia International Airport. The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge is along Darby Creek, on the northwestern side.
Land, Water, and Weather
The township covers about 22.7 square kilometers (8.78 square miles). About 14.9 square kilometers (5.75 square miles) is land. The rest, about 7.8 square kilometers (3.03 square miles), is water.
Tinicum Township has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. In Essington, the average temperature in January is about 33.6°F. In July, it warms up to about 78.4°F. The area is mostly in hardiness zone 7b. This means certain plants can survive the winter temperatures here.
Population of Tinicum Township
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The population of Tinicum Township has changed over the years. In 1930, there were 3,630 people. The population grew to 5,314 in 1950. By 2010, it was 4,091 people. The most recent count in 2020 showed 3,983 residents.
Education in Tinicum Township
Tinicum Township is part of the Interboro School District. This district serves only Tinicum Township and some nearby boroughs.
Students in the township attend Tinicum School. For high school, they go to Interboro High School. This high school is located in Prospect Park. There are also two campuses of All-State Career School in Tinicum Township. These are located in Lester and Essington.
Getting Around Tinicum Township
_from_the_overpass_for_a_ramp_leading_from_northbound_Interstate_95_to_Philadelphia_International_Airport_in_Tinicum_Township,_Delaware_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg)
Tinicum Township has many public roads. About 10 miles of roads are kept up by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The township itself maintains over 19 miles of roads.
Major Roads
Interstate 95 is the main highway that goes through Tinicum Township. It runs east-west through the northwestern parts of the township. Pennsylvania Route 291 runs parallel to I-95, slightly to the south. Pennsylvania Route 420 starts at PA 291. It then heads north, connects with I-95, and leaves the township.
Public Transportation
SEPTA provides bus service in Tinicum Township. Several bus routes connect the township to other areas. For example, SEPTA Route 37 goes between the Chester Transportation Center and South Philadelphia. It also stops at the Philadelphia International Airport. Other routes like SEPTA Route 68, SEPTA Route 108, and SEPTA Route 115 also serve the area. They connect to places like the 69th Street Transportation Center and Delaware County Community College.
The Birth of the Stromboli
Did you know that a popular food item might have started right here? The stromboli is a delicious dish. It's like a turnover filled with cheese, meats, and vegetables.
According to Peter Romano, the stromboli was created in 1950. It happened at Romano's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Tinicum Township. His grandfather, Nazzareno Romano, made it. A person named William Schofield supposedly gave it the name "Stromboli." He named it after the movie Stromboli, which starred Ingrid Bergman.
However, some people say the stromboli was invented by Mike Aquino Sr. They claim he created it in Spokane, Washington, in 1954. So, the true origin story is a bit of a mystery!
Images for kids
-
The Philadelphia Lazaretto, November 2009
-
Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
-
Interstate 95 (I-95) southbound in Tinicum Township, a major highway.
