Upper Allen Township is celebrating 175 years in 2025. Tim Wendling, Assistant Township Manager, joined The Spark to share more about this milestone.

What is the history of the Upper Allen Township and how it came to be?

"So back in 1766, Allen Township was formed from East Pennsboro. And then that encompassed what is currently Monroe Township, Upper Allen Township, and Lower Allen Township. And then in 1825, Monroe Township separated and became its own. Then in 1850, the remaining land was split between Upper and Lower Allen Township. So, 1850 is really the founding date of Upper Allen Township. Now we're up to about 24 ,000 residents. And we're just really excited about celebrating this 175th anniversary with the whole."

How has the township changed over the years?

" So early farming was a huge thing here in Upper Allen Township. Since then, throughout the 1800s- early 1900s, there were some whiskey distilleries. They were trading whiskey through Baltimore and down through Philadelphia for groceries, hardware, dry goods, things like that. But since then, Upper Allen Township has really become a balance of residential, commercial, and industrial development, along with some farmland. So, we're trying to preserve that farmland, while still accommodating all of the residents that want to live here. We're one of the fastest growing areas in the state."

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation.