Bensalem, Pennsylvania, United States

🇺🇸 Bensalem Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township borders the north-eastern section of Philadelphia and includes the communities of Andalusia, Bensalem, Bridgewater, Cornwells Heights, Eddington, Flushing, Oakford, Siles, Trappe, and Trevose. Bensalem Township has no other incorporated municipalities within its boundaries.

It is the most populous municipality in Bucks County and the tenth most populated municipality in Pennsylvania.

The township, which was founded in 1692, is almost as old as Pennsylvania itself, which was founded in 1682.

Origins The origin of the name Bensalem likely comes from references made by settler Joseph Growden, who named his estate Manor of Bensalem in honor of William Penn and the Semitic term for peace, Salem. It was originally named Salem; the first syllable Ben was added in 1701. Another theory notes the shared name with the utopian island in Francis Bacon's New Atlantis, also named Bensalem.

History The area of Bensalem Township appeared on the Holme Map of 1682, though not yet with a name. On January 2, 1685, the boundary was fixed between Bensalem and Philadelphia County along the Poquessing Creek. At the September 1692 session of Bucks County Court, a jury of thirteen men was formed to define boundaries of divisions that had been created up to that time. The report submitted in December states that "All the lands between Neshamineh and Poquessin, and so to the upper side of Joseph Growden's land in one and to be called 'Salem.'"

The first name of the township was Salem. The minutes of the Board of Property of the Province on November 19, 1701, at Philadelphia noted the name of the area as Bensalem. The population of the area was first a few Dutch and Swedes, then later a larger influx of English, and then additional Dutch settled the area.

Geography Bensalem is the southernmost township in Bucks County and is bordered by the Northeast Philadelphia section of the city of Philadelphia to the west and south, Croydon and the rest of Bristol Township to the east and north-east, the borough of Hulmeville and Middletown Township to the north, and Feasterville, Trevose, and Oakford in Lower Southampton Township to the northwest. Across the Delaware River in Burlington County, New Jersey to the south-east, there are the city of Beverly, Delanco Township, and Edgewater Park Township.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 21.0 square miles (54 km²), of which 20.0 square miles (52 km²) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) (4.77%) is water.

The Fall Line, which separates the Atlantic Coastal Plain region from the Piedmont region, passes through Bensalem, and is visible around the Neshaminy Mall area. The Neshaminy Creek forms the natural eastern boundary and Poquessing Creek forms the natural western boundary of the township.

Natural features include Barnsleys Ford, Mill Creek, Neshaminy Creek, Neshaminy Falls, Partridge Point, Poquessing Creek, and White Sheet Bay.

Jewish community Bensalem has a significant Jewish community, with the following institutions. • The Bensalem Jewish Outreach Center, an Orthodox Judaism outreach institution with associated synagogue Kehillas B'nai Shalom. • Congregation Tifereth Israel, a Conservative synagogue.

Landmarks and attractions Bensalem is home to Parx Casino and Racing, a 1-mile (1.6 km) thoroughbred horse racing track and casino. This facility opened in November 1974 as Keystone Racetrack. The name was changed to Philadelphia Park in 1984. The track became notable as the original home of 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion Smarty Jones, who placed second in the Belmont Stakes, narrowly missing the Triple Crown. In 2006, a slots parlor casino opened at Philadelphia Park and the facility was renamed to Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino. A permanent standalone casino structure opened in December 2009 and was renamed Parx Casino. The facility boasts 260,000 square feet (24,000 m²) including gaming, dining, entertainment, and banquet space. Parx Casino contains the Xcite Center, which hosts concerts, entertainment performances, comedy acts, and boxing and MMA matches.

Penn Community Bank Amphitheater is located in Bensalem, and is a popular venue for concerts.

Bensalem is also home to the Mongkoltepmunee Buddhist Temple, or Wat Mongkoltepmunee, on Knights Road. This shrine is an exact replica of a temple in Bangkok and is the only one of its kind in the United States. It serves as a place of high ceremonies and meditation for a community of Buddhist monks who came to Bensalem from Thailand in the 1980s.

For the 2002 M. Night Shyamalan movie Signs, starring Mel Gibson, a stage set was built inside a warehouse on State Road for many of the interior shots.

The NBC pilot episode for Outlaw, starring Jimmy Smits filmed scenes in Andalusia March 22–23, 2010.

The movie Safe, starring Jason Statham filmed a scene at Parx Casino and Racing.

The Neshaminy Mall is located within Bensalem. It was one of the first malls to be constructed in the country in 1968. It has two main anchors (Boscov's and AMC Theatres) and over 120 smaller shops and eateries. The AMC Neshaminy 24 Theater is the largest and highest sales-producing theater in Pennsylvania. In addition, it has on many occasions been a top 10 for theater engagements in the United States (including the opening of Signs where it was #1).

Benjamin Franklin would often travel to Bensalem to visit his friend, Joseph Galloway, at Growden Mansion. At the time, the Galloway family owned all of present-day Bensalem Township. A local legend maintains that Franklin performed his famous kite-flying experiment in Bensalem, at the mansion, to prove that lightning was the same as static electricity. (The broader consensus is that Benjamin Franklin flew his kite closer to his home in Philadelphia.)

