Editing Hellam Township, Pennsylvania

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Hellam Township, Pennsylvania
|settlement_type = [[Township (Pennsylvania)|Township]]
|nickname = 
|motto = 
<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline = Wildcat Falls, Hellam Township.jpg
|imagesize = 
|image_caption = Wildcat Falls near the Susquehanna River in Hellam Township
|image_flag = 
|image_seal = 
<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = York County Pennsylvania incorporated and unincorporated areas Hellam township highlighted.svg
|mapsize = 260px
|map_caption = Location in [[York County, Pennsylvania|York County]] and the state of [[Pennsylvania]].
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Pennsylvania]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[York County, Pennsylvania|York]]
<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes = 
|government_type = Board of Supervisors
|leader_title = 
|leader_name = 
|leader_title1 = 
|leader_name1 = 
|leader_title2 = 
|leader_name2 = 
|established_title = Settled
|established_date = 1721
|established_title1 = Incorporated
|established_date1 = 1739
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_42.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 14, 2017}}</ref>
|area_magnitude = 
|area_total_km2 = 73.11
|area_land_km2 = 73.05
|area_water_km2 = 0.07
|area_total_sq_mi = 28.23
|area_land_sq_mi = 28.20
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.03
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2023">{{cite web |last1=Bureau |first1=US Census |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=February 15, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
|population_total = 5939 {{decrease}}
|population_density_km2 = 82.10
|population_density_sq_mi = 212.64
<!-- General information -->
|timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = -4
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -->
|postal_code_type = 
|postal_code = 
|area_code = [[Area code 717|717]]
|blank_name_sec1          = State government
|blank_info_sec1          = &nbsp;
|blank1_name_sec1         = • [[Pennsylvania Senate, District 28|Senator (Dist 28)]]
|blank1_info_sec1         = [[Kristin Phillips-Hill]], since 2019
|blank2_name_sec1         = • [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 47|House Rep (47)]]
|blank2_info_sec1         = [[Keith J. Gillespie]], since 2003
|blank_name_sec2          = U.S. government
|blank_info_sec2          = &nbsp;
|blank1_name_sec2         = • [[Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district|House Rep (11)]]
|blank1_info_sec2         = [[Lloyd Smucker]], since 2019
|website = {{URL|https://www.hellamtownship.com}}
|footnotes = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2023
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2023"/>
|population_est = 5928
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 42-133-33728
}}

{{US Census population
|1850= 1528
|1860= 1642
|1870= 1639
|1880= 1963
|1890= 2164
|1900= 2057
|1910= 1687
|1920= 1520
|1930= 1600
|1940= 1765
|1950= 2081
|1960= 2550
|1970= 3147
|1980= 4507
|1990= 5128
|2000= 5930
|2010= 6043
|2020= 5939
|estyear=2023
|estimate=5928
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2023"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}

'''Hellam Township''' is a [[Township (Pennsylvania)|township]] in [[York County, Pennsylvania|York County]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 5,939 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2023"/> Founded in 1739, it was the first township in the area, and it originally included the entirety of modern York and [[Adams County, Pennsylvania|Adams]] counties. Fire department services are provided jointly by the Hallam and Wrightsville fire departments, located in the boroughs of [[Hallam, Pennsylvania|Hallam]] and [[Wrightsville, Pennsylvania|Wrightsville]].

==History==
The Mifflin House, an [[Underground Railroad]] site in the township dating to the 1700s, was used by the Mifflin family in the 19th century to "hide freedom-seekers and ferry them across the [[Susquehanna River]] on their way to Philadelphia."<ref name=nopact /> The house was sold into the Huber family in 1856, who sold it to the Blessing family in 1959.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/history/blogs/universal-york/2018/05/29/views-from-the-mifflin-house-in-the-1890s/35485607/ |title=Views from the Mifflin House in the 1890s |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=June |last=Lloyd |date=May 29, 2018 |access-date=July 22, 2018 }}</ref> As of May 2017, the property was at risk of demolition for development of a [[business park]].<ref name=nopact>{{cite news |newspaper=[[York Daily Record]] |title=Developer: No pact to save house |date=May 19, 2017 |pages=1A, 5A |first1=Teresa |last1=Boeckel |first2=Brett |last2=Sholtis }}</ref><ref name=faces>{{cite news |url=http://www.ydr.com/story/news/2017/03/29/underground-railroad-site-faces-demolition/99760388/ |title=Underground Railroad site faces demolition |first1=Teresa |last1=Boeckel |first2=Brett |last2=Sholtis |newspaper=York Daily Record |date=March 29, 2017 |access-date=May 20, 2017 }}</ref> By December 2017, a funding campaign was started to help pay for a legal challenge to save the property, reportedly eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2017/12/22/campaign-hopes-raise-10-000-save-york-county-underground-railroad-house/977397001/ |title=Campaign hopes to raise $10,000 to save York County Underground Railroad house |date=December 22, 2017 |access-date=January 25, 2018 |first=Teresa |last=Boeckel |newspaper=York Daily Record }}</ref> In July 2018, a York County [[Pennsylvania courts of common pleas|Court of Common Pleas]] judge ruled in favor of a township zoning officer's decision (and zoning hearing board's support) to deny a demolition permit for the house.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2018/07/20/mifflin-house-underground-rr-stop-remain-standing-judge-rules/804905002/ |title=Judge rules in case of Underground RR house |date=July 20, 2018 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |first=Teresa |last=Boeckel |newspaper=York Daily Record }}</ref> The developer appealed the decision to the [[Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania|Commonwealth Court]]. In February 2019, township supervisors approved unanimously a subdivision plan that includes a two-year moratorium on development of more than {{convert|60|acres|m2}} surrounding Mifflin House, to give preservationists time to raise enough money to save it.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2019/02/22/underground-railroad-site-agreement-reached-save-hellam-township-mifflin-house-development-kinsley/2948999002/ |title=Clock is ticking to preserve Underground Railroad site before it becomes a business park |date=February 22, 2019 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Teresa |last=Boeckel |access-date=March 6, 2019 }}</ref>

