Misplaced Pages

#620379

103-735: The NPWA provides drinking water to portions of Bucks and Montgomery counties centered around the North Penn Valley region, serving over 34,000 customers. In Montgomery County, the NPWA serves the boroughs of Hatfield , Lansdale , and Souderton ; all of Franconia Township , Lower Salford Township , Skippack Township , and Towamencin Township ; almost all of Hatfield Township ; most of Worcester Township ; and small portions of Montgomery Township , Salford Township , Upper Gwynedd Township , and Upper Salford Township . In Bucks County,

206-480: A U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as a matter of U.S. state law , so

309-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be

412-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has

515-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of

618-543: A day. Construction of a permanent Forest Park Water Treatment Plant to supply 20 million gallons of water a day began in June 1991. The Forest Park Water Treatment Plant began operation on June 21, 1994. An expansion to the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant in 2007 increased the output to 40 million gallons of water a day to keep up with the growing water use of the area. In 2011, the NPWA took over

721-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it

824-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,

927-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,

1030-433: A margin of less than 5% in each except for 2008, with three of those eight elections decided by less than 2% (1992, 2012, and 2016). In 2024, Donald Trump flipped the county with a victory margin of 0.07% or 291 votes. Prior to this Republicans won the county all but thrice between 1896 and 1988 (except in 1912, 1936, and 1964). Unlike most other suburban Philadelphia counties, Bucks County consistently voted Democratic during

1133-648: A month that the public can attend. The NPWA has a management team that is in charge of the daily operations. As of 2018, Anthony J. Bellitto, Jr., P.E. is the Executive Director of NPWA. About 90 percent of the water delivered to customers by the NPWA is treated at the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant in Chalfont , a facility that is owned jointly with the North Wales Water Authority (NWWA). The water treated at this plant comes from

SECTION 10

#1732793861621

1236-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,

1339-658: A regional educational service agency called the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 located in the county seat of Doylestown . The Bucks County Library System was founded in 1956 by a resolution of the Bucks County Commissioners. The Bucks County Library System is made up of 7 branch libraries in the following townships: Many artists and writers based in New York City have called Bucks County home, settling mainly in

1442-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during

1545-529: Is Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem , a casino and thoroughbred horse racing track. The casino was built on the grounds of what was originally Philadelphia Park Racetrack. The complex includes the thoroughbred horse racing track, expansive casino, a dance club, numerous dining options, and the Xcite Center . K-12 school districts include: The Bucks County public schools listed above are served by

1648-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with

1751-572: Is a local radio news station. The Bucks County Sharks rugby league team played in the AMNRL from 1997 to 2010 season. They returned to play in the AMNRL in 2011, until the league's fold in 2014, when they subsequently joined the USARL . The county has a considerable history of producing Little League baseball contenders. Since its inception in 1947, four of the seven Pennsylvania teams to compete in

1854-576: Is a part of PIAA 's District I, and has seen many schools capture multiple state titles. In 1996, Yardley Western Post 317 won the American Legion National Championship. Bristol Legion Post 382 recently won the 2011 American Legion State Championship. There are six Commonwealth -owned parks in Bucks County: Air transportation facilities available in or close to Bucks County include: Like most of

1957-858: Is considered a Bucks County artist. Allen Saalburg relocated to Bucks County in 1947, and named his press after the canal. The county boasts many local theater companies, including the long-established and recently reopened Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Town and Country Players in Buckingham, ActorsNET in Morrisville, and the Bristol Riverside Theatre, a professional Equity theater in Bristol. The Bucks County Symphony, founded in 1953, performs in Doylestown throughout

2060-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In

2163-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population

SECTION 20

#1732793861621

2266-474: Is land and 18 square miles (47 km ) (2.8%) is water. The southern third of the county between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey , often called Lower Bucks, resides in the Atlantic Coastal Plain ; it is flat and near sea level, and is the county's most populated and industrialized area. Bucks County shares a western border with Montgomery County , and also borders Philadelphia to

2369-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in

2472-778: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by

2575-480: Is projected by 2020 that one out of four people in Bucks County will work in biotechnology. Another important asset of the county is tourism. The county's northern regions, colloquially referred to as Upper Bucks, are known for their natural scenery, farmland, colonial history, and proximity to major urban areas, including Philadelphia , New York City , Allentown , Reading , and Atlantic City , each of which

2678-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of

2781-495: Is represented in U.S. Congress by Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district , ( map ) formerly numbered as the 8th District . The district is represented by Brian Fitzpatrick (R), making this district one of 18 nationwide to be held by a Republican and won by Joe Biden in 2020. County (United States) In the United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of

2884-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same

2987-537: Is the largest receptacle of out-of-state waste in the USA (receiving much of New York City's waste following the closure of Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island, NY 40 miles (64 km) away). Bucks is also experiencing rapid growth in biotechnology , along with neighboring Montgomery County . The Greater Philadelphia area consistently ranks in the top 10 geographic clusters for biotechnology and biopharma. It

3090-458: Is the largest water treatment plant in Bucks County and processes up to 40 million gallons water a day for delivery to NPWA and NWWA customers. From the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant, a main carries water to the NPWA service area, where it is delivered to customers. The NPWA also operates 15 groundwater wells across its service area in Bucks and Montgomery counties to supply water. The origins of

3193-683: Is the traditional abbreviation for the English county, which became the actual name of the Pennsylvania one. He built a country estate, Pennsbury Manor , in Falls Township in present-day Bucks County. Some places in Bucks County were named after locations in Buckinghamshire , England, including Buckingham and Buckingham Township , named after the former county town of Buckinghamshire; Chalfont, named after Chalfont St Giles ,

North Penn Water Authority - Misplaced Pages Continue

3296-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among

3399-555: Is within a two-hour driving radius. Bucks County is home to twelve covered bridges . Ten are still open to vehicular traffic; two others, located in parks, are open only to non-vehicular traffic. All Bucks County bridges use the Town truss design. Schofield Ford Bridge, in Tyler State Park , was reconstructed in 1997 from the ground up after arsonists destroyed the original in 1991. Popular attractions in Bucks County include

3502-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in

3605-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to

3708-817: The Civil War era, only voting Republican twice between 1856 and 1892, in 1860 and 1872. The executive government is run by a three-seat board of commissioners, one member of which serves as chairperson. Commissioners are elected through at-large voting and serve four-year terms. In cases of vacancy, a panel of county judges appoints members to fill seats. The current commissioners are Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia (D) (chairwoman), Robert "Bob" J. Harvie Jr. (D) (Vice-chairman), and Gene DiGirolamo (R). The current terms expire in January 2028. In 2012, four county employees were sentenced for compensating public employees for political work on behalf of Republican candidates. Bucks County

3811-628: The Delaware River to take Trenton, New Jersey , by surprise on the morning of December 26, 1776. Their successful attack on Britain's Hessian forces was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War . The town of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing Historic Park were named to commemorate the event. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 622 square miles (1,610 km ), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km )

3914-661: The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania have come from Bucks County: Morrisville ( 1955 ), Levittown American ( 1960 and 1961 ), and Council Rock-Newtown ( 2005 ). Two of these squads, Morrisville and Levittown (1960), went on to win the World Series title. In 2007, Council Rock Northampton won the PA State championship, and lost in the finals of regionals. The county

4017-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains

4120-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have

4223-645: The North Branch Neshaminy Creek , which flows into Lake Galena , a reservoir for the water treated at the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant. Water released from Lake Galena flows down the creek to the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant. During the summer months and times when water levels are low, additional water is pumped from the Delaware River at Point Pleasant and diverted to the North Branch Neshaminy Creek near Gardenville . The Forest Park Water Treatment Plant

North Penn Water Authority - Misplaced Pages Continue

4326-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left

4429-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with

4532-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite

4635-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government

4738-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does

4841-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia

4944-636: The 1980s, with Skippack Township joining in April 1986 and New Britain Township and the borough of Hatfield joining in 1987. The NPWA took over the water system in New Britain Township in August 1987 and the borough of Hatfield in February 1988. In the 1970s and 1980s, water shortages became a problem for the NPWA as the population of the service area grew. An expansion to 55 groundwater wells and

5047-442: The 2010 census, there were 625,249 people. The population density was 1,034.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 86.6% Non-Hispanic white , 3.9% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 4.1% Asian (2.1% Indian, 1.1% Chinese, 0.7% Korean, 0.5% Filipino, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.1% Japanese, 0.4% other Asian) 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.7% were of two or more races, and 1.5% were of other races . 4.4% of

5150-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant

5253-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in

SECTION 50

#1732793861621

5356-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,

5459-467: The NPWA serves the borough of Sellersville ; parts of Hilltown Township and New Britain Township ; and small portions of the borough of New Britain , East Rockhill Township , and West Rockhill Township . The NPWA is a municipal authority that is owned by the municipalities that it serves. The authority is governed by a ten-member Board of Directors who are appointed to five year terms by member municipalities. The Board of Directors hold meetings once

5562-670: The Philadelphia suburbs, Bucks County was once a stronghold for the Republican Party . However, in recent years it has become more of a swing county, like Pennsylvania at large. In presidential elections, Bucks County has been swept up in the overall Democratic trend that has swept the Philadelphia area, although the trend in Bucks has been less pronounced than in Delaware and Montgomery counties. It went Democratic in every presidential election from 1992 to 2020, though by

