As Montgomery County’s largest school district, the Souderton Area School District (Souderton School District) covers 49 square miles and contains a population of about 45,000. Serving the Indian Valley communities (the boroughs of Souderton and Telford and the townships of Franconia, Lower Salford, Upper Salford and Salford), the district encompasses an area undergoing rapid change from a mostly rural and agricultural area to a truly suburban area.
Farmlands are steadily becoming new housing developments as the region goes from strength to strength economically and increasing numbers of people choose to live within commuting distance of Philadelphia. The school district monitors student population carefully and has a responsive plan that includes the construction of a brand new high school, slated to open in 2009. The district has 7 elementary schools, a middle school, a junior high, and a high school (not counting the additional high school currently under construction).
While residents appreciate all the conveniences of suburban living, with great shopping, family friendly dining, closeness to Philadelphia and the like, they also appreciate the fact that development is proceeding with care here, ensuring that ample green spaces and wilderness areas remain.
Franconia
About halfway between Philadelphia and Allentown in the beautiful Indian Valley region, Franconia has a population of about 12,000 and covers about 14 square miles. A convenient suburban town with all the amenities, Franconia has easy access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Routes 309, 113, and 63, which travel to key state and county centers. While this grants many locals the choice to commute to work, others choose to find employment closer to home, and the local economy is flourishing.
Franconia gets its name from the German “Franks” who founded the settlement when they came here to farm in the late seventeenth century, and the community retains strong ties to its rural roots. Many local families still bear the names of their pioneering forebears, and community events take pride in the settlement’s history. A love of the land is prevalent in town planning, with over 100 acres of township land making up parks, trails and recreational and wilderness. Pretty farmland and rolling hills surround the township.
Lower Salford
A pretty town in a semi-rural setting next to Salford and Upper Salford, Lower Salford is home to about 13,000 residents and covers about 15 square miles. Indian Creek and West Branch Skippack Creek wind through the community, bringing added charm to this already green community, and the local recreational facilities include the excellent Twin Lakes Country Club. The community adopted the "Open Space/Green Belt" program in the early 1970's, and has worked since then to acquire large tracts of stream valley meadows and woodlands for public enjoyment. The Frederic Dannerth Community Bike Path is a lovely macadam lined path that runs for about 7 miles through much of the greenbelt; rollerbladers, joggers, hikers and bikers enjoy using it.
Lower Salford split from Salford proper once that township became too large, but both communities share the same early history as the original settlement from which each derives was established by German and other European farmers in the Seventeenth Century. Remaining a small agricultural center until the period after WWII, Lower Salford has undergone a gradual transformation into the rapidly developing suburban community it is today.
Upper Salford
Split from Salford and Lower Salford when the township grew too large, Upper Salford is much smaller township than its neighbors, a pretty semi-rural community of only about 3,000 residents that covers about 9 square miles. Historic churches and an old time Main Street bring charm to this historic community, settled in the Seventeenth Century by farmers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Pretty Vaughn Run River winds through the eastern part of the community, which is set among verdant fields and tree lined country lanes. Found in lovely semi-rural Indian Valley, the township enjoys proximity to both country and city, with nearby transport routes bringing easy access to Philadelphia and surrounding centers.
Souderton
Covering just over a square mile, Souderton is home to about 6,700 residents and is surrounded by farms and small country towns. While enjoying the semi-rural lifestyle of a small town, the community enjoys convenient access to Philadelphia (about 30 miles south) and other surrounding centers via Route 309 (a few miles east) and I 476 (a few miles west). Quakertown and the stunning Nockamixon State Park are just 8 miles north of Souderton and Doylestown and Fonthill Park 6 miles west.
Telford
Immediately north of Souderton in Montgomery County’s pretty Indian Valley, Telford is a small farming center of about 5,000, covering about a square mile. This part of Pennsylvania is known for its rustic charm, and Telford is a typically appealing community, with tree lined streets and historic buildings. Major state parks and wilderness areas like Nockamixon State Park and Fonthill Park are a short car trip away.
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