Editing West Donegal Township, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Township in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{other Pennsylvania townships|Donegal Township, Pennsylvania (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | official_name            = West Donegal Township, Pennsylvania
 | settlement_type          = [[Township (Pennsylvania)|Township]]
 | nickname                 = 
 | motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
 | image_skyline            = West Donegal TWP LanCo PA longview.JPG
 | imagesize                = 
 | image_caption            = View south toward [[York County, Pennsylvania|York County]]
 | image_flag               = 
 | image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
 | image_map                = West Donegal Township, Lancaster County Highlighted.png
 | mapsize                  = 250x200px
 | map_caption              = Map of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania highlighting West Donegal Township
 | image_map1               = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 250x200px
 | map_caption1             = Map of Lancaster County, 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        = [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]]
<!-- 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         = 1719
 | established_title1       = Incorporated
 | established_date1        = 1838
<!-- 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           = 41.06
 | area_land_km2            = 40.87
 | area_water_km2           = 0.19
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 15.85
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 15.78
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 0.07
<!-- Population -->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021 |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=July 9, 2022}}</ref>
 | population_total         = 8870 {{increase}}
 | population_density_km2   = 213.35
 | population_density_sq_mi = 552.60
<!-- General information -->
 | timezone                 = [[North American 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                = 
 | website                  = {{URL|wdtwp.com}}
 | footnotes                = 
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2021
 | pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
 | population_est           = 8926
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 42-071-82816
}}

'''West Donegal Township''' is a [[Township (Pennsylvania)|township]] in northwestern [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 8,870 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>

==History==
The township derives its name from [[Donegal (town)|Donegal]], a town in Ireland.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WyAxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s-IFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5721%2C5662865 | title=Early history | work=Reading Eagle | date=June 9, 1896 | access-date=October 18, 2015 | pages=25}}</ref> The original township of Donegal was organized by the court of [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]] in 1722, and was one of the two townships which composed Lancaster County at the time of its erection in 1729. On June 24, 1838, a division was effected, whereby the old township was constituted into two townships, to be separately and distinctly recognized as [[East Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|East Donegal]] and West Donegal.

==R.E. Pierson Quarry Controversy==
R.E. Pierson Materials is a corporation from New Jersey that has a location in Rheems, a town in West Donegal. They are recently facing controversy for expanding their quarry into thirty acres of farmland.<ref>{{cite news |title= Tabled zoning change decision delays criticized quarry expansion plans in West Donegal Township |first=Sean |last=Sauro |date=September 13, 2021 |publisher=lancasteronline.com |url=https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/tabled-zoning-change-decision-delays-criticized-quarry-expansion-plans-in-west-donegal-township/article_31694bfe-14c8-11ec-a084-878ab80a5e7f.html |access-date=October 11, 2021}}</ref>

A council meeting was recently held in which over 12 people spoke against the rezoning of the farmland. Margaretta S. Lisi of Heisey Quarry Road was one of them. She stated that she was "flabbergasted" about the matter. Her 12-year-old grandson, Ben Koser, urged Pierson not to "take away the magic of the farmland." Erik Hume, representing Pierson, falsely claimed that the rezoning would be further away from any residences than the current quarry. A resident was heard mocking Hume during the meeting and was asked by a board member to stop. “The windows shake and rattle,” said Jennifer Pollock, a resident living near the rezone area. Margaretta's lawyer, Veronica Morrison of the Mette, Evans & Woodside law firm, repeatedly claimed that the hearing was not advertised correctly. Township solicitor Josele Cleary argued back that it was advertised correctly. The matter ended up being tabled, and it will be heard about again as soon as next month.{{citation needed|date=October 2021|reason=Need a [[WP: RS]] source for these comments that appear to be [[WP:PRIMARY]]}}
As of October 2021, It has been decided by the council that the thirty acres of land will be expanded. Chairman Douglas Hottenstein, Treasurer Eric Kreider, and Member Ralph Horne voted in favor of R.E. Pierson. Vice-Chairman Roger Snyder was the only member to vote against the quarry. Secretary Philip Dunn was absent from the meeting.

==History==
The settlers of West Donegal were of [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scots-Irish]] descent and were primarily farmers who were drawn to the area by the rich soils and plentiful streams. Thus the abundant produce provided by the land was able to be made into flour by the many mills which sprang up in the area.

Early settlers, Arthur Patterson and others, organized a [[Donegal Presbyterian Church Complex|Presbyterian Church at Donegal]] in 1726, and erected the old church edifice at that time. The first three pastors of it were from [[Scotland]]. Bartram Galbraith, grandson of James Galbraith, was Lieutenant for Lancaster County, the first three years of the [[American Revolution|Revolution]], and many members of that family served in various official positions, as also did Alexander Lowrey and several of that family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eastdonegaltwp.com/about/|title=About|date=January 19, 2012}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|40.3|sqkm|order=flip}}, all land. It is named after [[County Donegal]], Ireland. The northwestern border of the township, which is also the border with [[Dauphin County, Pennsylvania|Dauphin County]], is formed by [[Conewago Creek (east)|Conewago Creek]]. The township is bordered to the northeast by the borough of [[Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania|Elizabethtown]]. Unincorporated communities in the township include [[Conewago, Pennsylvania|Conewago]], Newville, and [[Rheems, Pennsylvania|Rheems]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|2000= 6539
|2010= 8260
|2020= 8870
|estyear=2021
|estimate=8926
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|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>
}}
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 6,539 people, 2,474 households, and 1,882 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|420.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,560 housing units at an average density of {{convert|164.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the township was 98.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.28% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.09% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.46% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.26% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.63% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 2,474 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $53,935, and the median income for a family was $61,011. Males had a median income of $42,313 versus $25,653 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $22,545. About 0.4% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable person==
* [[David Hickernell]], Pennsylvania State Representative

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|wdtwp.com}}
{{coord|40|08|00|N|76|37|59|W|type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki|display=title}}

{{Lancaster County, Pennsylvania}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:1838 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1719]]
[[Category:Townships in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Townships in Pennsylvania]]