5665-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by

5768-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number

5871-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while

5974-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in

6077-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county

6180-427: The age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under

6283-467: The age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 59,727, and the median income for a family was $ 68,727. Males had a median income of $ 46,587 versus $ 31,984 for females. The per capita income for

SECTION 60

#1732793861621

6386-599: The authority date back to 1958 when a group of citizens from several municipalities in the North Penn Valley region formed the North Penn Water Resources Association to improve the drinking water supply in the area. The NPWA was incorporated on August 10, 1964, with Lansdale, Souderton, Franconia Township, Hatfield Township, Lower Salford Township, Towamencin Township, and Worcester Township the original municipalities that formed

6489-667: The authority. In August 1965, the NPWA purchased and began operating the water systems in Lansdale and Souderton. A transmission line was soon built to connect the water systems in the two boroughs. The authority gained more customers as the North Penn Valley region grew in population. In 1975, the NPWA acquired four small water systems and eight wells in Skippack Township and a small water system in Hilltown Township. Additional municipalities became members of NPWA in

6592-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called

6695-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,

6798-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration

6901-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in

7004-437: The county was $ 27,430. About 3.10% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line , including 4.80% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over. Growth began in the early 1950s, when William Levitt chose Bucks County for his second "Levittown". Levitt bought hundreds of acres of woodlands and farmland, and constructed 17,000 homes and dozens of schools, parks, libraries, and shopping centers. By

7107-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both

7210-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which

7313-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;

7416-478: The home of writer/musician James McBride , writer Eric Knight , Academy Award-winning film composer Joe Renzetti , musician Gene Ween of Ween , painter Christopher Wajda, photographer Michael Barone , and furniture designer George Nakashima . James Gould Cozzens lived in Lambertville, New Jersey , just across the river from Bucks County, and used Doylestown as the model for the setting of two novels; he

7519-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as

7622-529: The late 20th century. As of 2013, the population of Bucks County was 626,976, making it the fourth-most populous county in the state behind Philadelphia , Allegheny , and Montgomery counties. The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II . Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with

7725-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City

7828-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by

7931-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to

8034-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name

8137-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control

8240-544: The opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania , the second such "Levittown" designed by William Levitt . Among Bucks' largest employers in the twentieth century were U.S. Steel in Falls Township , and the Vulcanized Rubber & Plastics and Robertson Tile companies in Morrisville. Rohm and Haas continues to operate several chemical plants around Bristol. Waste Management operates a landfill in Tullytown that

8343-596: The parish home of William Penn's first wife and the location of the Jordans Quaker Meeting House, where Penn is buried; Solebury , named after Soulbury , England; and Wycombe , named after the town of High Wycombe . Bucks County was originally much larger than it is today. Northampton County was formed in 1752 from part of Bucks County, and Lehigh County was formed in 1812 from part of Northampton County. General George Washington and his troops camped in Bucks County as they prepared to cross

8446-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of

8549-420: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 218,725 households, and 160,981 families residing in the county. There were 225,498 housing units at an average density of 371 per square mile (143/km ). 20.1% were of German , 19.1% Irish , 14.0% Italian , 7.5% English and 5.9% Polish ancestry. There were 218,725 households, out of which 35.30% had children under

8652-528: The purchase of surface water from outside sources helped alleviate the problem. Despite this, an additional surface water source was needed to supply the authority in the future. In 1987, the NPWA and the NWWA began construction of an Interim Treatment Plant at the present location of the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant in Chalfont. The interim plant opened in February 1989 and supplied 3.2 million gallons of water

8755-435: The regions that began the suburban boom in Bucks County, such as Levittown, have aged, commercial strips and other neglected structures have been torn down and replaced with new shopping plazas and commercial chains. With rising property values, areas with older construction are undergoing a renaissance, and Central and Upper Bucks have continued to experience rapid growth, with many municipalities doubling their populations since

8858-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there

8961-526: The shops and studios of New Hope , Peddler's Village (in Lahaska ), Washington Crossing Historic Park , New Hope Railroad , Bucks County River Country and Bucks County Playhouse Theater (in New Hope). Rice's Market near Lahaska is a popular destination on Tuesday mornings. Quakertown Farmer's Market (locally called "Q-Mart") is a popular shopping destination on weekends. The county seat of Doylestown has

