Royalton, Pennsylvania
A rich past, a bright future
Published March 2014
What is now the Borough of Royalton was originally home to several groups of American Indians, including the Susquehannocks, Conoys (or Ganawese), Nanticokes, Conestogas and the Shawnees.
In the late 1880s, the boroughs of Port Royal and Furnace Hill were moving to incorporate into a single borough. The name “Royalton” was suggested by townsmen as somewhat of a joke, but the name caught on after pranksters tacked a large strip of paper over the Pennsylvania railroad intersection with “Royalton” written on it. The name stuck and was unanimously adopted by Furnace Hill and Port Royal representatives as the name of the new incorporated borough.
The borough’s location on the Susquehanna River and the Swatara Creek provided a natural water highway, which made it a popular area for trading. The railroad helped define Royalton in the mid-1800s as it launched Royalton into the iron and steel industry.
Even now a popular area attraction for visitors and residents is a scenic train ride via the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad, where passengers take an 11-mile tour in a 1920s vintage coach.
Where nature thrives
With a population of less than 1,100, Royalton is a place to appreciate the great outdoors. Situated between the major cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Royalton is surrounded by untouched countryside. The region has many diverse natural, historical and cultural resources.
Royalton is one of 40 municipalities in Dauphin County, which describes itself as the home of the magnificent State Capitol Complex, world-famous Hershey candy, and a customer-friendly state and county government. Many area festivals and events add to the close-knit community feel.
The Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department includes Community Gardens, Fort Hunter Park, Fort Hunter Conservancy, Henninger Farm Covered Bridge, Lykens Glen Park, Wiconisco Creek Park and Wildwood Park.
Success in public power
The Royalton Electric Department has been providing reliable and competitive services since 1964. The department now serves more than 550 meters.
As a member of AMP, Royalton participates in a number of AMP programs and projects that assist in providing reliable energy and other benefits to the community and its citizen-owners. These include:
- Landfill Gas Energy, a mixture of gases produced by decomposing garbage and collected by a series of pipes for use in diesel generator units (landfill gas-to-energy sites directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions)
- Mutual Aid, a network of municipal electric systems that assist each other when utility emergencies occur that are too widespread to be handled by one system alone
- Pennsylvania AMP Service Group (PASG)
For more information, please visit www.royaltonpa.com.