Schwenksville, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Borough of Schwenksville
Borough
Main Street in Schwenksville in November 2012
Location of Schwenksville in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Borough of Schwenksville Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Borough of Schwenksville Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Montgomery
Government
• Type	Council-manager
Area
• Total	0.40 sq mi (1.04 km²)
• Land	0.40 sq mi (1.04 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km²)
Elevation	213 ft (65 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	1,296
• Density	3,240.00/sq mi (1,250.23/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	19473
Area code(s)	610 and 484
FIPS code	42-68328

Schwenksville is a small town, called a borough, located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,296 people lived there.

Schwenksville is famous for being close to where the Philadelphia Folk Festival happens. This festival is a big event where people gather to enjoy folk music, crafts, and storytelling.

The area where Schwenksville is located was first settled in 1684. This was when the Lenni-Lenape Native American people gave the land along the Perkiomen Creek to William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania. Schwenksville officially became a borough in 1903.

The town got its name from George Schwenk. His son, Jacob Schwenk, was a soldier in George Washington's army during the American Revolution.

Schwenksville was also the setting for the main character in Catherine Gilbert Murdock's 2006 book, Dairy Queen. The popular music group Hall & Oates wrote a song called "Perkiomen." This song is about the Perkiomen Creek, which forms the eastern edge of Schwenksville. The word "Perkiomen" comes from the Lenape language and means "muddy waters" or "where the cranberries grow."

Today, Schwenksville is also known as the starting point for the Perkiomen Trail. This trail is 19 miles long and follows an old railroad path. It's now a popular place for walking, running, and biking, and it was finished in 2003.

Where is Schwenksville Located?
- What is the Weather Like in Schwenksville?
A Look at Schwenksville's History
Who Lives in Schwenksville?
How to Get Around Schwenksville
Learning in Schwenksville
Images for kids
See also

Where is Schwenksville Located?

Schwenksville is found at coordinates 40.256418 degrees North and -75.465012 degrees West.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough covers a total area of about 0.4 square miles (1.04 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part (about 2.38%) being water.

What is the Weather Like in Schwenksville?

The weather in Schwenksville has hot and humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, it is often shown as "Cfa."

A Look at Schwenksville's History

Schwenksville has an important place in American history.

George Washington's Camp in Schwenksville

In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington and his army camped near Schwenksville. They stayed there before and after the Battle of Germantown on October 4. Washington's main base was likely at the Henry Kelly House, which is no longer standing. Most of his army camped across the Perkiomen Creek at Pennypacker Mills.

Early Industries and Growth

Schwenksville was originally part of Perkiomen Township. It was home to Pennsylvania's very first copper mine. Ice harvesting was also a major business here. Large icehouses were built along the creek, and ice was sent to Philadelphia regularly.

Mills that processed grain and made textiles were also very important. You can still see some of these old buildings today. Because it was located along the Perkiomen Creek, Schwenksville became a popular summer resort. It once had famous inns like The Perkiomen Inn and The Spring Mountain House.

Education in Schwenksville

For many years, Schwenksville had its own school district, the Schwenksville Union School District. In 1969, it joined with the Perkiomen Joint School District. This created the Perkiomen Valley School District, which serves the area today.

Schwenksville Today

Today, Schwenksville is mainly a residential community. Many businesses and shops are located along Main Street. Within the borough, you can find the Schwenksville Elementary School and the Perkiomen Valley Branch of the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library.

There is also the Schwenksville post office, two banks, and three churches: Heidelberg United Church of Christ, Jerusalem Lutheran, and Eden Mennonite. The borough also has a 6.47-acre park along the Perkiomen Creek for everyone to enjoy.

Two historic places in Schwenksville, the Pennypacker Mansion and Sunrise Mill, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.

Who Lives in Schwenksville?

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	303	—
1910	381	—
1920	337	−11.5%
1930	405	20.2%
1940	483	19.3%
1950	563	16.6%
1960	620	10.1%
1970	809	30.5%
1980	1,041	28.7%
1990	1,326	27.4%
2000	1,693	27.7%
2010	1,385	−18.2%
2020	1,296	−6.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, most people living in Schwenksville were White (86.2%). About 9.22% were Black or African American, and 0.84% were Asian. About 1.47% of residents were of two or more races. Also, 2.31% of the population had Hispanic or Latino family backgrounds.

There were 626 households in the borough. About 25.9% of these households had children under 18 living with them. About 38.0% were married couples living together.

In 2000, about 17.7% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age of people in Schwenksville was 30 years.

How to Get Around Schwenksville

PA 29 and PA 73 in Schwenksville

As of 2020, Schwenksville had about 4.04 miles of public roads. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) maintains 1.24 miles of these roads. The borough itself takes care of the other 2.80 miles.

Pennsylvania Route 29 and Pennsylvania Route 73 both pass through Schwenksville. These two routes follow Main Street, running generally north and south through the town.

Learning in Schwenksville

Schwenksville is part of the Perkiomen Valley School District.

Students living in Schwenksville attend Schwenksville Elementary School. They then go to Middle School West and finally to Perkiomen Valley High School.