Dauphin

History

Dauphin borough began as a settlement at the mouth of Stony Creek, the head of a valley between Second and Third Mountains. It was established by Samuel Sturgeon in 1765. By the end of the eighteenth century, the Sturgeon property was owned by Revolutionary War soldier Timothy Green. The locality became known as Green's Mill, after the grist mill Colonel Green built at the mouth of the creek. According to local history, the area was also known for its colonial-period fort, alternately called Fort Lyon or Fort McKee. Colonel Green continued to hold highly valued real estate until his death in 1812. By 1814, his plantation property with its mills became part of his son Judge Innis Green's holdings. Judge Green continued to add to his real estate holdings throughout the early nineteenth century. The borough also took the name, Greensburg, after a post office. The surrounding township is called Middle Paxton, part of the former Paxton Township of Lancaster County prior to the creation of Dauphin County in 1785. Middle Paxton Township was incorporated in 1787. The main geographic feature of this area are ancient hills or mountains and narrow valleys that generally run east to west with streams emptying into the Susquehanna River. The township remained rural until the twentieth century. Judge Green laid out Dauphin as Port Lyon in recognition of the former fort in 1826. Green named the Port Lyon streets after Pennsylvania rivers and creeks. Charles Bird had earlier that year purchased four tracts of land in Middle Paxton Township from Judge Green. Bird's interest was purchased by a group of businessmen who then sold to the D & S Coal Company. Green received the last payment on the agreement price of US $10,000.00 in 1835. Dauphin was incorporated into a borough by an act…

Geography

Dauphin is located on the western edge of Dauphin County at , on the east bank of the Susquehanna River. The land at the river's edge is alluvial floodplain, but Dauphin sits at the head of a narrow valley between two mountains, at the mouth of Stony Creek. The valley between the two mountains is called Stony Valley, which contains the villages of Singersville and Ellendale Forge. This section along the Susquehanna River is a gateway from the southeastern plains into the Appalachian Mountains and the north-central part of the state. Berrier Island is also located at Dauphin. Dauphin is surrounded by Middle Paxton Township, which comprises mountains and valleys south of the confluence of the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers. From south to north, the mountains in the township are Blue Mountain, Second Mountain, Third or Stony Mountain, and Peters Mountain. The eastern ends of these valleys are generally undeveloped state game lands and protected watershed. U.S. Routes 22 and 322 pass through the borough as a four-lane expressway, close to the Susquehanna River, with full access from Pennsylvania Route 225 at the west end of town and with westbound access from the east end of town. US 22/322 leads south to the center of Harrisburg and northwest to Duncannon. PA 225 leads north over Peters Mountain to Halifax. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which , or 1.16%, is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Commonwealth Charter Academy CS
  Other · Harrisburg · 20,355 students · 17.4:1 ratio
• Reach Cyber CS
  Other · Harrisburg · 6,918 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• Central Dauphin SHS
  High · Harrisburg · 1,975 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Central Dauphin East SHS
  High · Harrisburg · 1,590 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Harrisburg HS
  High · Harrisburg · 1,230 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Dauphin County Technical School
  High · Harrisburg · 1,125 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• Central Dauphin MS
  Middle · Harrisburg · 848 students · 16:1 ratio
• Thomas W Holtzman Jr El Sch
  Elementary · Harrisburg · 820 students · 19.1:1 ratio