Editing West Nantmeal Township, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Township in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Distinguish|East Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = West Nantmeal Township
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| settlement_type    = [[Township (Pennsylvania)|Township]]
| image_skyline      = Pleasant Hill Chesco.JPG
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = [[Pleasant Hill Plantation]], a historic site in the township
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| nickname           = 
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| image_map          = Chester County Pennsylvania incorporated and unincorporated areas West Nantmeal highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 260px
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location in [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]] and the state of [[Pennsylvania]]
| image_map1         = Pennsylvania in United States (US48).svg
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| map_caption1       = Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| coordinates        = {{coord|40|07|27|N|75|48|55|W|display=inline,title}}
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| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_name1  = Pennsylvania
| subdivision_type2  = County
| subdivision_name2  = [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester]]
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| established_title  = Founded
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| leader_title       = Mayor
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| 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=Aug 13, 2017}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 35.07
| area_total_sq_mi   = 13.54
| area_land_km2      = 34.52
| area_land_sq_mi    = 13.33
| area_water_km2     = 0.55
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.21
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| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 686
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| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 2,251
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| 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|access-date=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
| population_est     = 2,259
| population_rank    = 
| population_density_km2 = 63.49
| population_density_sq_mi = 164.44
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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            = 
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| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 42-029-83664
| blank1_name        = 
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| blank_name_sec2    = 
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| blank2_name_sec2   = Wikimedia Commons
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}}

'''West Nantmeal Township''' is a [[Township (United States)|township]] in [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 2,251 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It and [[East Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania|East Nantmeal Township]] were originally part of a single Nantmeal Township, which was divided in 1739.

==History==
Nantmeal was named by Welsh immigrants from the village of Nantmel in Radnorshire, now part of Powys. The Welsh name, Nantmel, means 'the valley of Mael', a tenth-century prince. The incorrect belief that it means 'Honey Brook' is based on a confusion between the personal name 'Mael', and the Welsh word 'mêl', 'honey'. The [[Isabella Furnace]] and [[Pleasant Hill Plantation]], also known as Van Leer Place are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|13.5|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|13.4|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi}}, or 0.45%, is water. The township is partially located in the [[Hopewell Big Woods]].

==Recreation==
Portions of the [[Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 43]] are located in the township.<ref name="TheNationalMap">https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/advanced-viewer/ The National Map, retrieved 24 October 2018</ref><ref name="PASGL043">[https://www.pgc.pa.gov/HuntTrap/StateGameLands/Documents/SGL%20Maps/SGL__043.pdf Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 43], retrieved 25 October 2018</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1930= 624
|1940= 565
|1950= 806
|1960= 968
|1970= 1285
|1980= 1766
|1990= 1958
|2000= 2031
|2010= 2170
|2020= 2251
|footnote=<ref>{{cite web |title=Census 2020 |url=https://pasdc.hbg.psu.edu/Portals/48/Features/CountyAndMunicipalPopulationChange_2010to2020.xlsx?ver=2021-08-24-080135-920}}</ref>
}}
At the 2010 census, the township was 94.4% non-Hispanic White, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 1.1% were two or more races. 2.3% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA |title=Census 2010: Philadelphia gains, Pittsburgh shrinks in population |work=[[USA Today]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314234139/https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA |archive-date=2011-03-14 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,031 people, 715 households, and 566 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|151.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 745 housing units at an average density of {{convert|55.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the township was 97.54% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.74% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.30% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.25% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.18% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 715 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.8% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the township. the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 104.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $52,128, and the median income for a family was $55,776. Males had a median income of $40,938 versus $29,813 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $21,348. About 2.5% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The school district is [[Twin Valley School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42029_chester/DC20SD_C42029.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Chester County, PA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-07-20}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42029_chester/DC20SD_C42029_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

Twin Valley Middle School and Twin Valley High School are in [[Caernarvon Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania|Caernarvon Township, Berks County]], and have [[Elverson, Pennsylvania|Elverson]] postal addresses.<ref name=CaernarvonTwpmap>{{cite web|url=https://www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/Mapping/Documents/pdf/municipalities/caernarvon2.pdf|title=Mapping > Caernarvon Township|publisher=[[Berks County, Pennsylvania]]|accessdate=2022-07-21}} - [https://www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/Mapping/Pages/CaernarvonTownship.aspx Profile page] - Compare to the address. [http://www.caernarvon.org/maps/zoning%20map.pdf The zoning map published by the township].</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvhs.tvsd.org/|title=Home|publisher=Twin Valley High School|accessdate=2022-07-21|quote=4897 N. Twin Valley Rd., Elverson PA 19520 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvms.tvsd.org/|title=Home|publisher=Twin Valley Middle School|accessdate=2022-07-21|quote=770 Clymer Hill Rd., Elverson PA 19520}}</ref>

==Transportation==
{{stack|[[File:2022-08-31 12 38 19 View west along Interstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Philadelphia Extension) from the overpass for Pennsylvania State Route 82 (North Manor Road) in West Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.jpg|right|thumb|Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-76 westbound in West Nantmeal Township]]}}
As of 2006, there were {{convert|34.76|mi}} of public roads in West Nantmeal Township, of which {{convert|3.10|mi}} were maintained by the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission]] (PTC), {{convert|16.15|mi}} were maintained by the [[Pennsylvania Department of Transportation]] (PennDOT) and {{convert|15.51|mi}} were maintained by the township.<ref name=PennDOTmap>{{cite web|url=https://gis.penndot.gov/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Type5/15249.pdf|title=West Nantmeal Township map|publisher=PennDOT|access-date=March 13, 2023}}</ref>

The [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 76 in Pennsylvania|I-76]]) is the most prominent highway passing through West Nantmeal Township, but the nearest interchange is neighboring Caernarvon Township. [[Pennsylvania Route 23]] follows Ridge Road along an east-west alignment across the northern corner of the township. [[Pennsylvania Route 82]] follows North Manor Road along a north-south alignment through the middle of the township. [[Pennsylvania Route 282]] follows Creek Road east from PA 82 across the southeastern portion of the township. [[Pennsylvania Route 345]] follows Bulltown Road northeastward from PA 82 in the northeastern portion of the township. Finally, [[Pennsylvania Route 401]] follows Conestoga Road along an east-west alignment across the northern corner of the township just south of PA 23.

==Notable people==
*[[Jesse James (Pennsylvania politician)|Jesse James]] (1794–1875), member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historichomesins00cope/page/n343/mode/2up |title=Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania |editor-last1=Cope |editor-first1=Gilbert |editor-last2=Ashmead |editor-first2=Henry Graham |volume=1 |publisher=The Lewis Publishing Company |year=1904 |pages=237–238, 403–404 |via=[[Archive.org]] |access-date=2023-12-04}}{{Open access}}</ref>
*[[George Lippard]] (1822–1854), 19th-century American novelist, journalist, and playwright 
*[[Samuel Van Leer]], (1747–1825) well-known local ironmaster and captain in the [[American Revolutionary War|American Revolution]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{commons category}}
{{Chester County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Chester County, Pennsylvania]]