[[File:Codorus Furnace YorkCo PA 3.JPG|thumb|[[Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District]], which dates to 1765, was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1991.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a|dateform=mdy}}</ref>|center]]

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|27.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}}, or 0.14%, is water.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 5,930 people, 2,395 households, and 1,726 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|214.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,538 housing units at an average density of {{convert|91.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 97.81% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.74% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.03% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.34% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.86% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 2,395 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $49,750, and the median income for a family was $55,700. Males had a median income of $40,000 versus $28,558 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $22,345.  About 3.6% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Hellam Township is served by the [[Eastern York School District]].

Before 1950, education in the township was provided in small schoolhouses, most of them having only one room. These schools included:
{{columns-list |colwidth=15em |
*Beidler's<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-a-b/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (A-B) |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |date=August 14, 2012 |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Burnt Cabin<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/burnt-cabin-one-room-schoolhouse-on-vinegar-ferry-road/ |title=Burnt Cabin One-Room Schoolhouse on Vinegar Ferry Road |date=August 4, 2015 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Druck Valley<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-c-d/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (C-D) |date=August 21, 2012 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Furnace<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-e-g/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (E-G) |date=August 28, 2012 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Hallam<ref name=h-k>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-h-k/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (H-K) |date=September 11, 2012 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Hauser's<ref name=h-k />
*Highmount<ref name=h-k />
*Kinard's<ref name=h-k />
*Kreutz Creek,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/kreutz-creek-schoolhouse-nora-stoner-mahlon-haines/ |title=Stories abound at Kreutz Creek One-Room Schoolhouse |date=October 11, 2019 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref> owned by [[Mahlon Haines]] in 1951<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/history/blogs/yorkspast/2019/11/14/haines-school-of-brains-at-kreutz-creek/40611937/ |title=Haine's School of Brains at Kreutz Creek |newspaper=York Daily Record |date=November 14, 2019 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Levergood's<ref name=l-m>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-l-m/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (L-M) |date=September 25, 2012 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Musser's<ref name=l-m />
*Pine Swamp<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-n-p/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (N-P) |date=October 2, 2019 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Rudy's<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-q-r/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (Q-R) |date=October 9, 2012 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Strickler's<ref name=s-t>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-s-t/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (S-T) |date=October 16, 2012 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
*Tracey's<ref name=s-t />
*Wrightsville<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/york-county-one-room-schools-u-z/ |title=York County One-Room Schools (U-Z) |date=October 25, 2019 |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |newspaper=York Daily Record |access-date=December 13, 2019 }}</ref>
}}

==Notable people==
*[[Keith J. Gillespie]], state representative for [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 47|District 47]] from 2003 to 2022
*[[Jon Witman]], former football player with [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
*[[John Wright (businessman)|John Wright]], a colonial-era businessman who established [[Wright's Ferry]] and after whom the [[Wrightsville, Pennsylvania|Wrightsville]] borough is named

==Urban legends==
Hellam Township is the supposed location of the [[Seven Gates of Hell]].<ref name=PennDOT>{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Argento|title=The road to hell paved by PennDOT|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=10C059DF0A6ACF20&p_docnum=4&p_queryname=8|work=[[York Daily Record]]|publisher=[[NewsBank]]|date=August 15, 2005|access-date=June 22, 2023|author-link=Mike Argento|url-access=registration}}</ref> According to [[urban legend]] a road leads through several "gates," some of which are real while most are invisible, the seventh being the entrance to [[Hell]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Nesbitt|first=Mark|title=The Big Book of Pennsylvania Ghost Stories|year=2008|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=978-0811703642|pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780811740173/page/137 137]–138|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780811740173|url-access=registration|quote=Seven Gates of Hell york.}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Hallam, Pennsylvania]], including an origin of the name
*[[William C. Goodridge#Underground Railroad activism|William C. Goodridge]], active in the [[Underground Railroad]] in York city

{{clear left}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.hellamtownship.com Official website]
*[http://www.hellamfire21.com/ Hellam Fire Company]
*[http://www.WrightsvilleFIRE.com Wrightsville Fire & Rescue Company]

{{York County, Pennsylvania}}

{{coord|40|02|00|N|76|37|59|W|type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1721]]
[[Category:Townships in York County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Townships in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1721 establishments in Pennsylvania]]