Hepburn Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hepburn Township,
Pennsylvania |
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Township
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Blooming Grove Dunkard Church, built ca. 1805
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Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania highlighting Hepburn Township
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Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lycoming |
| Settled | 1784 |
| Formed | 1804 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Board of Supervisors |
| Area | |
| • Total | 16.77 sq mi (43.42 km2) |
| • Land | 16.67 sq mi (43.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.10 sq mi (0.25 km2) |
| Elevation | 906 ft (276 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,579 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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2,563 |
| • Density | 163.19/sq mi (63.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone (North America)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
17728
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| Area code(s) | 570 |
| FIPS code | 42-081-33944 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1216751 |
Hepburn Township is a community located in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a type of local government area called a township. In 2020, about 2,579 people lived there. It is part of the larger Williamsport area.
Contents
History of Hepburn Township
Hepburn Township was created in 1804 from a part of Loyalsock Township. It was named after William Hepburn. He was an important person who helped start Lycoming County and its biggest city, Williamsport.
The township used to be much bigger than it is today. Other townships like Lewis, Gamble, Eldred, and Cascade were once part of Hepburn Township.
Early Native American Village
Long ago, there was an important Native American village called Eeltown in this area. It was located along Lycoming Creek, near where Hepburnville is today. This village was a key stop on the Sheshequin Path, an old trail.
The original Native American name for Eeltown is not known. European settlers called it Eeltown because of the many eels found in Lycoming Creek.
European Settlers and Blooming Grove
Hepburn Township was settled by three different groups of European people. The western part, along Lycoming Creek, was mostly settled by Scots-Irish families.
The middle section, known as Blooming Grove, was settled by a German religious group called the Dunkard Brethren. The eastern part of the township was settled by the Quakers.
John and Gottlieb Heim were among the first Dunkards to settle here. They had been imprisoned in Germany because they refused to join the army. They were released only if they agreed to leave Germany forever.
After their release, John and Gottlieb moved to the United States. They settled in Lycoming County and started a religious community called Blooming Grove. Other Dunkards from Germany soon joined them.
They built log cabins and cleared the land for farming. They were also free to worship God as they wished, which was not allowed in Germany. The new settlers worked hard and believed their success came from their faith. Their farms grew quickly and "bloomed like flowers," which gave the area its name, Blooming Grove.
Balls Mills Village
Balls Mills is another village located in Hepburn Township. It is named after John Ball, who came from England in 1893. He first settled in Sullivan County and built a sawmill.
Sadly, John Ball drowned while bathing. His son, William, then moved to Hepburn Township and founded Balls Mills in 1818. He built a fulling mill, which was used to clean and thicken wool.
The Ball family became very successful. They expanded their business to include a clover mill. This mill cleaned clover seeds, which were very valuable at the time. Clover was important for farmers to cover their land and feed their dairy cows.
The Ball family also built a sawmill, a woolen mill, and a factory that made grain cradles. A grain cradle is a tool attached to a scythe to help gather harvested grains. These cradles were sold all over the United States, with the first big shipment reaching St. Louis, Missouri, in 1866.
Geography of Hepburn Township
Hepburn Township is located in the middle of Lycoming County. It shares borders with Gamble Township to the north, Eldred Township to the east, and Loyalsock Township to the south.
The western border of the township, with Lewis and Lycoming townships, is formed by Lycoming Creek.
The township has a total area of about 43.4 square kilometers (16.8 square miles). A small part of this area, about 0.25 square kilometers (0.10 square miles), is water. The water in the township flows west into Lycoming Creek. This creek then flows south into the West Branch Susquehanna River at Williamsport.
Some small communities within Hepburn Township include Balls Mills, Cogan Station, Haleeka, Hepburn Heights, Hepburnville, and Powys. The northern part of the township is on Jacoby Mountain.
Route 973 crosses the township from east to west. It connects with U.S. Route 15 just across Lycoming Creek from Cogan Station. Other important local roads include Blooming Grove Road, Lycoming Creek Road, Pleasant Hill Road/Pleasant Valley Road, Rose Valley Road, and Smokey Corner Road.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 2,762 | — | |
| 2020 | 2,579 | −6.6% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 2,563 | −7.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the census in 2000, there were 2,836 people living in Hepburn Township. There were 1,082 households, which means groups of people living together. Out of these, 840 were families.
The population density was about 170 people per square mile. Most of the people living in the township were White (98.77%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian.
About 34.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (66.7%) were married couples. The average household had 2.62 people, and the average family had 2.98 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 25.5% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 41 years. This means half the people were older than 41 and half were younger.
The median income for a household in the township was $42,202. For families, the median income was $46,932. The average income per person in the township was $20,044. About 8.7% of the population lived below the poverty line.
