Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Springfield Township,
Delaware County, Pennsylvania |
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Township
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Municipal Building
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Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Delaware |
| Founded | 1686 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.34 sq mi (16.42 km2) |
| • Land | 6.32 sq mi (16.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 243 ft (74 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,070 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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24,842 |
| • Density | 3,966.14/sq mi (1,531.34/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
19064
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| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 |
| FIPS code | 42-045-73032 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1216391 |
Springfield Township, often called Springfield, is a community in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is a type of local government called a township. In 2020, about 25,070 people lived here. Springfield is a suburb of Philadelphia, located about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of the city.
Contents
- Exploring Springfield's Location
- Who Lives in Springfield?
- Learning in Springfield: Schools
- Springfield's Past: A Look at History
- Getting Around Springfield: Transportation
- Shopping and Business in Springfield
- Places of Worship in Springfield
- Famous People from Springfield
- Important Buildings in Springfield
- Fun Places: Parks in Springfield
Exploring Springfield's Location
Springfield is in the eastern part of Delaware County. It covers about 6.34 square miles (16.42 square kilometers) of land. A small part, about 0.02 square miles (0.05 square kilometers), is water. The township's northeastern edge is along Darby Creek. Its western edge is along Crum Creek. Both creeks flow south into the Delaware River. It's good to know that there are other places named Springfield in Pennsylvania!
Neighboring Towns and Townships
Springfield Township shares its borders with several other communities:
- Haverford Township, Delaware County - to the north
- Upper Darby Township, Delaware County - to the east
- Ridley Township, Delaware County - to the south
- Morton Borough, Delaware County - to the south
- Swarthmore Borough, Delaware County - to the southwest (There's a small part of Springfield Township south of Swarthmore Borough.)
- Nether Providence Township, Delaware County - to the southwest
- Marple Township, Delaware County - to the northwest
Springfield's Weather and Climate
Springfield has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average monthly temperatures range from about 32.6°F (0.3°C) in January to 77.7°F (25.4°C) in July.
Who Lives in Springfield?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 4,589 | — | |
| 1940 | 5,488 | 19.6% | |
| 1950 | 10,917 | 98.9% | |
| 1960 | 26,733 | 144.9% | |
| 1970 | 29,006 | 8.5% | |
| 1980 | 25,326 | −12.7% | |
| 1990 | 24,160 | −4.6% | |
| 2000 | 23,677 | −2.0% | |
| 2010 | 24,211 | 2.3% | |
| 2020 | 25,070 | 3.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, most people in Springfield Township were White (93.4%). There were also African American (1.7%) and Asian (3.8%) residents. About 1.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, there were 23,677 people living in Springfield. About 32.7% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.73 people. The median age in the township was 42 years old.
Learning in Springfield: Schools
Students in Springfield Township go to schools in the Springfield School District. This is different from a school district with a similar name in Montgomery County.
Public Schools:
- Springfield Literacy Center: This school is for all kindergarten and first-grade students.
- Scenic Hills School: Students in grades 2 through 5 attend this school.
- Harvey C. Sabold School: Also for students in grades 2 through 5.
- E. T. Richardson Middle School: All students in grades 6, 7, and 8 go here (about 1,000 students).
- Springfield High School: This school is for all students in grades 9 through 12 (about 1,200 students). A brand new high school building opened in 2021!
Before Springfield High School was built in 1931, students could attend other high schools like Swarthmore High, Lansdowne High School, or Media High School.
Private and Religious Schools:
- Holy Cross: A Catholic school for students in grades K-8.
- St. Francis of Assisi: Another Catholic school for students in grades K-8.
- Cardinal O'Hara High School: A Catholic high school for students in grades 9–12.
St. Kevin School, a Catholic grade school, was open from 1967 to 2011. It closed because fewer students were enrolling.
Springfield's Past: A Look at History
Springfield was first settled by Quakers who came to Pennsylvania with William Penn. It became an official government area in 1686. Many streets in Springfield are named after important early citizens, like Kennerly, Levis, and Thomas. In the beginning, Springfield was mostly a farming town.
