History:

In 1850, the Township of Cumru included about 33,000 acres of land. The population numbered about 3,853 making it the most populous district in the county outside of Reading. In area, this was the largest township. In the decade before, two unsuccessful attempts were made to divide Cumru on account of its great extent. In 1850, a third attempt was made. The petition called for a division line situated to the west of the line requested in previous petitions, beginning at the "Harrisburg Bridge" and extending southward to the Lancaster County lines, at the corner of Brecknock Township, and it was inscribed by only 45 taxable inhabitants of the township. The court appointed Aaron Albright, Richard Boone and Michael K. Boyer as commissioners to inquire into advisability of the proposed division. The commissioners, after viewing Cumru Township, divided it and recommended the western part to be designated as a new township under the name of "Spring". The name was derived from a large fresh water spring in the central portion of the area. Because of the limestone fissures under the ground, the spring periodically appeared and disappeared. The early settlers, who used it for their daily water supplies, referred to it as the "Sinking Spring". The Boundary lines of the township were described as enclosing some 15,000 acres. The report was presented for these boundaries on August 5, 1850. Exceptions were filed, which stated that the division would cut 28 bridges in the Eastern part and only three in the Western, and also cut forty miles more roads in the former than in the latter, but the Court disregarded the force of these exceptions, confirmed the report on November 23, 1850, and formed the new township calling it the Township of Spring.