9064-467: The small stretch between Doylestown and New Hope and along the Delaware River . Notable residents have included Margaret Mead , Pearl S. Buck , Oscar Hammerstein II , Stephen Sondheim , Charlie Parker , Moss Hart , George S. Kaufman , James Michener , Dorothy Parker , S. J. Perelman , Stan and Jan Berenstain , Daniel Garber , Alfred Bester , Annie Haslam , and Jean Toomer . Bucks County has been

9167-525: The southwest, and Northampton and Lehigh Counties to the north. From north to south, it is linked to Warren , Hunterdon , Mercer and Burlington Counties in New Jersey by bridges. Tohickon Creek and Neshaminy Creek are the largest tributaries of the Delaware in Bucks County. Tohickon Creek empties into the river at Point Pleasant and Neshaminy at Croydon ( Bristol Township ). As of

9270-796: The specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses

9373-479: The state's Lehigh Valley region. The county is approximately 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Allentown , the state's third-largest city, and 40 miles (64 km) north of Philadelphia, the state's largest city. Bucks County is one of the three original counties created by colonial proprietor William Penn in 1682. Penn named the county after Buckinghamshire , the county in which he lived in England ; "Bucks."

9476-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by

9579-486: The state. The county represents the northern boundary of the Philadelphia – Camden – Wilmington , PA– NJ – DE – MD metropolitan statistical area . To its southwest, Bucks County borders Montgomery County and Philadelphia , the nation's sixth-largest city. To its east, the county borders the Delaware River and U.S. state of New Jersey . To its north, the county borders Lehigh and Northampton counties in

9682-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than

9785-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,

9888-720: The time the project was completed, the population of Levittown had swelled to nearly 74,000 residents. At the time, only whites could buy homes. This rule however, was soon overturned. Other planned developments included Croydon and Fairless Hills . This rapid sprawl continued until the mid-1960s. In the 1970s, the county experienced a second growth spurt as developers expanded in previously underdeveloped townships, including Middletown , Lower Makefield , Northampton , and Newtown townships. Tract housing , office complexes, shopping centers, and sprawling parking lots continued to move more and more towards Upper Bucks, swallowing horse farms, sprawling forests, and wetlands. Oxford Valley Mall

9991-700: The trifecta of concrete structures built by Henry Chapman Mercer , including the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works , the Mercer Museum and Fonthill , Mercer's personal home. Southern Bucks, colloquially referred to as Lower Bucks, is home to two important shopping malls , Neshaminy Mall , Oxford Valley Mall , and Sesame Place , a family theme park based on the Sesame Street television series. Also within Lower Bucks County

10094-675: The water system in Sellersville. Bucks County, Pennsylvania Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of the 2020 census , the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania . Its county seat is Doylestown . The county is named after the English county of Buckinghamshire . The county is part of the Southeast Pennsylvania region of

10197-639: The year and the Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, founded in 2009, performs a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta with full orchestra each June. The Wild River Review , an online magazine that publishes in-depth reporting, works of literature, art, visual art, reviews, interviews, and columns by and about contemporary artists, photographers, and writers, is based out of Doylestown. The partially autobiographical novel The Fires of Spring by James Michener takes place in and around Doylestown . Alecia Moore, more commonly known as Pink ,

10300-833: Was born in Doylestown, as was motion picture writer and director Stefan Avalos . Three American Idol contestants live in Bucks County: Justin Guarini , who was born in Atlanta, but moved to Bucks County; Jordan White , who was born in Cranford, New Jersey and moved to Bucks County; and Anthony Fedorov , who was born in Ukraine and was from Trevose , in Lower Southampton Township . Singer/actress Irene Molloy and classical tenor David Gordon were born in Doylestown. Musician Asher Roth

10403-872: Was born in Morrisville. The Tony Award -winning Broadway play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is set in the county. The main members of the rock band Ween are from New Hope . Pop star Sabrina Carpenter was born in Quakertown , and grew up in nearby Montgomery County. Local print publications include Bucks County Courier Times , The Intelligencer , The Advance of Bucks County , Bucks County Herald , Bucks County Town and Country Living , Radius Magazine , Yardley Voic e, Morrisville Times , Newtown Gazette , Northampton Herald , Langhorne Ledger , Lower Southampton Spirit , New Hope News , Doylestown Observer , Warwick Journal , Fairless Focus . Online news publications are Levittown Now, Bucks County Beacon , NewtownPANow, Bucks Happening, New Hope Free Press. WBCB

10506-488: Was constructed in Middletown, and became a retail nucleus in the county. In the late 20th century, growth somewhat stabilized as development was completed in the county's historically underdeveloped areas, leaving little new area to be further developed. Bucks County areas along the Delaware River have surpluses of abandoned industry, so many municipalities have granted building rights to luxury housing developers. As

10609-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,

#620379