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Pottstown
Borough of Pottstown
High Street in Pottstown, June 2020
High Street in Pottstown, June 2020
Flag of Pottstown
Flag
Official seal of Pottstown
Seal
Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Pottstown is located in Pennsylvania
Pottstown
Pottstown
Location in Pennsylvania
Pottstown is located in the United States
Pottstown
Pottstown
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Montgomery
Founded 1752
Incorporated February 6, 1815
Government
 • Type Council-manager
Area
 • Total 4.94 sq mi (12.79 km2)
 • Land 4.85 sq mi (12.57 km2)
 • Water 0.09 sq mi (0.22 km2)
Elevation
203 ft (62 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 23,433
 • Density 4,829.55/sq mi (1,864.88/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
19464-19465
Area codes 610 and 484
FIPS code 42-62416
Website http://www.pottstown.org

Pottstown is a borough located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first planned in 1752–53 and was originally called Pottsgrove. This name honored its founder, John Potts. The name changed to Pottstown when it officially became a borough in 1815. In 1888, the town grew much larger. Today, Pottstown is known as a center for farming and dairy production.

Pottstown is situated along the Schuylkill River. It is about 29 miles (47 km) south of Allentown and 40 miles (65 km) northwest of Philadelphia. It is considered part of the larger Philadelphia metropolitan area.

History of Pottstown

PottsgroveManor Pottstown PA
Pottsgrove Mansion, the historic home of John Potts.
Pottstown Roller Mill
The Pottstown Roller Mill, built in 1725.

The land where Pottstown now stands was originally given to William Penn. Early European settlers in the area included people from Germany, Sweden, and England. The town's future became closely linked to the iron industry after the first iron forge was built in 1714. Over time, blast furnaces for making iron and later steel opened in the area.

The Potts family, who were experts in iron production, were drawn to the area. They set up a forge and built a large home west of the Manatawny Creek. In 1761, John Potts founded a town on some of the land he owned. This area is also home to the nation's oldest mill, the Pottstown Roller Mill.

Pottsgrove grew steadily. In 1815, it officially became a borough named Pottstown. It was the second borough to be established in Pennsylvania, after Norristown.

The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad reached Pottstown in 1838. When the railroad was extended to Mount Carbon in 1842, it made it easier to move raw materials and finished goods. This helped Pottstown's economy grow a lot. In just a few years after the railroad extension, the population jumped from 600 to 1,850 people. Pottstown's metal production increased, and steel from the borough was even used in important projects like the Panama Canal and the Golden Gate Bridge.

In 1944, the borough started using a city manager form of government. By 1964, the town decided to change its local government again. At that time, it had one of the largest borough councils in the state, with 20 members. This number was reduced to seven members, representing different parts of the town.

Several historic places in Pottstown are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the High Street Historic District, the Old Pottstown Historic District, the Pottsgrove Mansion, the Grubb Mansion, the Jefferson Elementary School, the Pottstown Roller Mill, the Reading Railroad Pottstown Station, and the Henry Antes House.

Geography and Climate

Pottstown Riverfront Park, April 2016
The Schuylkill River Trail at the Pottstown Riverfront Park.

Pottstown is located at coordinates 40°14′59″N 75°38′25″W. The U.S. Census Bureau states that the borough covers a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.7 square kilometers). Most of this area, 4.8 square miles (12.57 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 0.1 square miles (0.22 square kilometers) is water.

What is Pottstown's Climate Like?

The climate in Pottstown has hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Pottstown has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm temperatures and plenty of rain throughout the year. The area can still get heavy snowfall sometimes.

