Trappe, Pennsylvania

Trappe, Pennsylvania is a borough located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The borough was incorporated in 1896 and is part of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area.

History

Trappe was founded in 1717 by a group of settlers led by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, a German immigrant who is considered the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America. The town was named after the German town of Trappe, which was Muhlenberg's hometown. The Augustus Lutheran Church, which was built in 1743, is the oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the U.S. still in use by a congregation.

Geography

Trappe is located at 40°11′30″N 75°28′59″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.1 square miles, all of it land. The borough is located in the Perkiomen Valley, and the Perkiomen Creek forms its eastern boundary.

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 3,509 people, 1,428 households, and 955 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,671.9 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 92.7% White, 3.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

Education

Trappe is served by the Perkiomen Valley School District. Schools in the district include South Elementary School, Evergreen Elementary School, Schwenksville Elementary School, Perkiomen Valley Middle School East, and Perkiomen Valley High School.

Notable people

• Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, founder of the Lutheran Church in America
• Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg, first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Peter Muhlenberg, Revolutionary War general

See also

• List of municipalities in Pennsylvania
• History of Pennsylvania