Bensalem is home to the Philadelphia Gun Club, which hosts one of the few trap pigeon shoots in the United States. Live birds are released from boxes called traps and then shot by club members. Many birds are not killed outright and are collected to be killed by hand.

Andalusia and Belmont are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Andalusia is also designated a National Historic Landmark.

The U.S. subsidiary of Hoshino, which manufactures Tama Drums and Ibanez guitars, is located here.

Bensalem is home to Neshaminy State Park. Also, in the centre of Bensalem is the Bensalem Township Community Park, which features a skatepark, playground, basketball courts, a roller-hockey rink, and baseball, football, soccer, and softball fields.

Transport As of 2018 there were 195.30 miles (314.30 km) of public roads in Bensalem Township, of which 4.80 miles (7.72 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC), 45.89 miles (73.85 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 144.61 miles (232.73 km) were maintained by the township.

Bensalem Township is readily accessible with Interstate 95, Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 276), U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 13 (Bristol Pike), Pennsylvania Route 63 (Woodhaven Road), Pennsylvania Route 132 (Street Road), and Pennsylvania Route 513 (Hulmeville Road) all passing through. The Bensalem (formerly Philadelphia) Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 351, at U.S. Route 1) is in the Trevose section of the township. In addition, the eastbound Street Road interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 352), which is E-ZPass only, serves Bensalem. The eastern terminus of the ticket system along the turnpike is located at the Neshaminy Falls toll plaza, east of the Street Road interchange. The intersection of Knights and Street roads in Bensalem Township was ranked by Time magazine as the most dangerous intersection in the United States from 2003 until 2012.

Two SEPTA Regional Rail lines serve Bensalem Township, providing service to Center City Philadelphia. The West Trenton Line stops at the Trevose and Neshaminy Falls stations in the northern part of the township. The Trenton Line stops at the Cornwells Heights and Eddington stations in the southern part of the township. The Cornwells Heights station is also served by Amtrak's Keystone Service and Northeast Regional services along the Northeast Corridor and has a park-and-ride with access from Interstate 95 and Pennsylvania Route 63. CSX Transportation's Trenton Subdivision freight railroad line runs through the northern portion of the township. Multiple SEPTA bus routes pass through the township, serving points of interest within the township and providing connections to Philadelphia and other suburbs. Bus routes serving Bensalem Township include SEPTA City Bus Routes 1, 14, 20, 50, 58, and 78 and SEPTA Suburban Bus Routes 128, 129, 130, 133, and 150. SEPTA also operates the Boulevard Direct, a limited-stop bus route between the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem Township and the Frankford Transportation Center in Northeast Philadelphia that follows Roosevelt Boulevard through Northeast Philadelphia. The Delaware River passes along the south-eastern border of Bensalem Township and provides access for shipping. The Northeast Philadelphia Airport, located a couple miles away, provides general aviation services. The Philadelphia International Airport is 25 miles (40 km) away, offering flights to domestic and international destinations.

Utilities Electricity and natural gas in Bensalem Township is provided by PECO Energy Company, a subsidiary of Exelon. Water in the township is provided by Aqua Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of Aqua America, while sewer service is provided by the Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority; Bensalem sold off its water and sewer system in 1999. Trash and recycling collection is provided by private haulers. Cable, telephone, and internet service to the area is provided by Xfinity and Verizon. Bensalem Township is served by area codes 215, 267, and 445.

Government In 1987, the people of Bensalem voted to become a second-class township with a mayor-council form of government consisting of a five-member council and a mayor. The mayor is allowed to serve unlimited terms.

Education Public schools in Bensalem are operated by the Bensalem Township School District. The school district consists of six elementary schools, two middle schools, and Bensalem High School. The township has its own nine-member school board. Holy Ghost Preparatory School is a private Catholic high school located in the township.

Founded in 1969, Roman Catholic Saint Ephrem School serving Grades Pre-K to 8 has students from Bensalem and the surrounding area.

Established 1920, and located in the Cornwells Heights section of Bensalem, St. Charles Borromeo School is a Catholic, MSA Accredited, modernized Elementary School serving Grades Pre-K to 8.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced in 2011 that Our Lady of Fatima School was closing as the number of students had declined.

Economy Rita's Franchise Company, LLC has its headquarters in the Trevose section of the township, as well as its first location in the Andalusia section. Philly Pretzel Factory has its headquarters in Bensalem. Fortune 1000 company Healthcare Services Group has its headquarters in Bensalem and is ranked #985 on the 2019 list.

Former Fortune 1000 company Charming Shoppes had its headquarters in Bensalem, and was ranked #927 on the 2012 list.

The US Headquarters for Ibanez Guitars and Tama Drums is located in Bensalem Township.

Suez Water Technologies & Solutions is a water treatment company based in the Trevose section of Bensalem Township.

Ecology According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Bensalem Township would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25).