Who Lives in Pottstown?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1830 676
1840 721 6.7%
1850 1,664 130.8%
1860 2,380 43.0%
1870 4,125 73.3%
1880 5,305 28.6%
1890 13,285 150.4%
1900 13,696 3.1%
1910 15,599 13.9%
1920 17,431 11.7%
1930 19,430 11.5%
1940 20,194 3.9%
1950 22,589 11.9%
1960 26,144 15.7%
1970 25,355 −3.0%
1980 22,729 −10.4%
1990 21,831 −4.0%
2000 21,859 0.1%
2010 22,377 2.4%
2020 23,433 4.7%
Sources:
Presidential Election Results
Year Republican Democratic
2020 35.1% 3,573 63.2% 6,429
2016 36.6% 3,245 58.3% 5,160
2012 33.3% 2,825 65.1% 5,527
2008 29.2% 2,737 69.5% 6,506
2004 38.0% 3,069 61.3% 4,950
2000 40.0% 2,459 56.1% 3,448

In 2020, the population of Pottstown was 23,433 people. According to the 2010 census, the borough's population was 72.1% White, 19.5% Black or African American, and 8.0% of Hispanic or Latino background.

In 2000, there were 21,859 people living in Pottstown. About 29.1% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.36 people. The median age in the borough was 36 years old.

Getting Around Pottstown

2022-10-10 09 41 03 View north along Pennsylvania State Route 100 (Pottstown Pike) just north of Pennsylvania State Route 663 (King Street) in Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
PA 100 northbound in Pottstown.

Pottstown has about 74 miles (119 km) of public roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the borough itself.

The main east-west road in Pottstown is High Street. It continues east of the borough as Ridge Pike. Hanover Street is the main north-south road. The U.S. Route 422 freeway runs south of Pottstown. It goes east towards King of Prussia and Philadelphia, and west towards Reading.

Pennsylvania Route 100 goes north-south through the Pottstown area. It heads south to West Chester and north to Allentown. Pennsylvania Route 663 starts in Pottstown and goes east and northeast before leaving the borough. Pennsylvania Route 724 runs along the south bank of the Schuylkill River in Chester County.

Pottstown station 2020
The Charles W. Dickinson Transportation Center is the main hub for Pottstown Area Rapid Transit buses.

Local bus service in Pottstown is called Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART). PART runs five bus routes from Monday to Saturday. These buses operate out of the Charles W. Dickinson Transportation Center in downtown Pottstown. They also offer a special service for people with disabilities. SEPTA's Route 93 bus connects Pottstown to the Norristown Transportation Center in Norristown. There is also Amtrak Thruway bus service that connects Pottstown to Reading and Philadelphia.

Pottstown has its own airport, Pottstown Municipal Airport, for general aviation. Nearby is Heritage Field Airport in Limerick.

Passenger train service between Reading/Pottstown and Philadelphia stopped in 1981. There have been attempts to bring back commuter trains, but they haven't been successful yet. The old train station building is still there and is now used as a district justice office. Freight trains still use the tracks in Pottstown. The Colebrookdale Railroad is a special heritage railway that runs from Pottstown to Boyertown.

Education in Pottstown

Aerial of The Hill School Quad
Aerial view of The Hill School.

Libraries and Colleges

  • The Pottstown Regional Public Library serves the community.
  • Montgomery County Community College has a West Campus in Pottstown.

Public Schools

  • The Pottstown School District serves students living within the borough.
  • The Pottsgrove School District serves the townships surrounding Pottstown in Montgomery County.
  • The Owen J. Roberts School District serves areas south of the borough in Chester County. This includes several townships like Warwick, East Nantmeal, and North Coventry. This district has five elementary schools, a middle school, and the Owen J. Roberts High School.

Private Schools

  • The Hill School
  • Wyndcroft School
  • Saint Aloysius School
  • West-Mont Christian Academy

Media and News

Newspapers

The Mercury

The Mercury is a local newspaper that has won two Pulitzer Prizes. One was for photography in 1979, and the other was for editorial writing in 1990.

Television

PCTV

PCTV (Pottstown Community TV) is run by the Borough of Pottstown. It provides local TV programming over Comcast Cable TV to many homes in western Montgomery County and nearby areas. PCTV has been around since 1983 and produces shows on three local cable channels. PCTV also broadcasts local high school sports like football, basketball, and baseball.

Radio

WPAZ broadcasts on 1370AM and serves the greater Philadelphia area. It plays traditional Christian music, including religious hymns and songs.

Notable People from Pottstown

Pottstown has been home to many interesting people, including:

See also

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