Part rural, part suburban, South Whitehall Township is a vibrant community with beautiful parks and recreation fields, historic covered bridges and farmlands, quaint neighborhoods and newer residential developments. It has an abundance of restaurants and businesses and a large amusement park that is a major tourist draw. The township covers 17.2 square miles and according to the last census count, is home to about 19,000 people. It employs about 120 people, in such areas as administration, parks, police and planning. For many years, agriculture had been the township's economic backbone. Farmlands have given way to residential developments, yet open spaces remain. The township has a total of 227 acres of parkland at 22 locations; parks range from a half-acre to 165 acres at Covered Bridge Park. A five-person Board of Commissioners governs the township; the commissioners are elected at large to serve four-year terms. Township Manager Jon A. Hammer, who is appointed, supervises the departments and prepares and administers the township budgets.