Editing Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Township in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{distinguish|Towamencin Township, Pennsylvania|Lower Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Towamensing Township
 | official_name            = 
 | native_name              = 
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 | image_skyline            = Wild Creek Falls (2).jpg
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 | image_caption            = Wild Creek Falls in [[Beltzville State Park]]
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 | image_seal               = Towamensing Logo.png
 | seal_size                = 150px
 | seal_type                = Logo
 | etymology                = 
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 | image_map                = Map of Towamensing Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania Highlighted.png
 | mapsize                  = 250px
 | map_caption              = Location of Towamensing Township in [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania]]
 | image_map1               = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Carbon County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 250px
 | map_caption1             = Location of Carbon County in [[Pennsylvania]]
 | coordinates              = {{coord|40|52|29|N|75|37|30|W|display=inline,title}}
 | coor_pinpoint            = 
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 | 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        = [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon]]
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 | established_title        = Founded
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 | seat                     = 
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 | leader_title             = Mayor
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 | total_type               = 
 | 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|accessdate=August 13, 2017}}</ref>
 | area_total_km2           = 74.89
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 28.91
 | area_land_km2            = 70.28
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 27.14
 | area_water_km2           = 4.61
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 1.78
 | area_water_percent       = 
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 | elevation_footnotes      = 
 | elevation_m              = 
 | elevation_ft             = 715
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 | population_as_of         = [[2010 United States census|2010]]
 | population_footnotes     = 
 | population_total         = 4477
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2016
 | pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|accessdate=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
 | population_est           = 4409
 | population_rank          = 
 | population_density_km2   = 62.73
 | population_density_sq_mi = 162.47
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 | timezone1                = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
 | utc_offset1              = -5
 | timezone1_DST            = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
 | utc_offset1_DST          = -4
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 | area_code                = [[Area codes 610, 484, and 835|610]]
 | geocode                  = 
 | iso_code                 = 
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 42-025-77160
 | blank1_name              = 
 | blank1_info              = 
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 | blank_name_sec2          = 
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 | blank1_name_sec2         = 
 | blank1_info_sec2         = 
 | blank2_name_sec2         = Wikimedia Commons
 | blank2_info_sec2         = 
 | website                  = [https://www.towamensingtownship.com/ towamensingtownship.com]
 | footnotes                = 
}}

'''Towamensing Township''' is a lightly populated rural [[township (Pennsylvania)|township]] in eastern [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon County]], [[Pennsylvania]]. It is part of [[Northeastern Pennsylvania]].

The [[Lenape|Lenape Indian tribe]]'s name is eponymous and was once applied by the natives to the whole region<ref name="History_V">
{{cite book
 |  title = History of Carbon County Pennsylvania
 | author = Fred Brenckman
 |  date = 1913
 | publisher = Publisher: James J. Nungesser ('gutenberg project' e-reprint)
 | location = [[Harrisburg, PA]]<!--  --->
 | chapter = Chapter V. Captivity of the Gilbert Family|page=62
 | quote = ... before the ring of the axe was again heard in the forests, and the curling smoke wreaths ascended from the chimneys of the log cabins of Towamensing, as this whole region was then known.

}}</ref> of Carbon County and bits of the Poconos to the north ([[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]]) and to [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania|Schuylkill County]] (southwest). The population was 4,477 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US4202577160| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Towamensing township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=April 7, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20150407125046/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US4202577160| archive-date=April 7, 2015| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from 3,475 at the 2000 census. A portion of [[Beltzville State Park]] is in the township.

The film franchise [[Hell House LLC (film series)|Hell House, LLC]] was filmed in Towamensing Township at the fictitious Abaddon Hotel, which in reality is the Waldorf Estate of Fear haunted house attraction located on Route 209.

==Geography==
Towamensing Township is in southeastern [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon County]] and is bordered by [[Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Monroe County]] to the east. According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|74.9|sqkm|order=flip}}, {{convert|70.3|sqkm|order=flip}} of which is land and {{convert|4.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 6.15%, of which is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> It is drained by [[Aquashicola Creek]] and [[Pohopoco Creek]] into the [[Lehigh River]]. The township's northern boundary runs along the base of Call Mountain. Its villages include [[Forest Inn, Pennsylvania|Forest Inn]], Jonesville, Stemlersville, and Trachsville.

===Neighboring municipalities===
* [[Lower Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania|Lower Towamensing Township]] - (south)
* [[Franklin Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Franklin Township]] - (west-southwest)
* [[Penn Forest Township, Pennsylvania|Penn Forest Township]] - (north)
* [[Polk Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Polk Township, Monroe County]] - (northeast)
* [[Eldred Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Eldred Township, Monroe County]] - (southeast)

===Climate===
The township has a [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfa''/''Dfb'') and the [[hardiness zone]] is 6a. Average monthly temperatures in Forest Inn range from in 27.0&nbsp;°F in January to 71.2&nbsp;°F in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ | title=PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|2000= 3475
|2010= 4477
|estyear=2016
|estimate=4409
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|accessdate=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 3,475 people, 1,275 households, and 1,003 families residing in the township. The [[population density]] was {{convert|128.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 1,458 housing units at an average density of {{convert|54.0|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the township was 98.65% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.43% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.09% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.23% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.17% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.43% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.24% of the population.

There were 1,275 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $49,524, and the median income for a family was $51,135. Males had a median income of $36,638 versus $21,103 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $19,629. About 4.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
{{stack|[[File:2022-08-08 09 49 55 View south along U.S. Route 209 (Interchange Road) just south of Preachers Camp Drive in Towamensing Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania.jpg|thumb|[[U.S. Route 209|US Route 209]] southbound in Towamensing Township]]}}
As of 2020, there were {{convert|84.98|mi}} of public roads in Penn Forest Township, of which {{convert|17.17|mi}} were maintained by the [[Pennsylvania Department of Transportation]] (PennDOT) and {{convert|67.81|mi}} were maintained by the township.<ref name=PennDOTmap>{{cite web|url=https://gis.penndot.gov/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Type5/13212.pdf|title=Towamensing Township map|publisher=PennDOT|access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>

[[U.S. Route 209]] is the only numbered highway passing through Towamensing Township. It crosses from northeast-to-southwest on the southeast side of Beltzville Lake.

==References==
* {{cite book
| title = History of Carbon County Pennsylvania
| author = Fred Brenckman
| date = 1913
| publisher = James J. Nungesser ('gutenberg project' e-reprint)
| location = [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]]
}}
{{reflist}}
{{commons category}}
{{Carbon County, Pennsylvania}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:1768 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1768]]
[[Category:Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Townships in Pennsylvania]]