Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Selinsgrove was founded in 1787 by Captain Anthony Selin, who fought in the American Revolution.[6]

The Penns Creek Massacre on October 16, 1755 was the first of a series of deadly raids on Pennsylvania settlements by Native Americans allied with the French in the French and Indian War.[7] A marker on the bank of Penns Creek north of Selinsgrove commemorates the massacre of 14 settlers and the capture of 11 more. In response to this and other Indian actions that day, Fort Augusta, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, the largest of Pennsylvania's frontier forts, was built in 1756 as a result of this conflict.[8]

Selinsgrove Hall and Seibert Hall at Susquehanna University and Gov. Simon Snyder Mansion on Market Street are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²). Selinsgrove borders the Susquehanna River. The portion of the borough that is located between Penns Creek and the Susquehanna River is known locally as the "Isle of Que" (pronounced queue).

Selinsgrove is the principal city in the Selinsgrove, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also part of the larger Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area.

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,654 people, 1,812 households, and 930 families residing in the borough.[11] The population density was 2,976 people per square mile (1,149/km²). There were 1,934 housing units, of which 122 were vacant. The racial makeup of the borough was 91.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.8% from "some other race," and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population. A majority of the Hispanic or Latino population was Puerto Rican.

The presence of Susquehanna University strongly impacts the borough's demographics: 31.1% of the population lives in group quarters - largely dormitories - rather than in households. The student population is also visible in the disproportionate share of 18- to 24-year-olds.

Of the 1,812 households, 930 were families, 449 of which included related children under age 18. Among the families, 632 were husband-wife families, of which 231 had children at home. Only 92 households included 5 or more people.

Among the 882 non-family households, 404 were women living alone and 255 were men living alone. There were 1,760 people living in group quarters, of whom 153 were institutionalized. Among the non-institutionalized 1,607 living in group quarters - i.e. university students - 54% were female.

The borough's median age was 22.9 years. Due to the college, 39% of residents were age 18-24. Another 14% were under 18, 17% were 25-44, 16% were 45-64, and 14% were 65 and older.

Women make up the borough's majority, 53.6% of the population, implying that there are 86 men for every 100 women in Selinsgrove. Among those age 65 and older, 65% are women. The share of women is 52 or 53% for ages 18–24, 25-44, and 45-64. Among children, girls are 49% of the population.

According to the 2013-2017 American Community Survey, median income for a household in the borough was $47,500, and the median income for a family was $54,190. The unemployment rate for residents age 25-64 was 1.8% and the labor force participation rate was 84.1%. About 11% of families and 10% of the population (excluding students) were below the poverty line. However, income and poverty statistics for a community this small are reported with large margins of error and do not cover the student population.[11]

The largest local employers are housing-related manufacturers and educational institutions including the public schools and Susquehanna University. Educational services and health care/social assistance combined are projected to be about 90.7% of all job growth by 2014 in the central region. Manufacturing of both non-durable and durable goods are expected to lose over 4,000 jobs (a change of about -9.1% in employment) in the same time period. Construction is the only goods-producing sector projecting job growth, where employment may increase by about 210 jobs (or about 2.1%).[12]

Outside of the community local region employment includes: service jobs in local businesses, area hospitals which include UPMC Susquehanna Sunbury[13] in Sunbury and Evangelical Hospital in Lewisburg.

Downtown Market Street, looking northeast in Selinsgrove

The borough is governed by an elected council of seven residents. The Borough Council meets the first Monday of the month (with exceptions), in the borough building. There is an elected mayor, a borough manager and a chief of police.[14]

The borough council consists primarily of Democrats and Republicans, but members of the Green Party and Libertarian Party have also served.

Budget - In 2017, the Council approved a one mill real estate tax increase to fund a $7,136 million budget.[15] The millage increased from 17 mills to 18 mills.

