BACKGROUND
Overview
This chapter provides background information on Charlestown Township including its geographical setting, natural features and history. It highlights the aspects of the Township that give rise to its current form and character.
Geographic Setting
Charlestown Township is one of Chester County’s most picturesque Townships. Its 12.6 square miles (approximately 8,064 acres) encompass some of northern Chester County’s most scenic features. Rolling hills, farmsteads, historic areas, woodlands and stream valleys contribute to its rich and diverse landscape.
Charlestown is a Township of the Second Class. It is bordered on the east by Schuylkill Township; on the west by Uwchlan Township; on the north by East Pikeland and West Pikeland Townships; and on the south by Tredyffrin, East Whiteland and West Whiteland Townships
(Map 1). It is approximately 22 miles west of Philadelphia and lies in close proximity to several major regional centers including Valley Forge, King of Prussia, the Great Valley Corporate Center, Exton, and the numerous towns along the Main Line (Route 30). It is crossed by three major transportation corridors – the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Route 29/Phoenixville Pike and Route 401/Conestoga Road – and is near the heavily traveled regional arteries of Route 202, Route 422, and Route 30.
Despite its location in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area and its highly suburbanized surroundings, Charlestown Township maintains a landscape largely characterized as rural. Farmlands are dispersed throughout the Township. Most development in the Township’s interior, zoned as FR Farm Residential, is single-family residential development, interspersed with large open space areas and farmland. Higher intensity residential and institutional is located in the Township’s northeastern section where zoning provides for Planned Residential Development (PRD) and Institutional development. The Township’s southern section contains higher intensity residential, commercial, and industrial/office development where zoning provides for such uses.
The Village of Devault is located in the Township’s southern section. It is zoned for Light Industrial and Commercial uses. This area contains the Post Office and the Township
Office, as well as the Charlestown Saloon and several historic structures over 200 years old. It also contains several light manufacturing companies and professional office buildings, and is the site of two quarrying operations.
Map 1.
Location Map
Source:
http://www.charlestown.org
Natural Features
Historically,
natural features such as geology and topography, soils, hydrology, and
vegetation have largely determined
human settlement patterns. For
example, many early settlements arose around water sources and in places where
the soil produced healthy crops.
This is in evidence throughout the Charlestown landscape where historic
structures often lie in stream valleys or on healthy farmland. The influence of nature is still felt
today, although to a lesser extent.
Man’s ability to alter nature in order to suit his needs has
diminished the strength of natural barriers and has enabled him to settle in
previously undeveloped areas.
Human disturbance continues to erode the landscape and the natural
systems upon which we rely for clean water, clean air and overall quality of
life.
An
understanding of Charlestown Township’s natural features is critical to
this planning effort, which seeks to mitigate human disturbance of the
Township’s natural systems. This
section provides an overview of the Township’s geologic and topographic
features, soils, hydrology, and vegetation and habitat. The information provided here is
supplemented by the Environmental Inventory & Analytical Mapping presented
in Appendix C.
Geology and Topography
Geology and topography are important features in that they largely determine soil characteristics, vegetation, drainage, groundwater availability, and land stability. All are factors in the land’s carrying capacity and all impact land use.
The entirety of Chester County, including Charlestown Township, is within the Piedmont Province of the Appalachian Highlands. Elevations range from approximately 107 feet to 720 feet with steep slope (15-25%) and very steep slope (>25%) areas in the Pickering Creek valley and along the ridges of the Chester Valley. The Piedmont Province, a land formation classification based on geological formations and landscape characteristics, is divided into three sections – the Piedmont Upland Section, the Piedmont Lowland Section, and the Gettysburg-Newark Lowland Section. Charlestown contains parts of all three of these sections.
The
Piedmont Upland Section encompasses nearly all of the County’s - and the
Township’s - land area. This
Section is characterized by broad, rounded to flat-topped hills, and shallow
valleys. Its underlying bedrock
consists of metamorphic rock including schist, gneiss and quartzite. The geology of Charlestown Township
primarily consists of granodiorite gneiss and graphitic gneiss. Most of the land in the Piedmont
Upland Section, aside from some areas of steep slope and wet soils, has been
farmed or developed.
The
Piedmont Lowland Section, known as the Chester Valley, is the region’s
outstanding topographic feature.
It crosses Chester County in a narrow strip approximately one to two
miles in width, extending along Charlestown’s southern border. The Piedmont Lowland Section is
characterized as moderately dissected karst valleys separated by broad, low
hills. The dominant rock types are
limestone and dolomite with some phyllitic shale and sandstone. Most of the valley has been farmed and
developed, and no large woodlands or wetlands remain. Although some natural
vegetation areas exist, they are highly degraded. The valley floor does not
serve as a main drainageway for any stream.
The
Gettysburg-Newark Lowland Section occupies a small area of northern Chester
County, extending across the northern tip of Charlestown Township. This Section is characterized by
rolling lowlands, shallow valleys and isolated hills. The underlying rock type consists of sedimentary rock
including red shale, siltstone and sandstone. Much of this area is farmed or developed.
