Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Exeter Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,500 as of the 2020 census,[2] making it the third-most populous municipality in Berks County after the city of Reading and Spring Township. Daniel Boone Homestead is within its borders. This formerly rural township is now made up of mostly sprawl-oriented developments along U.S. Route 422 (Perkiomen Avenue) and Route 562 (St. Lawrence Avenue/Boyertown Pike.) Its school district also contains the adjacent borough of St. Lawrence.
For other Pennsylvania townships of the same name, see Exeter Township, Pennsylvania (disambiguation).
History[edit]
The name Exeter derives from the town of Exeter in Devon, England. Numerous other places have also been given the name Exeter.
The John Bishop House, Boonecroft, Exeter Friends Meeting House, Levan Farm, Mordecai Lincoln House, Mill Tract Farm, and Snyder Mill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]
Early residents and communities[edit]
The first community created in Exeter was called Snydersville. It was populated mostly by relatives of Hans Schneider from the Limekiln area. It contained stores, schools, mills, and even a hotel. Some of the other communities that developed early were: Baumstown, Black Bear, Jacksonwald, St. Lawrence, Stonersville, Stonetown, Lorane, and Neversink Station. George Boone and family were one of the most influential families in Exeter. At one time they owned over 1,000 acres (4 km2) of land in the Township and were among the petitioners to form the Township. Of course there's Daniel Boone as well, who we know grew up in Exeter and went on to become famous in his journeys from Kentucky to Missouri. Another important name is Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln's great-great grandfather, Mordecai had a homestead that is still standing along Heister's creek.
Growth[edit]
Through the 19th and 20th centuries, Exeter began to grow due to the need for connections, between the city of Reading, Oley, Boyertown, Birdsboro, and King of Prussia. Trolley lines pushed through the Township, in the Farming Ridge area on its way to Boyertown and in the Reiffton area headed towards Birdsboro. Suburban sprawl got going post WWII to boost Exeter's population and the Route 422 Expy to King of Prussia was completed in the 1980s. All of these things lead us up to what Exeter Township is today, a thriving community of over 25,000 people.[4]
School district[edit]
The Exeter Township School District is made up of three K-4 grade elementary schools: Lorane, Owatin Creek, and Jacksonwald; one 5-6 grade middle school: Reiffton Elementary School ; one 7-8 grade junior high: Exeter Junior High School; and one 9-12 grade senior high: Exeter Township Senior High School.
Parks and Recreation[edit]
The Parks and Recreation department is responsible for park facility maintenance, recreation activities for the community, and special Township events.