Dauphin 2010 Dauphin Images

Infobox U.S. County

county = Dauphin County
state = Pennsylvania
seal = Dauphin County PA new seal.jpg
seal size = 50
map = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Dauphin County.svg
map size = 225
founded = March 4, 1785
seat = Harrisburg
largest city = Harrisburg
area_total_sq_mi = 558
area_land_sq_mi = 525
area_water_sq_mi = 32
census yr = 2000
pop = 251798
density_km2 = 185
web = www.dauphincounty.org
ex image = Dauphin County Courthouse.jpg
ex image size = 240
ex image cap = Dauphin County Courthouse
Dauphin County () is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2004, the population was estimated at 253,282. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital since 1812. Dauphin County was created on March 4, 1785, from part of Lancaster County and was named after Louis-Joseph, Dauphin of France the first son of Louis XVI. Louis-Joseph's title of Dauphin signified that he was the heir apparent to the throne of France. The county seat is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital and tenth largest city.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of (5.78%) is water. The county is bound to its western border by the Susquehanna River.

Adjacent counties

Northumberland County (north)
Schuylkill County (northeast)
Lebanon County (east)
Lancaster County (south)
York County (southwest)
Cumberland County (west)
Perry County (west)

Major Highways

Interstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike)
Interstate 81
Interstate 83
Interstate 283/Pennsylvania Route 283
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 209
U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 422
Pennsylvania Route 39
Pennsylvania Route 147
Pennsylvania Route 230
Pennsylvania Route 743

Demographics

USCensusPop

1900=114443
1910=136152
1920=153116
1930=165231
1940=177410
1950=197784
1960=220255
1970=223834
1980=232317
1990=237813
2000=251805
estimate=256562
estyear=2008
estref=
footnote=
As of the census of 2000, there were 251,798 people, 102,670 households, and 66,119 families residing in the county. The population density was 479 people per square mile (185/km²). There were 111,133 housing units at an average density of 212 per square�mile (82/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.11% White, 16.91% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.2% were of German, 7.5% Irish, 7.3% American and 7.2% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.8% spoke English and 3.9% Spanish as their first language. According to 2005 estimates, 73.9% of the county's population was non-Hispanic whites. 17.8% of the population was African-Americans. 2.5% were Asians. Latinos now were 5.0% of the population. In 2000 there were 102,670 households out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.60% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.80 males.

Politics and government

As of November 2008, there are 192,743 registered voters in Dauphin County
Democratic: 86,870 (45.07%)
Republican: 81,853 (42.47%)
Other Parties: 24,020 (12.46%) Like most of the rest of the Susquehanna Valley, Dauphin County was once reliably Republican, and the commissioner majority and all county row offices remain in Republican hands. However, there has been a decided shift toward the Democrats in recent years, who overtook the Republican countywide registration during the summer of 2008. Bob Casey Jr. carried the county in the 2006 Senate election when he unseated Rick Santorum. According to the Dauphin County Board of Elections, in 2008 Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Dauphin County since 1964, receiving 9.0% more of the vote than John McCain. The other three statewide winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer, Jack Wagner for Auditor General, and Tom Corbett for Attorney General) also carried Dauphin. [http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?ElectionID=28

County commissioners

Jeffrey Haste, Chairman, Republican
Dominic DiFrancesco II, Republican
George P. Hartwick III, Democrat

Other county offices

Clerk of Courts, Lowell Witmer, Republican
Controller, Marie Rebuck, Republican
Coroner, Graham Hetrick, Republican
District Attorney, Ed Marsico, Republican
Prothonotary, Steve Farina, Republican
Recorder of Deeds, Jim Zugay, Republican
Register of Wills, Sandy Snyder, Republican
Sheriff, Jack Lotwick, Republican
Treasurer, Janis Creason, Republican

State Representatives

David Hickernell, Republican, 98th district
Ron Buxton, Democrat, 103rd district
Sue Helm, Republican, 104th district
Ron Marsico, Republican, 105th district
John Payne, Republican, 106th district

State Senate

Jeffrey Piccola, Republican, 15th district
John Gordner, Republican, 27th district
Mike Folmer, Republican, 48th district

US House of Representatives

Tim Holden, Democrat, 17th district

United States Senate

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Education

Colleges and universities

Dixon University Center
Harrisburg Area Community College
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Penn State Harrisburg
Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Temple University Harrisburg Campus
Widener University School of Law

Public School Districts

Central Dauphin School District
Derry Township School District
Halifax Area School District
Harrisburg School District (Pennsylvania)
Lower Dauphin School District
Middletown Area School District
Millersburg School District
Steelton-Highspire School District
Susquehanna Township School District
Susquenita School District (also in Perry County)
Upper Dauphin School District
Williams Valley School District (also in Schuylkill County)

Public Charter Schools

Several public charter schools are established in Dauphin County
Infinity Charter School
Pennsylvania Distance and Electronic Learning Charter School
Sylvan Heights Science Charter School
Capital Area School for the Arts

Intermediate Unit

The Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15 is a state approved education agency that offers: school districts, charter schools, private schools, and home school students, a variety of services including: a completely developed K-12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.

Library system

The Dauphin County Library System provides library service to the residents of the county through a main library in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and seven branch libraries. DCLS is a private, non-profit corporation. It is governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees, five appointed annually by the Dauphin County Commissioners, and twelve elected for three-year terms. The library is a member of the Pennsylvania library system.

Private Schools

As reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics
Armstrong Valley Christian School - Halifax
Berrysburg Christian Academy - Elizabethvile
Bishop McDevitt High School - Harrisburg
Cathedral Consolidated School - Harrisburg
Covenant Christian Academy - Harrisburg
East Shore Montessori School - Harrisburg
Emmanuel Wesleyan Academy - Gratz
Garden Spot Amish School - Millersburg
Garden Spot School - Millersburg
Goddard School - Harrisburg
Hansel and Gretel Early Learning Centers - Harrisburg
Harrisburg Adventist School - Harrisburg
Harrisburg Christian School - Harrisburg
Hershey Christian School - Hershey
Hillside Amish School - Harrisville
Hillside Seventh Day Adventist School - Harrisburg
Keystone Math and Science Academy - Harrisburg
Kinder-Care Learning Center - Harrisburg
KinderCare Learning Center - Hershey
Londonderry School - Harrisburg
Mahantango School - Lykens
Matterstown School - Millersburg
Middletown Christian School - Middletown
Milton Hershey School - Hershey
North Mountain View Amish - Millersburg
Northern Dauphin Christian School - Millersburg
Pride of the Neighborhood Academies - Harrisburg
Prince of Peace School - Steelton
Rakers Mill School - Elizabethville
Rolling Acres School - Lykens
Seven Sorrows of BMV School - Middletown
Sonshine Learning Station - Middletown
South Mountain View School - Spring Glen
Specktown School - Lykens
St. Catherine Laboure School - Harrisburg
St Joan of Arc Elementary School - Hershey
St. Margaret Mary School - Harrisburg
St. Stephen's Episcopal School - Harrisburg
Tender Years Inc. - Hershey
The Nativity School of Harrisburg - Harrisburg
Windy Knoll School - Spring Glen
Wordsworth Academy - Harrisbrug
Yeshiva Academy - Harrisburg

Recreation

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Dauphin County.
Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area
Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area

See also

Hummelstown brownstone
List of municipal authorities in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
National Register of Historic Places listings in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

References

External links

County of Dauphin (official website)
The Historical Society of Dauphin County
Dauphin County Library System