Local government has been challenged by the increasing amount of property that is tax exempt. In 2004 it was reported that 49.3% of the properties were exempted from paying taxes. This includes the land owned by Susquehanna University, the land held by local churches and the campus of the Selinsgrove Area School District.[16] The borough has been facing a continued decrease in the value of the taxable real estate for many years. The borough has requested "payment in lieu of taxes" from the exempt entities with limited success.[17] There have also been several successful property tax assessment challenges that have decreased tax revenues.[18][19][20]

Selinsgrove is located within the 85th Legislative District for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Pennsylvania Senate District 27 office is held by Senator John Gordner.[21] Selinsgrove is in the US House of Representatives 12th district, represented by Fred Keller.

US Routes 11, 15 and 522, along with PA Route 35 pass through Selinsgrove. Intercity bus service is provided between the borough and Harrisburg to the south and Williamsport and Elmira, New York to the north by Fullington Trailways.[22]

Map of Snyder County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Selinsgrove Area School District is the local public school system. The district operates four schools, with 2,700 students in 2013, (down from 3,000 in 2002) clustered on a campus located in Selinsgrove borough.[23]

In 2016, Selinsgrove Area School District ranked 213th out of 494 Pennsylvania public school districts, by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[24] In 2014, the district ranked 168th out of 493 Pennsylvania public school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[25] In 2013, the district was ranked 140th out of 493 public school district.[26] The ranking focused on academic achievement. Selinsgrove Area High School had 834 students (2013) in grades 9-12. The Pennsylvania Department of Education reports an 80% graduation rate in 2013.[27] The Selinsgrove Area Middle School serves students in grades 6-8 and the Selinsgrove Area Intermediate School has students grades 3-5. Primary grades at Selinsgrove Area Elementary School are Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Jackson Penn School was closed in 2009. The building was rented to a private school for special needs children in 2013.[28] In the 2007 - 2008 school year, the Selinsgrove Area School District initiated All Day Kindergarten as one approach to improving its low elementary math and reading scores. Selinsgrove Elementary was renovated and a wing as well as a gymnasium to hold all kindergarten, first and second grades.[29]

In 2005, Standard & Poors reported the district's student teacher ratio was 15.9 to 1.[30]

In 2005, the Selinsgrove Area High School was ranked 306th out of 601 Pennsylvania high schools on the annual state testing. The 3rd grade ranked 1215th out of 1779 Pennsylvania third grades. According to Pittsburgh Business Times, which ranks Pennsylvania school districts based on test scores, in 2007 Selinsgrove Area School District was ranked 235th out of 499 state public school districts. According to The Daily Item, in 2007, Selinsgrove also reached adequate yearly progress standards for the first time since the progress analysis began during the 2002-03 school year.[31]

Libraries

The borough building and library in Selinsgrove located on Pine Street.

The Selinsgrove Community Library is a public library that is part of the Snyder County Library system.[32] The library is on the corner of High Street and Pine Street, one block west of Market Street in downtown Selinsgrove.

The Selinsgrove Area High School Media Center is open to the public one evening a week during the school year.

Kidsgrove Park is a 3.25-acre neighborhood park maintained and operated by Kidsgrove, Inc. The park contains a large wooden play structure, universal swings and sandbox, a band shell, picnic pavilions and tables, accessible walking path and permanent restrooms that are open seasonally. Off-street parking is available.[33]

Major Anthony Selin Park located on Sassafras Street is equipped with horseshoe, quoit, and basketball courts and soccer fields. A large covered pavilion for picnics can be reserved for outings and reunions. This facility also offers a kitchen area, restrooms, and game equipment. A “Life Trail”, which is a system of exercise and walking trails, is one feature of the park. Local businesses have donated kiosks that provide information on fitness for active adults. During the summer of 2011, this program offered a sport-camp atmosphere promoting physical activity. Activities will include soccer, baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, etc. A different sport was featured each week. The program consisted of fitness and sports activities.[33]

Pump House Park and Gazebo The Pump House Park includes a building that can be rented for any meeting, party, or group event. This facility contains restrooms and a kitchen, as well as a meeting space that comfortably seats about 30 people and can be rearranged for as many as 60. The Gazebo is another great feature of the park, located in an attractive setting along Penns Creek. The Gazebo is a popular spot for outdoor weddings, and also hosts a concert series of local performers during June, July, and August. For reservations, call the Borough Office.[33] "Music at the Gazebo" is a program that runs from June through August with free concerts held in Pump House Park.

