Perkasie, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Perkasie, Pennsylvania Pokesing
Borough
Perkasie Borough Hall
Seal
Location of Perkasie in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Perkasie, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Perkasie, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Bucks
Area
• Total	2.56 sq mi (6.64 km2)
• Land	2.54 sq mi (6.57 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	436 ft (133 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,120
• Density	3,597.63/sq mi (1,388.88/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	18944, 18960
Area codes	215, 267 and 445
FIPS code	42-59384

Perkasie is a charming town, also known as a borough, located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is about 21.5 miles (34.6 km) southeast of Allentown and 39.2 miles (63.1 km) north of Philadelphia.

In the early 1900s, Perkasie was a busy place with factories making silk, bricks, and even cigars. It also had lumber mills and places that made tags and labels. In 1900, about 1,803 people lived here. By 1910, the population grew to 2,779. More recently, in 2020, the town had 9,120 residents.

History of Perkasie

How Perkasie Got Its Name

The name Perkasie comes from an old Native American language called Lenape Unami. The phrase Pèhpahkàsink or Poekskossing means "One who goes to the place to crack nuts." Early Dutch and Swedish settlers found it hard to say, so they added an "r" sound, and that's how "Perkasie" came to be!

Long ago, there was likely a village here even before William Penn's family settled the land. The "Manor" of Perkasie was a large area, about 11,462 acres (4,639 ha), surveyed in 1708. It covered most of what is now Hilltown and Rockhill Township.

The Great Fire of 1890

On June 8, 1890, a big fire started at a stable on 7th and Chestnut Streets. Twelve buildings were destroyed! People used buckets and ladders to try and put out the flames.

Less than a month later, on July 4, 1890, the Perkasie Borough Council decided to form the Hope Fire Company. This new fire department officially started on September 8, 1890, with 32 members. The town gave them a hand-powered water pump and a hose cart with 800 feet (240 m) of hose. They even got a large metal ring from a train wheel to use as a fire alarm!

Perkasie's Industries

From 1920 to 1950, a factory at 815 Chestnut Street was very important. It produced millions of hand-stitched baseballs for major league teams! Later, this building became a Senior Citizens Center. Today, it is being turned into homes for families in need by Habitat for Humanity. They plan to use eco-friendly building methods while keeping the building's historic look.

The 1988 Fire and Recovery

On June 26, 1988, a huge fire, known as The Great Perkasie Fire, destroyed about 15 percent of the town. Many historic buildings were lost. The fire started when two 12-year-old boys were playing with a lighter near a lumberyard.

Around 300 firefighters from over 50 fire companies helped fight the blaze. Even though the fire was massive, thankfully, no one died. After the fire, local business owners and residents formed a group called the Perkasie Olde Towne Association. This group worked with the town government to rebuild and improve the downtown area. They added new streetlights, sidewalks, benches, and trees, making the town beautiful again.

Historic Places to Visit

Perkasie is home to the South Perkasie Covered Bridge, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's a very important historic site! Also nearby, in Hilltown Twp., is the Pearl S. Buck House at Green Hills Farm, another historic landmark.

Trolley to Philadelphia

From 1901 to 1951, Perkasie was a key stop on an electric trolley line. This trolley ran every hour, connecting Allentown, Quakertown, and Perkasie all the way to Philadelphia. During World War II, when gasoline was hard to get, many people used the trolley to travel. After the war, fewer people rode the trolley, and the service stopped in 1951. You can still see the old trolley station on 4th Street!

Perkasie's Population

Perkasie has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

In 2010, there were 8,511 people living in Perkasie. Most residents were White (93.9%), with smaller percentages of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 2.5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, there were 8,828 people. About 40% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.68 people. The median age in Perkasie was 35 years old. The Pennridge School District serves students in Perkasie.

Town Services and Transport

Getting Around Perkasie

PA 152 southbound in Perkasie

Perkasie has many public roads, with some maintained by the state and others by the borough itself. Several state routes, like PA 152 and PA 563, pass through or near the town. The closest major highways are I-476 and I-78.

The nearest airport is Pennridge Airport, which is a public airport for smaller planes. It's just north of Perkasie.

While there's no public bus service in Perkasie right now, the town used to have passenger train service. The Reading Railroad's line, now owned by SEPTA, stopped passenger service in the early 1980s. However, there are plans to bring passenger train service back to Perkasie in the future! Freight trains still use the tracks a few times a week.

Utilities for the Town

The Perkasie Borough Electric Department provides electricity to the town. They started with a generator for streetlights and built a power plant in 1900. Today, they buy electricity from larger companies and distribute it to homes and businesses. The Public Works department handles trash and recycling. Natural gas is provided by UGI Utilities.

Perkasie's Climate and Nature

Weather in Perkasie

Perkasie has a climate with hot summers. This means it gets warm enough for at least one month to average over 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). Summers can be humid, and sometimes it feels hotter than 105 °F (41 °C)! The hottest temperature ever recorded was 101.7 °F (38.7 °C) on July 22, 2011.

July is usually the wettest month, with lots of thunderstorms. The most rain in one day was 6.87 inches (174 mm) on August 27, 2011. Winters are cold, with the average lowest temperature around −1.1 °F (−18.4 °C). The coldest ever was −12.9 °F (−24.9 °C) on January 22, 1984. Sometimes, it feels colder than −12 °F (−24 °C) because of the wind chill. Perkasie gets about 30 inches (76 cm) to 36 inches (91 cm) of snow each winter. Big snowstorms happen every few years.

Nature in Perkasie

The natural plants around Perkasie would mostly be Oak trees, forming an Eastern Hardwood Forest. The area is in a plant hardiness zone 6b, which means certain types of plants can grow well here. Spring flowers usually start blooming around April 12, and the beautiful fall colors typically peak around October 28.

Famous People from Perkasie

Many interesting people have connections to Perkasie:

• Dick Allen – A famous baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He used to own a horse farm in Perkasie.
• Jake Crouthamel – He was a key person in creating the original Big East Conference and was the athletic director at Syracuse University for a long time.
• Jake Eisenhart – A baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, born in Perkasie on October 3, 1922.
• Tom Fulp – The person who created the popular entertainment website Newgrounds.
• Brittany Furlan – A well-known comedian and YouTube personality.

See also

In Spanish: Perkasie para niños