Pennsylvania Counties Cities Boroughs and Townships

traditions dating back to William Penn

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a tradition of local government rule that dates back to a charter from King Charles II of England to William Penn who divided the colony into counties, boroughs, townships and cities, each with unique characteristics.

Pennsylvania state law determines the type of municipality on the basis of population with nine classes of counties, four classes of cities, and two classes of townships. Boroughs are not classified. Each municipality class operates under its own laws, determining its structure and powers.

Home Rule Charters determine the operating structure of a community. A home rule municipality drafts and amends its own charter and exercises powers not denied by the Pennsylvania state constitution.

Over 70 Pennsylvania Municipalities have Home Rule Charters

William Penn established Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester Counties in 1682. Lancaster was established in 1729; the 67^th and last county dates back to 1878. Today, each commonwealth resident lives in and comes under the jurisdiction of one county with Lycoming County the largest in size and the city-county of Philadelphia is the smallest geographically but the largest in population. 

County Government governing bodies are typically three-member board of county commissioners with many other elected officials independent of the commissioners who form the legislative and executive branches of the county, authorized to administer human services, land use planning and local law enforcement. They also pass ordinances, assess all real and personal property for tax purposes, register voters, and maintain county buildings.

Townships were the First Political Subdivision in the New World

Townships are the oldest form of organized government in the United States, dating back to the 17^th century. William Penn began establishing townships in Pennsylvania as early as 1683, with about 10 families to each. The Industrial Revolution brought development around cities and boroughs that began to annex the developed portions of adjacent townships without the need for citizen approval. Today, 1,456 second class townships represent nearly one-half of Pennsylvania’s residents.

Boroughs before the American Revolution, one borough was established in each of the three original counties. Since then, the number of boroughs has increased to 961, making them the second most common form of municipal government in Pennsylvania. A borough mayor has no power to hire employees or direct programs but can veto decisions of the borough council. Responsibilities include executing and enforcing borough ordinances and regulations, representing the borough at community events and other functions, and taking charge of the police department. The governing body is an elected council of seven members that serve four-year overlapping terms.

Philadelphia Pittsburgh and Scranton have Elected Mayor with Broad Powers

Cities Philadelphia, Chester, Lancaster, Easton and York were the state’s first cities; Altoona and Reading grew with the railroad industry, while Johnstown, Bethlehem, Clairton, and Coatesville became steel industry towns. The other 53 remaining cities are operate mostly under a government commission in which residents elect a mayor to serve as commission chairman with four other council members, each heading one commission department.

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La Crosse Wisconsin

rivers railroads ridges brews wines and a historic downtown

La Crosse is located at the intersection of the Black, La Crosse and Mississippi rivers in Western Wisconsin in a broad plain between the river bank and the tall bluffs typical of the Driftless area.

The Coulee Region is Characterized by High Ridges Dissected by Narrow Valleys

History French fur traders were among the first Europeans to travel along the Upper Mississippi River in the late 17^th century; an American expedition reached what came to be known as Prairie La Crosse in 1805; La Crosse was named from the game with sticks - lacrosse in French - played by local Native Americans. Actively promoted in eastern newspapers, the city was further settled during the middle of the 19^th century with completion of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad.

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River and Railroad Infrastructure made it possible for La Crosse to become a center for lumber, as logs cut in the interior of the state were rafted down the Black River, as well as the brewery industry. Around the turn of the 20^th century, the city also became an education center, with three colleges and universities established in the city between 1890 and 1912. It is now a regional technology and medical hub, highly ranked in the areas of wellness, quality of life and education.

The La Crosse Amtrak Station is Served by the Empire Builder Cross Country Passenger Service

Historic Downtown and local culture. La Crosse has one of the largest commercial historic districts in Wisconsin; it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes 110 buildings built between 1866 and 1940. It is home to the Rivoli Theatre, the Weber Center for the Performing Arts and the Pump House Regional Arts Center, at the heart of La Crosse’s arts and culture scene.