In 1687, settlers started building a road that is now known as Springfield Road. In 1701, construction began on the Baltimore Pike, a major road. The first Quaker meeting house was also built in 1701. It burned down in 1737 and was rebuilt. The current meeting house was built in 1851.
By 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, about 300 people lived in Springfield.
In the 1800s, Springfield became more industrial. Many mills were built along the creeks to use water power. Famous mill owners included William Fell and Samuel Pancoast.
At the start of the 1900s, Springfield's Baltimore Pike became a very busy shopping area. This long road was even called "The Golden Mile" because it had so many car dealerships. Today, Baltimore Pike still has many dealerships. People are working to make this area more environmentally friendly and improve traffic flow.
Over the last century, farmland in Springfield was bought by developers. They built many suburban homes, turning Springfield into the town it is today. One of the biggest housing projects was the Stoney Creek development, built from 1949 to 1954. More than 75 homes were built there.
Even though the farms are gone, many woods and fields remain in Springfield's parks. You can learn more about Springfield's history at the Heritage Society of Springfield and the Springfield Township Public Library.
Springfield has three sister cities: Lisbon, Portugal; Lima, Peru; and Vancouver, Canada.
Getting Around Springfield: Transportation
_from_the_overpass_for_Pennsylvania_State_Route_320_(Chester_Road)_in_Springfield_Township,_Delaware_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg)
Springfield Township has about 84.34 miles (135.73 km) of public roads. The state of Pennsylvania maintains some, and the township maintains others.
Major roads in Springfield include:
- Interstate 476: This highway runs along the western edge of the township.
- U.S. Route 1: This route follows State Road through the northern part of the township.
- Pennsylvania Route 320: This road follows Chester Road and Sproul Road.
- Pennsylvania Route 420: This route starts at PA 320 and goes southeast along Woodland Avenue.
SEPTA provides public transportation in Springfield.
- The Route 101 trolley line connects Springfield to 69th Street Transportation Center and Media.
- SEPTA buses (Routes 107, 109, 110, and 111) also serve the township.
- The SEPTA Regional Rail's Media/Wawa Line passes through the southern part of Springfield. The closest train stations are at Swarthmore and Morton.
Shopping and Business in Springfield
Springfield is home to the Springfield Mall. This is a large shopping mall with two levels. One of the first suburban locations of the department store Strawbridge & Clothier opened here in 1964. That building has since been rebuilt into a Target store.
Places of Worship in Springfield
Catholic churches in Springfield Township include Holy Cross Church, St. Francis of Assisi Church, and St. Kevin Church. All three continue to operate.
Famous People from Springfield
Many notable people have connections to Springfield Township:
- Mark Alburger: A composer.
- Bill Carpenter: A U.S. Army lieutenant general.
- Pat Croce: An entrepreneur and sports executive.
- Joey DeFrancesco: A jazz organist.
- Robert W. Edgar: A U.S. Congressman.
- Robert Hazard: A rock musician.
- Tom Keifer: A rock musician from the band Cinderella.
- Al Martino: A singer and film actor.
- Geoff Petrie: An NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971.
- John Pinette: An actor and comedian.
- Skip Roderick: A former professional soccer player and coach.
- Mike Scioscia: A former MLB catcher and World Series winning manager.
- Joe Sestak: A retired Vice Admiral and U.S. Congressman.
- J. Edgar Thomson: The third president of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
- Benjamin West: A famous painter.
- Lawrence G. Williams: A U.S. Congressman.
Important Buildings in Springfield
Springfield has several important and historic buildings:
- First Presbyterian Church
- Holy Cross Church
- The Old Central School House
- Springfield Library
- Springfield Water Pump House (built in 1899)
- Springfield Mall
- The Springfield Literacy Center (built in 2011)
- Springfield Friends Meeting House
- St. Francis of Assisi Church
- Blue Church
Fun Places: Parks in Springfield
Springfield Township has 24 parks! Here are some of the well-known ones:
- Veterans Memorial Park
- Williams Park (formerly Powell Road Park)
- Jane Lownes Park
- Indian Rock Park
- Meadowgreen Park
- Halderman Field
- Netherwood Park
- Walsh Park
- Rolling Green Park
- Crowell Park
- Elson Glen Park