Soils
The soil types found in the Township are directly related to its geology. Weathering of the underlying rock, along with other factors such as climate and topography, give rise to soil types and soil associations. Together, geology and soils inform local vegetation, water resources, and wildlife. Soils further influence human settlement and land use patterns. That is, some soil types are conducive to development while others pose severe limitations to development.
Areas of generalized soil patterns are referred to as soil associations. Seven associations are found in Chester County, four of which cover Charlestown Township. They are the Penn-Croton-Bucks association, in the northern corner of the Township; the Edgemont association, along the Township’s southern ridge; the Hagerstown-Conestoga-Guthrie association, to the south along the Chester Valley; and the Glenelg-Manor-Chester association throughout the remaining area.
The Glenelg-Manor-Chester association dominates the County and the Township. The main soil types of this association are Glenelg, Manor, Chester, Brandywine, Worsham, and Glenville. Less prominent are the Wehadkee, Chewacla, and Congaree soils on floodplains. The soils of this association are generally moderately sloping. Aside from the Worsham and Glenville soils, they are also well drained. Many of these soils are also classified as prime farmland soils. These conditions are reflected in the Charlestown landscape where residential development and agriculture coexist throughout most of the land area.
Hydrology
This section includes a brief discussion of watersheds, floodplains and wetlands.
Chester County contains six sub-basins, which drain into the Delaware River Basin to the east, and the Susquehanna River Basin to the west. Two of these sub-basins – the Schuylkill River sub-basin and the Brandywine River sub-basin - are located within Charlestown Township. The Schuylkill River sub-basin is approximately 180 square miles in size and drains nearly 24% of Chester County. It encompasses all of Charlestown aside from the Township’s southern corner, which lies within the Brandywine River sub-basin. Both sub-basins drain into the Delaware River Basin.
Four watersheds fall within the boundaries of Charlestown, draining into the Schuylkill and Brandywine River sub-basins. They are the Pickering Creek watershed, the French Creek watershed, the Valley Creek watershed, and the East Branch Brandywine Creek watershed. To comply with federal regulations prohibiting water quality degradation, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has developed two stream designations - Exceptional Value (EV) and High Quality (HQ) waters. Exceptional Value is the highest designation. It is given to streams or watersheds that constitute an outstanding national, state, regional or local resource. The High Quality designation is given to streams or watersheds that have excellent quality waters and environmental or other features that require special water quality protection. Two watersheds within Charlestown have been assigned water quality designations. The Valley Creek watershed is designated as an Exceptional Value watershed; the Pickering Creek watershed is designated as a High Quality watershed. As these are watershed designations, they apply to the tributary streams as well. Thus, most of the Township’s streams are considered 1st through 4th order headwater streams within an Exceptional Value or High Quality watershed. Perhaps the most notable is the Pigeon Run, which drains into the Pickering Creek.
The Pickering Creek is a dominant feature in the Charlestown landscape, flowing eastward from Upper Uwchlan and Uwchlan Townships to the Schuylkill River. It is an important scenic and ecological resource. Due to its steeply sloping topography, much of the natural vegetation and habitat remains. A large segment of the Pickering Creek valley is protected as Township owned open space; other segments cross privately owned lands that are generally in open space or agricultural use. Pigeon Run and Rock Run are the most prominent tributaries of the Pickering Creek, draining the majority of the Township.
Extensive floodplain and wetland areas are found along the Pickering Creek, Pigeon Run and Rock Run. Floodplains are the lands adjacent to a waterway that receive the overflow produced by heavy rains. As such, these areas contain wet soils and high water tables, and are subject to periodic flooding. They are commonly delineated as FEMA 100 year and 500 year floodplains. Much of the land surrounding these three waterways are classified as FEMA 100 year floodplain, with a small area classified as FEMA 500 year floodplain.
Wetlands are areas saturated by ground or surface water that support a variety of vegetation and wildlife adapted to such an environment. Wetlands are extremely valuable and beneficial, not only for their unique ecosystems, but for their many ecological functions. Wetlands are critical in controlling stormwater runoff, filtering sediments and pollutants from stormwater, recharging groundwater, and providing wildlife habitat. The most significant wetland in Charlestown is the Pigeon Run Wetland, which is listed in the Chester County Natural Areas Inventory.
Vegetation and Habitat
The vegetation of Charlestown Township is representative of a temperate piedmont area with an agricultural history. Much of the Township is still covered in cropland and pastures, interrupted by hedgerows of Cherry, Ash, Walnut, Sassafras and other trees and shrubs. These areas support a diverse population of bird, mammal, and reptile species that thrive in edge habitats.