La Crosse is a Green Complete Streets City

Local Wine and Brew Traditions date back to the 1858 founding of the G. Heileman Brewing Company; since its closing in 1996, local brewing traditions have been passed onto the City Brewing Company and Pearl Street Brewery, a craft brewery operating out of the historic La Crosse Footwear Building. Lost Island Wine has more than 30 varieties; in addition; several vineyards are in nearby counties and across the river on the Minnesota side of the Mississippi.

Energy Efficiency Water Conservation and Waste Management

baseline energy and water consumption benchmark performance and best practices

Energy Efficiency is the least expensive solution for simultaneously saving energy, money and creating jobs, lower utility bills, contribute to cleaner air and the protection of human health. Small businesses play a key role in in the national energy economy, as over half the population works in a small business.

Baseline Energy and Water consumption are key to understanding how your property currently uses these resources as well as to benchmark performance, implement energy-saving improvements and engage in best practices in the areas of operations and maintenance, heating and cooling, lighting and the use of office equipment, communications and education, among others.

If Your Energy Operating Costs are Higher than Profit there is Room for Improvement

Small Businesses come in a variety of sizes; 52 percent are home-based while others own or rent commercial building space. Whether you own your building, are a tenant, or work from home, you need lighting, heating, air conditioning, power for equipment, and other energy services. Small business owners are awakening to the potential savings from energy management; 82 percent have already taken at least one step to reduce energy use.

Entrepreneurs local governments and nonprofits achieve financial returns from superior energy management and continuously striving to improve performance. Success is based on regularly assessing energy performance and implementing steps to save money.

Connect with Tema for Energy Water and Waste Solutions

Tema is implementing projects in selected small towns, main streets and historic districts around the United States that focus on tourism, energy efficiency and water conservation in museums, breweries, vineyards/wineries, hotels and other accommodation venues visited by our travel clients.

Participating Local Businesses are provided with a no cost proposal to implement energy savings and water conservation measures.

Ask about Our No Cost Solutions for Your Small Business

The Size and Complexity of the energy efficiency projects your business undertakes is the main factor in deciding who manages project implementation. For something as simple as replacing HVAC filters or replacing incandescent lamps with LEDs, your team can do the work whereas designing and replacing a lighting system will likely require outside expertise and services.

Waste Management manufacturing activities and commercial buildings are responsible for nearly half of the 150 million tons of waste that wind up in incinerators or landfills each year. Tracking waste is an important step in reducing it.

The Downtown Cheyenne Historic District

Cheyenne was named for the Native American Cheyenne nation. Today it sits at the northern terminus of the fast-growing Front Range Urban Corridor to Denver and Pueblo, Colorado. It is located where the Union Pacific Railroad meets Crow Creek, a South Platte River tributary, in 1867.

The Downtown Cheyenne Historic District is comprised of ten architecturally or historically significant buildings and twelve other buildings constructed during the same period, dating from the late 19^th Century through the 1920's, during which the tiny frontier tent town grew into a territorial, then a State Capitol. These structures reflect the history of Cheyenne during major growth periods and form the nucleus of the original Central Business District. Primarily commercial in character, the district also contains a pedestrian oriented activity area known as the Old Town Mall.

The Downtown Cheyenne Historic District Encompasses 205 acres and 67 buildings

Cheyenne is part of a unique breed of American towns established in the 1860s and 1870s during construction of the transcontinental railroad. From the beginning, the area encompassed by the Historic District was developed as a commercial area. Stores built of canvas and wood fronts came first but were soon replaced with more permanent wood buildings. Like the structures they replaced, these buildings were easy prey for fires. By the 1870s, contractors began placing an emphasis on fireproofing with the brick and mortar buildings constructed from this period that remain today.

The architectural styles range from commercial Victorian to early 20^th Century commercial with Beaux Arts details. None of the buildings are unique in their architectural style or design but several have a significant degree of architectural merit thanks to the size and geographic location of Cheyenne.

The buildings in the Historic District represent a broad range of activities that took place during Cheyenne's first 50 or 60 years. Some date from a time when Cheyenne was being transformed from a dusty little frontier town to the Magic City of the Plains. Other buildings such as the Plains Hotel and the Capitol Avenue Theater came about through community effort and pride. Breweries, saloons, boarding houses, and the inexpensive eating establishments played a major role in Cheyenne’s development.