Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania
Schaefferschteddel
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The Gemberling - Rex House
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 Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lebanon |
| Township | Heidelberg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.68 sq mi (6.95 km2) |
| • Land | 2.68 sq mi (6.95 km2) |
| Elevation | 585 ft (178 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 941 |
| • Density | 350/sq mi (135.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
17088
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| Area code(s) | 717 |
| FIPS code | 42-68144 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1214011 |
Schaefferstown is a small community in Heidelberg Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's also known as Schaefferschteddel in Pennsylvania German. In 2010, about 941 people lived here. It's a special kind of place called a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's a community that the government counts for statistics, even though it's not officially a city or town.
Contents
History of Schaefferstown
Schaefferstown is one of the oldest towns in Lebanon County. It was settled long before the county itself was formed in 1813. People believe the first settlers arrived before 1725.
Some stories say that early settlers were German Jews. They might have been traders living in a place called Lebanon Trading Post. There's even talk of an old Jewish burial ground nearby.
Schaefferstown has many historic buildings. Several of them are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Brendle Farms, the Philip Erpff House, and the Rex House. The Schaeffer House is also very important. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 2011. You can also see the grand Weigley Mansion.
The town is home to three museums where you can learn more about its past. These are The Alexander Schaeffer House and Farm, the Gemberling-Rex House, and the Thomas R. Brendle Museum.
Geography of Schaefferstown
Schaefferstown is located in the southeastern part of Lebanon County. It sits right in the middle of Heidelberg Township.
Several main roads pass through or near the community. Pennsylvania Route 897 goes through the center of town. It connects Schaefferstown to Swartzville to the east and Lebanon to the northwest. Pennsylvania Route 501 runs along the west side of town. It leads north to Myerstown and south to Lititz. Pennsylvania Route 419 also goes through the town center, heading northeast to Womelsdorf and southwest to Cornwall.
The area of Schaefferstown is about 7 square kilometers (2.7 square miles), and it's all land. Most of the water in the community flows south into Hammer Creek. This creek eventually joins the Susquehanna River. The northern part of Schaefferstown drains into Tulpehocken Creek, which flows into the Schuylkill River and then the Delaware River.
Schaefferstown is famous for Fountain Park. It has the oldest water system in the United States that is still working!
Population of Schaefferstown
In 2000, there were 984 people living in Schaefferstown. Most of the people were White.
There were 374 households, and many of them (about 31.8%) had children under 18 living there. Most households (67.4%) were married couples. About 20.6% of all households were people living alone.
The population was spread out by age. About 24.8% were under 18 years old. About 14.6% were 65 years or older. The average age in Schaefferstown was 39 years old.
Fountain Park: An Old Water System
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The water system in Schaefferstown is very old and special. It's the oldest system in the United States that uses underground pipes to carry water by gravity. This means the water flows downhill naturally without needing pumps.
The town's founder, Alexander Schaeffer, built this water system between 1744 and 1750. It's located in the area now called Fountain Park. Even today, people in Schaefferstown still use this historic system for their household water.
When it was first built, the water flowed to two wooden troughs in the town square. The square is where Main Street and Market Street meet. One of these troughs was later replaced and is now on the side of the historic bank building in the square.
Fire and EMS Protection
The people of Heidelberg Township get help from the Schaefferstown Volunteer Fire Co. and Schaefferstown EMS. Both of these groups are made up of volunteers. They rely on donations from the community to keep going.
The fire department has fire trucks and equipment ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have a Rescue truck, an Engine, a Tanker, and a Brush truck for different types of emergencies. They also have volunteer fire police officers who help manage scenes.
Schaefferstown EMS has one ambulance, Ambulance 160, also available 24/7. They provide Basic Life Support (BLS), which means they can give basic medical care. They also get help from the First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon, PA, for Advanced Life Support (ALS), which is more advanced medical care. Some volunteers at Schaefferstown EMS are also trained in ALS. They serve Heidelberg Township and parts of South Lebanon Township.
Notable People from Schaefferstown
- Moses Dissinger: A Pennsylvania German clergyman.
- Johann Henrich Otto: A famous fraktur artist.
Images for kids
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Bomberger's Distillery in 2011 (buildings have since been demolished)
See also
In Spanish: Schaefferstown para niños