East Snyder Park is a multi-use facility which is under development using state grants and local donations. It is located along the upper end of University Ave. near Rt. 522, at the location of the existing Penn Township ball fields. The master plan of the park calls for nine professional grade horseshoe pits, baseball, softball, football and soccer fields, a preschool playground with age appropriate apparatus (Kaboom grant) a playground for older children, and a small wetland conservation education area.[34]

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission maintains boating access to the Susquehanna River on the Isle of Que.[35]

Susquehanna Greenway is a regional effort to link natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources along the 500-mile (800 km) corridor of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.[36]

A public swimming pool was built in the early 1970s.[37]

Selinsgrove Area Community Foundation (SACF) was founded in 1994 and is affiliated with the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation (CSCF). SAYF awards scholarships to Selinsgrove Area school students and has provided funding to community projects such as KidsGrove, the Selinsgrove Pool, Snyder County Library System, and improvements at the high school's Bolig football field and track fields.[38]

The Selinsgrove Adult Band gives an annual spring concert utilizing school district facilities. This concert benefits the American Cancer Society.

In 2012 the following crime statistics were reported to the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System by the borough police department:[39]

Sex-related offenses - 10
Robbery - 3
Assaults - 98
Property offenses - 268
Arson - 1
Drug violations - 34
Other alcohol crimes - 62

In April 2016, a murder in Selinsgrove[40] attracted international attention when 9-year-old Hilde Lysiak covered the story for her Orange Street News and was subsequently criticized because of her age and the subject of the story.[41]

In March 2007, the Patriot-News, a Harrisburg newspaper, published an eight-page story investigating the possibility of a "cancer cluster" near Susquehanna University.[42] The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection responded within a week by taking samples of air, soil and groundwater, and found no environmental threat to student health.[43]

Ongoing pollution and soil erosion in the region continues to degrade the water quality and the environment locally as well as regionally. Farming, wastewater treatment facilities, and industrial spills are cited as contributing factors to loss of water quality.[44][45]

• Evergreen (Baker's)
• Saint Paul's United Church of Christ
• Trinity (English, New) Lutheran
• Sharon (German) Evangelical Lutheran
• Wagenseller's Union
• Old Lutheran Cemetery - The grave of three-term Pennsylvania Governor Simon Snyder is located here. .

• Benjamin Burnley of rock group Breaking Benjamin
• Jacob Coxey, socialist and populist politician
• Jim Davidson, actor and model, Selinsgrove High School alumni
• Aaron Fink, member of rock group Breaking Benjamin and Lifer
• Euell Gibbons, naturalist, died in Sunbury
• Jeremy Hummel of the rock group Breaking Benjamin
• Hilde Lysiak, journalist, editor and publisher of the Orange Street News, the only publication devoted exclusively to covering the events of Selinsgrove[46]
• Matthew Lysiak nationally recognized journalist and Author currently resides in Selinsgrove
• Jeanne Shaheen, Governor of New Hampshire from 1997–2003; elected junior senator from New Hampshire in 2008.
• Simon Snyder, governor of Pennsylvania 1808-1817
• Amos Alonzo Stagg, football coach, served as an advisor at Susquehanna University from 1947 to 1952

On April 30, 1988 the world's longest banana split was created in Selinsgrove. It was 7.32 kilometres (4.55 mi) long.[47]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Selinsgrove.

• Official Borough Site
• "As Diversity Sweeps Nation, a Placid Town Is Unchanged," Dan Barry, New York Times