Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Middletown Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,807 at the 2010 census. The Pennsylvania State University has an undergraduate satellite campus located in the north-central portion of the township, while Neumann University, a private co-educational Franciscan university, is located in nearby Aston Township.

Originally established in 1686, Middletown Township adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1978. The township is governed by the council-manager system, a representative form of government in which the seven elected officials set policy for the township and the manager oversees the delivery of all public services and programs.

Geography
Middletown Township is in central Delaware County, west of Media, the county seat, and northwest of Chester. The census-designated place of Lima occupies the north-central part of the township. Other unincorporated communities in the township include Black Horse in the northeast, Elwyn and Bortondale in the east, Riddlewood near the center, Glen Riddle south of the center, and Wawa in the southwest.

U.S. Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) passes through the township from southwest to northeast, while Pennsylvania Route 352 crosses it from northwest to southeast. Pennsylvania Route 452 begins at PA 352 in the center of Lima and runs south. The township is 15 mi west of Philadelphia's Center City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 34.9 sqkm, all of it land. Ridley Creek forms the eastern border of the township, and Chester Creek is the western border. Both creeks flow southeast toward the Delaware River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,064 people, 5,524 households, and 3,756 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,192.6 people per square mile (460.5/km²). There were 5,641 housing units at an average density of 418.8 per square mile (161.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.28% White, 3.08% African American, 0.03% Native American, 1.71% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.

There were 5,524 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the township the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $62,949, and the median income for a family was $77,649. Males had a median income of $54,495 versus $39,792 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,418. About 1.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Wawa Food Markets has its main dairy plant and "Corporate University" in Middletown, while its headquarters are in Chester Heights, just to the south of the township.

An enclosed shopping mall called the Granite Run Mall was located in Middletown Township. The mall closed in 2015 and will be demolished for a mixed-use development consisting of residential, retail, and entertainment called the Promenade at Granite Run, which is expected to open in 2017.

Education
The township is served by the Rose Tree Media School District. The elementary schools serving are Indian Lane, Media, Glenwood, and Rose Tree. The middle school is Springton Lake, located in Upper Providence Township, and the high school is Penncrest, located in Middletown. Local Boy Scouts are part of Troop 85, which meets at Middletown Presbyterian Church, or of Troop 404, which meets at Lima United Methodist Church.

Darlington train station
The Darlington train station is an abandoned train station located at 612 Darlington Road in the western part of the township. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester line.

The station, and all of those west of Elwyn, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. Service was "temporarily suspended" at that time, with substitute bus service provided. Darlington station still appears in publicly posted tariffs.

Darlington Station was named after the dairy located at that place. For years it was a flag stop, but was abandoned and then re-established. However, Darlington Station was demolished shortly after service ended.


 * Existing Railroad Stations in Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Lenni train station
The Lenni train station (pronounced "Len-EYE") is a derelict train station located on the corner of Station Lane and Lenni Road. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester line.

The station, and all of those west of Elwyn, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. Service was suspended that time, with substitute bus service provided. Lenni station still appears in publicly posted tariffs.

The station shed itself was demolished in 1990s; the asphalt platform, station signage and maps survive.

Since passenger service ended in 1986, vandals began stealing the copper catenary wire. As Lenni is currently used by SEPTA to train new railroad division engineers, and a live SEPTA substation exists nearby with transmission lines connecting to Amtrak's Lamokin converter station, the line remains electrified as far west as Lenni. Wire was removed for the remainder of the line out to West Chester over the summer of 2005 to prevent further theft.

The PRR's former Chester Creek Branch branches off at Lenni. The line sustained heavy flash flood damage in September 1971 (not due to the later Hurricane Agnes as is sometimes claimed), and was taken out of service at that time. The railway was never officially abandoned, and has since been deeded to SEPTA via PennDOT.
 * Picture of original Lenni Station

Williamson School train station
Williamson School is an abandoned train station located on Station Drive near New Middletown Road. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester.

The station, and all of those west of Elwyn, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. Service was "temporarily suspended" at that time, with substitute bus service provided. Williamson School station still appears in publicly posted tariffs.

The original station is located on the grounds of the Williamson Free School. When the line was open, the station mainly served students and faculty of the facility.


 * The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades

Emergency services
Middletown Township is protected by two volunteer fire companies: Middletown Fire Company No. 1 and Rocky Run Fire Company. Police protection is handled by the Pennsylvania State Police. Emergency medical services are handled by Riddle Memorial Hospital's Paramedic Units.