Milford, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milford
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| Borough of Milford | ||
Pike County Courthouse, built in 1874
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Location in Pike County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
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 Milford
Location in Pennsylvania
Milford
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State | Pennsylvania | |
| County | Pike | |
| Founded | 1796 | |
| Incorporated | 1874 | |
| Founded by | John Biddis | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 0.49 sq mi (1.27 km2) | |
| • Land | 0.47 sq mi (1.21 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) | |
| Elevation | 499 ft (152 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,103 | |
| • Density | 2,351.81/sq mi (907.89/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Code |
18337
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| Area code(s) | 570 and 272 | |
| FIPS code | 42-49400 | |
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Milford Historic District
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Forester's Hall, designed by Calvert Vaux and Richard Morris Hunt
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Roughly along Broad, Harford, Ann, Catharine, High, and Fourth Sts., Milford, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 22 acres (8.9 ha) |
| Architect | George Barton et al. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Mid-19th Century Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000898 |
| Added to NRHP | July 23, 1998 |
Milford is a small town, also called a borough, in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Pike County. In 2020, about 1,103 people lived there.
Milford is located near the Delaware River. It is considered part of the larger New York metropolitan area.
Contents
Milford's History and Beginnings
The area around the Delaware River where Milford is now was first home to the Lenape people. They were an Native American tribe who spoke an Algonquian language. European settlers later called them the Delaware, after the river.
Milford was started in 1796 by Judge John Biddis. He was one of Pennsylvania's first circuit judges. He named the town after his family's home in Wales.
Historic Buildings and Landmarks
Milford has many old and important buildings. Most were built in the 1800s and early 1900s. Some are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many others are part of the Milford Historic District. This district includes 655 buildings, with 400 of them being historically important. The buildings show a style called Late Victorian.
One famous place is Grey Towers National Historic Site. This was the home of Gifford Pinchot. He was a well-known conservationist and served as governor of Pennsylvania twice. He was also the first head of the U.S. Forest Service. Grey Towers is a National Historic Site.
From 1904 to 1926, Grey Towers hosted summer classes for the Yale School of Forestry. The Forester's Hall was also used for this purpose. Other historic places in Milford include the Jervis Gordon Grist Mill Historic District, Hotel Fauchere and Annex, Metz Ice Plant, and Pike County Courthouse. These are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Nearby is Arisbe, the home of Charles S. Peirce. He was an important thinker and scientist in the late 1800s.
Milford's Cultural Contributions
The Milford Writer's Workshop began in Milford in 1956. It was a yearly event for science fiction writers. It moved to the United Kingdom in 1972 and is still held there today.
The Pike County Historical Society Museum in Milford has a special item: the "Lincoln Flag." This flag was used to decorate President Abraham Lincoln's theater box. It was placed under his head after he was assassinated. The flag still has his blood on it. It was given to the museum by the daughter of the theater's stage manager.
In 2007, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine called Milford the second "Coolest Small Town" in Pennsylvania.
Milford's Location and Landscape
Milford covers about 0.5 square miles (1.27 square kilometers) of land.
It is located on the Upper Delaware River. This river separates Pennsylvania's Poconos region from New York's Catskill Mountains. The area was once covered in thick forests. When Judge Biddis planned Milford, he used a layout similar to Philadelphia. He created a grid of streets. High Street ran to the Delaware River, and Broad Street crossed it. At their meeting point, there is a public square, just like in Philadelphia. Many of Milford's official buildings are found there.
The east-west streets in Milford are numbered from Second to Seventh. Broad Street is between Fourth and Fifth. The north-south streets are named after Biddis's children. These include Ann, Catherine, George, John, Sarah, and Elizabeth. Smaller alleys between the streets are named after berries and fruits.
Today, Broad Street is also known as U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 209.
Milford sits on a steep slope above the Delaware River. Waterways flowing into the river drop about 100 feet (30 meters) in height. This creates many waterfalls, which are quite famous east of the Rocky Mountains. These waterfalls also powered mills in the 1800s, helping Milford's economy grow.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 746 | — | |
| 1880 | 983 | 31.8% | |
| 1890 | 793 | −19.3% | |
| 1900 | 884 | 11.5% | |
| 1910 | 872 | −1.4% | |
| 1920 | 768 | −11.9% | |
| 1930 | 886 | 15.4% | |
| 1940 | 901 | 1.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,111 | 23.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,198 | 7.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,190 | −0.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,143 | −3.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,064 | −6.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,104 | 3.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,021 | −7.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,103 | 8.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
Milford's Population and People
In 2010, Milford had 1,021 people living there. Most residents were White (95.2%). A small percentage were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 5.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The population included 16.3% under 18 years old. About 23.8% were 65 years or older. The average age was 48.3 years.
Education in Milford
Milford is part of the Delaware Valley School District. Children attend an elementary school in Matamoras. The Delaware Valley Middle School serves students from Milford, Matamoras, and Shohola. Delaware Valley High School serves students from Milford, Matamoras, Shohola, and Dingman areas.
Fun Things to Do in Milford
Milford is home to Pike County Arts and Crafts. This group teaches art and was recognized for its creativity in 2007. Since 1950, they have also held an annual art show every July at Borough Hall.
Milford's Hotel Fauchère is a historic hotel. Since 1852, it has hosted many famous people. These include U.S. presidents like Theodore and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. Poets like Robert Frost and baseball legend Babe Ruth have also stayed there. The hotel was restored in 2006.
The Pike County Chess Club started in 2011. They hold chess tournaments where games are rated by the United States Chess Federation (USCF).
Milford's Annual Events
Black Bear Film Festival
The Black Bear Film Festival is a yearly independent film festival. It happens every October. The main events are at the historic Milford Theater. The festival also offers free films and talks. Famous actors and artists have attended this festival.
Milford Music Festival
The Milford Music Festival takes place every June. It's a free weekend event. It has featured famous musicians like Vanessa Carlton, who is from Milford, and Pete Seeger.
Milford Readers and Writers Festival
The Milford Readers and Writers Festival started in 2015. It happens every September. This festival brings together readers and writers for discussions. Many well-known authors and public figures have been guests.
Other events in Milford include the Festival of Wood, DanceFest Milford, Pike Opera, and "Artwalks" throughout the year.
Famous People from Milford
- Louis Allen: A military officer.
- James Blish, Damon Knight, Judith Merril, and Kate Wilhelm: All science fiction writers.
- Vanessa Carlton: A singer and pianist.
- Allyn Joslyn: A stage and screen actor.
- Christopher Makos: An artist and photographer.
- Frank McCourt: A famous author.
- Mary Pickford: A silent film actress.
- Gifford Pinchot's family: Including Cornelia Bryce Pinchot and Mary Pinchot Meyer.
- Al Pitrelli: A guitarist.
- Tom Quick: One of the first children of European descent born in the area.
- Charles Sanders Peirce: A philosopher and scientist who lived near Milford.
- Bill Steele: A baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Sean Strub: A writer, activist, and the mayor of Milford.
- Mary Wiseman: An actress known for Star Trek: Discovery.
Images for kids
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Milford viewed from "The Knob," looking east down Broad Street
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Charles S. Peirce's house
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"The Columns," home of the Pike County Historical Society Museum
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Milford Branch, Pike County Public Library
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Tom Quick Inn
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Milford Theatre
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Historical sign at location where Frank McCourt wrote Angelas's Ashes
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Milford Borough Hall
See also
In Spanish: Milford (Pensilvania) para niños
