Kidder Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania

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Kidder Township
Boulder field at Hickory Run State Park
Boulder field at Hickory Run State Park
Motto(s): 
"A nice place to live, work, play!!" [1]
Location of Kidder Township in Carbon County
Location of Kidder Township in Carbon County
Location of Carbon County in Pennsylvania
Location of Carbon County in Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°59′59″N 75°42′29″W / 40.99972°N 75.70806°W / 40.99972; -75.70806Coordinates: 40°59′59″N 75°42′29″W / 40.99972°N 75.70806°W / 40.99972; -75.70806
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyCarbon
Area
[2]
 • Total69.80 sq mi (180.78 km2)
 • Land69.08 sq mi (178.90 km2)
 • Water0.72 sq mi (1.87 km2)
Elevation
1,329 ft (405 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total1,935
 • Estimate 
(2016)[3]
1,930
 • Density27.94/sq mi (10.79/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)570
FIPS code42-025-39608
Websitewww.kiddertownship.org

Kidder Township is a township in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,935 at the 2010 census,[4] up from 1,185 at the 2000 census.

Kidder Township represents the extreme northernmost part of the Lehigh Valley.

History[]

On October 10, 1888, a train wreck known as the Mud Run Disaster occurred on the Lehigh Valley Railroad which runs through the township. 66 people were killed, most members of the Total Abstinence Union returning from a rally.

Geography[]

Kidder Township occupies the northern end of Carbon County and is bordered by Luzerne County to the north and west and by Monroe County to the east. It is drained by the Lehigh River, which separates it from Luzerne County. Tobyhanna Creek, a tributary of the Lehigh, forms the northern half of the township's eastern border. Its villages include Albrightsville (also in Penn Forest Township), Hickory Run, Lake Harmony, Lehigh Tannery, Leonardsville/Pocono Mountain Lake Estates, and Split Rock. Albrightsville is a census-designated place as is Holiday Pocono within Kidder.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 69.8 square miles (180.8 km2), of which 69.1 square miles (178.9 km2) is land and 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), or 1.04%, is water.[4] Hickory Run State Park occupies nearly 16,000 acres (65 km2) in the southern half of the township.

Kidder's numbered roads include Interstate 80 and the parallel Pennsylvania Route 940 east-to-west and Interstate 476, which is north-to-south and has the Pocono Interchange in the township with the former two. Route 903 crosses the southeast portion of Kidder on its way between Jim Thorpe and Route 115 just beyond the Monroe County line. Route 534 intersects 903 in Albrightsville and proceeds northwest to meet 80 and 940. Kidder has one more important road, which connects 903 and 940 via Lake Harmony and Split Rock. The portion between Split Rock and 940, Mosey Wood Road, is a private toll road operated by Vacation Charters Limited, and the portion south to 903 is Lake Drive.[5]

Neighboring municipalities[]

Climate[]

The township has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and the hardiness zone is mostly 5b except for a little 6a along Mud Run and the Lehigh River. The average monthly temperatures at the Pocono interchange of the Turnpike range from 22.9 °F in January to 68.3 °F in July. [2]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
20001,185—
20101,93563.3%
2016 (est.)1,930[3]−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 1,185 people, 498 households, and 347 families residing in the township. The population density was 17.2 people per square mile (6.6/km2). There were 2,197 housing units at an average density of 31.8/sq mi (12.3/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 93.25% White, 2.36% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 1.35% from other races, and 2.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.56% of the population.

There were 498 households, out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.69.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $32,583, and the median income for a family was $37,404. Males had a median income of $30,714 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,719. About 9.5% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

PennEast Pipeline[]

The Kidder Township Supervisors passed a resolution opposing the PennEast pipeline. The proposed PennEast Pipeline will pass through the county adversely impacting many property owners and community tax revenues.[8][9] Unlike other states, under Pennsylvania state tax policy, natural gas and oil pipelines are exempted from property taxes.[10] Pipeline companies prohibit development within the 100-foot wide right-of-way, thereby limiting future development options for the landowner. This limits future potential property tax revenues for the school district, by constraining future land development. Located in the Marcellus shale region, Carbon County has adversely impacted this way.[11][12][13]

The Carbon County Planning Commission and Carbon County Commissioners have stated opposition to the pipeline project.[14] The pipeline adversely impacts: Penn Forest Township, Kidder Township, Towamensing Township, and Lower Towamensing Township. The Township Supervisors in all four townships passed resolutions opposing the pipeline. The pipeline's impact on property tax revenues will also adversely impact the school district by depressing revenues.

Transportation[]

Kidder Township is served by two Interstate highways. Interstate 476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension) passes north–south through the township while Interstate 80 passes east–west through the township. The two highways meet at the Pocono interchange. State highways serving Kidder Township include Pennsylvania Route 534, which passes east–west through the southern portion of the township; Pennsylvania Route 903, which passes through the southeast corner of the township; and Pennsylvania Route 940, which passes east–west through the northern portion of the township parallel to I-80 and connects to I-80 and I-476 at the Pocono interchange. The Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad's Lehigh Division line pass through the western portion of Kidder Township.[15]

Martz Trailways has a stop in Kidder Township near the Pocono interchange of Interstate 476 for service between Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, Quakertown, and Philadelphia. This is an Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach route, connecting to Amtrak trains at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Martz also operates casino bus routes to Atlantic City from the stop.

References[]

  1. ^ "Kidder Township, Pennsylvania". Kidder Township, Pennsylvania. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  2. ^ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 13, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Kidder township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  7. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  8. ^ UGI PennEast Pipeline Co. LLC (2014). "PennEast Pipeline map".
  9. ^ Tom Ragan (February 12, 2015). "Federal agency hears both sides of pipeline debate". Standard Speaker.
  10. ^ Katie Colaneri (June 11, 2015). "New pipeline could mean tax bonanza for NJ towns, but for Pa.? Not so much". State Impact NPR.org.
  11. ^ The Nature Conservancy – Pennsylvania Chapter, Natural Gas Pipelines Pennsylvania Energy Impacts Assessment, December 16, 2011
  12. ^ The Nature Conservancy, Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Bradford County, December 16, 2011
  13. ^ Timothy Puko (December 11, 2011). "Shale gas pipelines pose challenges to state's forests, wildlife". TribLive.com.
  14. ^ Amy Miller (February 18, 2016). "Carbon County planner raises concerns over pipeline". Times News Online.
  15. ^ Carbon County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.

External links[]

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