Lowland areas in the Township may be in wetland meadow vegetation, but more commonly they are forested in Red Maple, Elm, Sycamore, Sweetgum, White Oak, and Ash. The wooded areas along streams and headwater wetland areas are critical to maintaining water quality in the designated High Quality and Exceptional Quality watersheds that occupy the Township. Many of these lowland meadow and forest areas provide habitats conducive to rare and endangered species. It is therefore important that they be protected from clearing and disturbance.
Due to steep slopes and rocky soils, the North Valley Hills, which parallel the Township’s southern border, were not cleared for agriculture. Although intermittently logged, this area is today mostly covered in a mature stand of Beech, Oaks, Hickory and Tulip Poplar. There are still largely uninterrupted forested areas along this ridge that support plant and animal species that require interior forest conditions for survival. There are also documented rare plant species on the North Valley Hills[1]. In addition, the forest plays an important role in stabilizing steep slopes and infiltrating rainwater, thereby protecting vital surface and groundwater resources.
Preservation of Natural Resources
This Comprehensive Plan strongly advocates the
preservation of the Township’s natural features. Measures should be taken to minimize
disturbance of geology, topography, and soils during the land development process. Development pressures also threaten to
fragment the Township’s dwindling mature forest areas into isolated
stands of trees incapable of sustaining the delicate species that require the
specific light, air, moisture, and nutrient conditions of the forest
interior. Because of the critical
ecological roles played by large forested areas, efforts should be made to
ensure that they are protected from disturbance. In turn, the preservation of
geology, topography, soils, vegetation, and habitat will contribute to a
healthy and properly functioning hydrologic system, which is dependent on the
vitality of these resources. The
establishment of riparian buffers, the protection of wetlands, and the use of
Best Management Practices are some of the strategies that can be used to
further the goal of natural resource preservation. Recommendations aimed at preserving natural resources are
included in various chapters throughout this Plan.
History
The first European settler to formally own the lands now known as Charlestown Township was Charles Pickering, for whom the Township and the Pickering Creek are named. Pickering, who was granted 5,383 acres by William Penn along the Creek, came to the area for its silver and mineral deposits, which he sought to exploit. When first surveyed in 1738, in addition to its current land, Charlestown encompassed what are now Schuylkill Township and the Borough of Phoenixville. In 1826, Schuylkill Township split from Charlestown, followed by the Borough of Phoenixville in 1849.
Early in its history, Charlestown’s livelihood centered around milling, mining, and farming. The 1799 tax record listed 19 mills and 140 houses in Charlestown. Some of the houses and barns remain today along the stream valleys where milling operations took place. The largest of the mills was located along the Pickering Creek in what is now Charlestown Village. This site was originally a 340-acre tract acquired by the miller Job Harvey from the Pickering heirs in 1724. His mill became the center of a developing village first named Upper Egypt, then Hardscrabble, and officially becoming Charlestown in 1840. Today, Charlestown Village is on the National Register of Historic Places.
While farming was once an economic mainstay, today the raising and training of horses constitutes the majority of agricultural practice in the Township. Hay and feed are also produced, and some farms continue to raise other forms of livestock. In many cases, agricultural land has evolved into an aesthetic rather than an economic use.
Mining and quarrying became the dominant industries in the 1800’s. Mining was a thriving activity in the area bounded by Whitehorse and Tinker Hill Roads (and perhaps in other areas of the Township), where the Wheatly Mines (and other mines) operated. Quarrying operations took place at Devault, Aldham, Sidley, Bacton Hill and Pickering into the twentieth century. The quarries in Devault remain active today.
In 1889, the American Ice Company built a stone dam and icehouse on the Pickering Creek, east of Aldham. The dam was severely damaged by a hurricane in 1942. Remnants of the dam are visible today from Route 29, near Pickering Dam Road.
Many of Charlestown’s industries were served by the Frazer Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, completed in 1883. It provided both freight and passenger service to communities between Phoenixville and the Main Line. The railroad is still in operation today as the Norfolk Southern freight spur connecting Phoenixville to the industrial complex in Great Valley. However, service is extremely limited with less than one freight train per day.
Charlestown’s past remains in evidence today with many historic sites in existence throughout the Township (Map 14). The Charlestown Village Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Since then, the Charlestown Township Historic Commission has researched over 156 significant historic sites.
Protection of Historic Resources
This Comprehensive Plan supports the protection of significant
historic properties within the Township (Chapter 10). Land development techniques such as the Open Space Option
and Transfer of Development Rights are two approaches to achieving this
objective. In addition, the strict
control of the demolition of historic resources is advocated. The Township could also collaborate
with organizations such as the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust,
the Brandywine Conservancy and the Natural Lands Trust to bring more historically
significant properties under conservation easement.
References:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/pub/pub.htm. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey. “Physiographic Provinces of
Pennsylvania,” Compiled by W.D. Sevon, Fourth Edition, 2000.
Chester County Natural Areas Inventory, 1994
US Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. Soil Survey: Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania. Series 1959 No. 19, Issued May 1963.
http://www.chesco.org/water/index.html (Chester County Water Resources Authority)