History & Interesting Facts

History

The town of New Wilmington was established in 1797-1798. In 1824 the first house was built and other buildings were soon erected. On April 4, 1863, New Wilmington was established as a half-Borough, and on April 9, 1873 , it was made a full Borough. The population in 1874 was 500. As of the 2000 census, the population has grown to 2,452, which includes 1,315 residents and 1,137 college students.

A book on the complete history of New Wilmington was penned in 1999, which may be viewed at the Westminster College Library. The book includes 12 chapters of history, starting in 1797 and has over 100 photographs. Books are available for purchase at the Westminster College Bookstore, McKelvey Campus Center or the Borough Office, 134 High Street.

Community Projects

Several years ago, a Scout initiated the idea of placing flags on the Squares for an Eagle Scout project. The idea has grown into a tradition of placing approximately 40 American flags on the Borough-owned squares to commemorate holidays such as Flag Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
Two garden clubs, that have existed for decades, plant and care for the flowers on the Borough-owned town squares. These beautiful flowers are attractions to admire when visiting New Wilmington Borough.

Demographics

Population (year 2000): 2,452
Males: 937 (38.2%), Females: 1,515 (61.8%)

Elevation: 999 feet

County: Lawrence

Land area: 1.1 square miles

Zip codes: 16172, 16142.

Median resident age: 21.8 years
Median household income: $36,734 (year 2000)
Median house value: $119,000 (year 2000)

For population 25 years and over in New Wilmington:

High school or higher: 90.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 53.2%
Graduate or professional degree: 24.9%
Unemployed: 9.6%

Mean travel time to work: 16.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in New Wilmington Borough: