Havertown is a residential suburban

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It is located approximately 9 miles west of the center of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. Havertown's ZIP Code is 19083 and "Havertown" is a postal address. The name "Havertown" was coined by the U.S. Post Office and came into use on January 1, 1946. Before then, each constituent community was known by its local name: Bon Air, Brookline, Penfield, Beechwood, Llanerch, Manoa, Oakmont, Coopertown, and Ardmore. Under

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

's land divisions these communities were part of the Welsh Tract and comprised the area known as Harford, a Welsh contraction of Haverford.

History

Haverford Township Haverford Township is a Home rule municipality (Pennsylvania), home rule municipality Township (Pennsylvania), township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

. The settlers named their new home after Haverfordwest (''Hwlffordd''),

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, UK. The township is home to many historic sites. The

Grange Estate The Grange Estate, also known as Maen-Coch and Clifton Hall, is a historic mansion built by Henry Lewis Jr. (1671–1730) in Havertown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Parts of a c. 1700 residence may be incorpo ...

entertained the Revolutionary War figures

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

and General Lafayette.

Nitre Hall Nitre Hall is a 19th-century building in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Built shortly after 1800 on the banks of Cobbs Creek, by Israel Whelen, Jr., the hall was the residence of the master of the Nitre Hall Powder Mills, w ...

, along Karakung (Cobb's) Creek, supplied the United States with over 800,000 pounds of gunpowder during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

. Leedom Hall was the probable home of William Howell, the founder of Haverford Mills, which date from 1688. Other Havertown sites listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

include the

Federal School The Federal School is a historic one-room schoolhouse located on Darby Road in Haverford, Pennsylvania near the Allgates Estate. It was established in 1797, and was called the Federal School because of the community's pride of being part of the ...

and Lawrence Cabin. Coopertown appears as early as 1848 as the first community, and the earliest post office is found at the Spread Eagle Tavern at the junction of the present Eagle and Manoa Roads. The Haverford Township Historical Society maintains a "survey" of historic resources notable to the township. Havertown 1902

Historic roads The Haverford Road is one of the earliest roads laid out by civil ordinance. Dates for its layout and completion vary from 1687 to 1703. Darby Road, known earlier as Coopertown Road, dates from 1687. Records show its extension to Radnor, the "principal market for corn," ordered in 1696. Mill Road, at one time called Dickinson Mill Road, may be one of the earliest roads of popular use. Its zig-zag pattern illustrates the indirect path required by horse and cart going up or down hill. Eagle Road, which takes its present name from the Spread Eagle Tavern, c.1814, led Quaker settlers to the Haverford Meeting House. The railroads and planned communities Brookline

Prior to the First World War Haverford was a township of extensive farms. Property maps in 1862 indicate that the landowners were descendants of the same families that arrived with William Penn: among them, the Lawrences, the Ellises, the Humphreys and the Lewises. In 1895 the Philadelphia and West Chester Traction Company began service between 69th Street and West Chester with a major junction at Llanerch. By 1902 the maps indicated a significant change in land ownership. Most of the old family names no longer appeared. In that same year on May 29, the trolley line opened the branch from Llanerch to Ardmore. Llanerch first appeared as a small community with numbered streets. Darby Road was called Coopertown Road. A commercial rail line, now removed, served Boyle Fuel, Lobb Lumber and the Swell Bubble Gum factory up until the 1960s (see map).

Llanerch

Llanerch, situated at the intersection of West Chester Pike and Darby Road, was the first planned community of Haverford Township. Like many other suburban communities, Llanerch was the child of the railroad companies. The railroad built houses for commuters who bought tickets for the rail lines. In 1897 the community was composed of twelve houses and Saint Andrew's Church. These were all designed by Philadelphia architect Frank Allison Hayes (1866–1930). Llanerch's first school followed in 1905. The present school structure, no longer functioning as a school and converted to an apartment complex, dates from 1913.

Brookline

Brookline, while not the first planned community, was the most fully executed. The Mueller Atlas of Delaware County, 1909, shows the initial layout for Brookline. At that time Darby Road between Eagle Road and Llanerch was called Haverford Road. Some construction began around that year, but it was not until after the First World War that the Manor Real Estate Company, a subsidiary of the railroads, set out a plan for a housing development that offered every service, amenity and community need: "Brookline Manor" (see map). As in the 1909 plan, there is an arrangement of regular streets divided by a broad boulevard. The boulevard intersected at a "T" juncture with the major township thoroughfare, Darby Road. The Boulevard would be home to commercial, religious and educational services. At the upper end of the Boulevard, mercantile stores provided shoe makers, tap rooms, florists, bakery, barbers, a five and ten store, the Quaker Store, the A&P grocery store and the Boulevard movie theater. Along the length of the Boulevard the community found their religious houses of worship: the Methodist Church, Saint Faith Episcopal Church, Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Temple Lutheran. On Earlington Road, to the side of the Boulevard's far end, the Brookline School (1913) met educational needs. Brookline Country Club

Just west of the intersection of the Boulevard with Darby Road was the Brookline Fire Company (1916). Just beyond on Darby Road were the Brookline Library (1938) and the Haverford High School (1923). In the early days the Brookline County Club and the Brookline airport were situated just behind Haverford High School. Back at the intersection of Brookline Boulevard and Darby Road, at the corner of Manoa Road were the police station on the west side and Shearer's greenhouse and nursery on the east side. The railroad company attended to their needs to sell tickets as well as to that of Brookline Manor for transportation. The Red Arrow Trolley line #103 ran from Ardmore down Darby Road, then on to West Chester Pike to 69th and Market Streets, thus offering commuters quick access to the city. The tracks which divided Darby Road were lined with fences of early blooming red roses. A bus line ran from Ardmore to 69th and Market by way of Brookline Boulevard and Earlington Road. The junction of the two lines was at the intersection of Darby Road and Brookline Boulevard. At the far end of Brookline Boulevard commuters found the services of the P&W, The Philadelphia and Western high-speed line, an electric train system that even today is one of the most rapid. With trolley lines at one end, the P&W at the other, and a bus that ran between the two, transportation to Philadelphia could not have been more convenient. The electric trolley lines were dismantled in 1966 in favor of gasoline operated buses.

The Irish in Havertown

The arrival of the Irish in Haverford Township occurred in three phases: the 19th-century mill era, the early 20th-century railroad communities, and the post-World War II suburban housing tracts. Born in Ireland in 1779, Dennis Kelly arrived in Philadelphia in 1806. After several years of manual labor he became the prosperous owner of the complex of mills along Karakung Creek. He and his mills attracted the first Irish Catholics to the otherwise Protestant community. 1860 census records attest to the Irish presence and their occupations in the mills. In 1822, mindful of duty to community and faith, Kelly bought and donated land opposite the Friends' Meeting House on the hilltop above the mills for the construction of the first Catholic church. The second and more significant arrival of the Irish came with the planned community of Brookline, c.1925, and portions of Manoa and Oakmont. In 1927 the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of the Sacred Heart together with their schools assured Catholics seeking life in the suburbs of a religious home. The third and largest phase of the Irish move came with the large brick house tract developments of Beechwood, Chatham Park and Manoa. Today, according to the 2000 US Census, Haverford Twp. ranks in the top 60 of census-recognized municipalities nationwide in percentage of population with Irish ancestry.

Bubble Gum

Havertown is the birthplace of Swell Bubble Gum, founded in 1947, which closed in late 2004 and was demolished in 2011. In 2013, the site became the home of the new Haverford Area YMCA.

Arts and culture

Haverford Music Festival

The concept for the Haverford Music Festival was introduced by the Haverford Township Civic Council (HTCC), a private, non-profit organization that funds historic, environmental, business, and community initiatives in Haverford Township. Inspired by the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Bethlehem Musikfest and other music festivals in the area, the all-day, family-oriented Haverford Music Festival has taken place annually in the Oakmont Business District of Havertown since 2011. In 2012, the festival attracted more than 15,000 people, who enjoyed over 30 bands on three stages. HTCC benefits from festival proceeds and uses to fund community-based programs within Haverford Township. Proceeds from the 2011 Music Festival were given to the Haverford Partnership for Economic Development for Oakmont Business District Beautification.

Parks and recreation

Havertown is home to over 30 outdoor parks and playing fields. The town also provides other recreation facilities, including the Haverford Township Free Library, and the Haverford Township Skatium, a multi-use ice rink for Havertown residents. Parks in Havertown include Llanerch Park, Karakung Field/Drive, Chatham Glen, the Grange Field, and Haverford Reserve/Freedom Playground.

Education

Havertown is served by the

School District of Haverford Township The School District of Haverford Township is a school district in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was created in 1944. The district serves all parts of the township, including Havertown. The current superinte ...

, which has one high school, one middle school, and five elementary schools. A newly refurbished elementary school, Chestnutwold Elementary, re-opened its doors in early September 2008. It replaced Oakmont Elementary, which became home to the district offices. In 2009, Manoa Elementary School moved from Manoa Road to the intersection of Manoa and Eagle Roads, taking part of the field that had been there for many years. In 2021, Lynnewood Elementary opened its doors to the newly refurbished school. The

Haverford High School Haverford Senior High School is the public high school of Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the School District of Haverford Township. It is at 200 Mill Road in Havertown. The school serves the entirety of Haverford T ...

sports teams are called the "Fords," and they have a

Model T Ford The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...

as mascot. Cardinal John Foley Regional School is the area's Catholic school. It formed in 2012 from a merger of Annunciation B.V.M. and St. Denis Catholic schools.

Infrastructure

Police and fire

The town is protected by the Haverford Township Police Department and five volunteer fire companies that make up the Haverford Township Bureau of Fire.

Environmental remediation

Havertown YMCA built on the Havertown PCP Superfund site

The

Havertown Superfund Havertown Superfund is a 13-acre polluted groundwater site in Havertown, Pennsylvania contaminated by the dumping of industrial waste by National Wood Preservers from 1947 to 1991. The state first became aware of the pollution in 1962 and initiate ...

site was caused by the National Wood Preservers wood treatment facility, which was in operation from 1947 to 1991. Chemicals used to treat wood and waste products were dumped into a well on the property. These chemicals fed directly into Naylor's Run Creek and eventually into the Delaware River, for which the creek is a tributary. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked the site the eighth worst cleanup project in the United States and initiated remediation efforts in 1976. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1983 and designated as a Superfund cleanup site in early 1990s. The EPA transferred control of the site to the

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the agency in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, water, and public health through enforcement of the state's environmental laws. ...

in 2013. Although approximately 26,000 people live within a mile of the site, there are no known users of the groundwater within a one-mile radius of the site. The nearby population is on the public water supply. The site was deemed to be "short-term protective of human health and the environment" in the sixth five-year report conducted by the EPA in 2020. A

self storage Self storage (a shorthand for "self-service storage," and also known as "device storage") is an industry that rents storage space (such as rooms, lockers, containers, and/or outdoor space), also known as "storage units," to tenants, usually on ...

facility and a

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams (philanthropist), Georg ...

facility were built over parts of the remediated site. Treatment of contaminated groundwater and monitoring of the site are ongoing.

Notable people

Howard Benson Howard Benson is an American music producer and multi-instrumentalist. He was nominated for the Producer of the Year Grammy Award in 2007 and 2008. Early life and education Benson was born and raised in a middle-class family in greater Philad ...

, two-time Grammy nominated producer *

Jan Berenstain Stanley Melvin Berenstain (September 29, 1923 – November 26, 2005) and Janice Marian Berenstain (née Grant; July 26, 1923 – February 24, 2012) were American writers and illustrators best known for creating the children's book ser ...

, one of the creators of the

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, briefly attended Manoa school in the late 1920s until the Depression compelled the family to return to Philadelphia; her autobiography mentions a broken collarbone from a tussle in the Manoa School playground. *

Leo Burt Leo Frederick Burt (born April 18, 1948) is an American man indicted in connection with the August 24, 1970 Sterling Hall bombing at the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, a protest against the Vietnam War. The bombing killed physics resea ...

, anti-war activist, still at-large; on

FBI Most Wanted List The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives is a most wanted list maintained by the United States's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The list arose from a conversation held in late 1949 between J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI, and William K ...

in connection with 1970 Sterling Hall bombing at University of Wisconsin campus *

Jerry Crawford Gerald Joseph Crawford (born August 13, 1947) is a former umpire in Major League Baseball. He first umpired in the National League from 1977 to 1999, then worked in both major leagues from 2000 to 2010. Career He was a crew chief from 1998 thr ...

, former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

umpire *

Joey Crawford Joseph Crawford (born August 30, 1951 in Havertown, Pennsylvania) is an American retired professional basketball Official (basketball), referee who worked in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1977 and 2016. Crawford, who wore un ...

, NBA referee * Marguerite de Angeli, award-winning children's book author who lived in Manoa in 1930s * Tim Donaghy, former NBA referee, game fixer * Kyle Eckel, NFL player, two-time MVP of Army-Navy game *

John Facenda John Thomas Ralph Augustine James Facenda ( ; August 8, 1913September 26, 1984) was an American broadcaster and sports announcer. He was a fixture on Philadelphia radio and television for decades, and achieved national fame as a narrator for N ...

, Philadelphia newscaster and narrator for

NFL Films NFL Productions, LLC, doing business as NFL Films, is the film and television production company of the National Football League. It produces commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries for and about the NFL, as well as ...

* Rick Fisher, two-time Tony Award winner for lighting * Stephen Freind, Republican representative in Pennsylvania General Assembly * Alex G, singer-songwriter *

Frank Gasparro Frank Gasparro (August 26, 1909 – September 29, 2001) was the tenth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, holding this position from February 23, 1965, to January 16, 1981. Before that, he was Assistant Engraver. He designed both sides of th ...

, Chief Engraver of the US Mint *

Julie Gold Julie Gold (born February 3, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her musical composition "From a Distance," which became a hit for Bette Midler and won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1991. "From a Distance" ha ...

, composer & Grammy Song of the Year Award winner, 1991, "From a Distance" *

Brendan Hansen Brendan Joseph Hansen (born August 15, 1981) is an American former competition swimmer who specialized in breaststroke events. Hansen is a six-time Olympic medalist, and is also a former world record-holder in both the 100-meter and 200-meter ...

, four-time Olympic medalist *

Joshua Humphreys Joshua Humphreys (June 17, 1751 – January 12, 1838) was an American ship builder and naval architect. He was the constructor of the original six frigates of the United States Navy and is known as the "Father of the American Navy". Humphreys wa ...

, shipbuilder *

Ross Katz Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sout ...

, film producer * Billy King, former GM of NBA's Philadelphia 76ers *

John LeClair John Clark LeClair (born July 5, 1969) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. With the Flyers, LeCl ...

, played for NHL's

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...

Joe Lunardi Joseph Lunardi is an American college basketball analyst for ESPN. He was born in Philadelphia, attended Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, as well as Damien High School in CA, and is a Saint Joseph's University alumnus. Lunardi ...

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...

bracketologist *

Glen Macnow Glen Harry Macnow (born April 23, 1955) is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sports talk radio host on 94 WTEL (AM), WIP. Background Macnow was born in New York City on April 23, 1955, and raised in Buffalo, New York. He went to Boston University (w ...

, Philadelphia radio personality *

Marcus McElhenney Marcus McElhenney (born July 27, 1981) is an Americans, American coxswain. He won a bronze medal in the Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's eight, men's eight at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Life and career McElhenney first competed inter ...

, coxswain, 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist *

Mary Lou Metzger Mary Lou Metzger (born November 13, 1950) is an American singer and dancer best known as a cast member on ''The Lawrence Welk Show''. Metzger was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the only child of Ernie and Helen Metzger. The family moved to Ha ...

, singer and dancer on ''

Lawrence Welk Show ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years, from 1951 to 1955, then nationally for another 16 years on ABC from 1955 ...

'' *

Ryan Mulhern Ryan Patrick Mulhern (born January 11, 1973) is an American former ice hockey player. He played 3 games in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals during the 1997–98 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1996 to 200 ...

, former

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...

hockey player * David Ricketts, composer, guitarist, producer for A&M Records * Robin Roberts, Phillies pitcher,

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

r, resided in Manoa *

James Rolfe James D. Rolfe (born July 10, 1980) is an American YouTuber, online personality, filmmaker, and actor. He is best known for creating and starring in the comedic retrogaming web series ''The Angry Video Game Nerd'' (2004–present). His spin-off ...

, ''

Angry Video Game Nerd ''The Angry Video Game Nerd'' (abbreviated as ''AVGN'') is an American retrogaming review comedy web series created by and starring James Rolfe. The series centers on Rolfe's titular skit character, often simply shortened to "the Nerd" (sometim ...

'' *

Michael Sembello Michael Andrew Sembello (born April 17, 1954) is an American singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sembello was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his 1983 song "M ...

, composer, guitarist, wrote "Maniac" for ''Flashdance'' film soundtrack * Jean Shiley-Newhouse, 1932 Olympic gold medalist *

Mike Tollin Michael Tollin is an American film and television producer/director who served as executive producer of the Emmy award-winning ''The Last Dance'', a 10-part documentary series on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty. The series received ...

, film producer and director * Sam Venuto, former

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

Tom Verica Tom Verica (born May 13, 1964) is an American actor, director, and producer, best known for his role as Sam Keating in the ABC drama ''How to Get Away with Murder'' (2014-2020). He also played Jack Pryor in the NBC critically acclaimed drama ''A ...

, actor *

Mark Yudof Mark George Yudof (born October 30, 1944) is an American law professor and academic administrator. He is a former president of the University of California (2008-2013), former chancellor of the University of Texas System (2002–2008), and former ...

, president of University of California

References

External links

* {{authority control Haverford Township, Pennsylvania Irish-American neighborhoods Irish-American history Irish-American culture Unincorporated communities in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Philadelphia Main Line Unincorporated communities in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1681 1681 establishments in Pennsylvania