Lower Merion Township is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

in Montgomery County,

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 part of the

Philadelphia Main Line The Philadelphia Main Line, known simply as the Main Line, is an informally delineated historical and social region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lying along the former Pennsylvania Railroad's once prestigious Main Line, it runs ...

. The township's name originates with the county of

Merioneth , HQ= Dolgellau , Government= Merionethshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= , Status= , Start= 1284 , End= , Code= MER , CodeName= ...

in north

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 ...

. Merioneth is an English-language

transcription Transcription refers to the process of converting sounds (voice, music etc.) into letters or musical notes, or producing a copy of something in another medium, including: Genetics * Transcription (biology), the copying of DNA into RNA, the fir ...

of the Welsh ''Meirionnydd''. Lower Merion is one of the major inner ring suburbs 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 ...

, along with

Upper Darby Upper Darby Township, often shortened to Upper Darby, is a Home Rule Municipality (Pennsylvania), home rule Township (Pennsylvania), township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The township borders Philadelphia, the List of United States cities b ...

, Haverford, and Cheltenham. With a population of 63,633, Lower Merion Township is the ninth most populous city, town or borough in Pennsylvania as of the

2020 U.S. census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

. Lower Merion Township is located south of

Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them: *Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California *Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County *Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Taze ...

, Pennsylvania's third largest city, and northwest of

, the state's largest city.

History

Lower Merion Township was first settled in 1682 by Welsh

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

, who were granted a tract of land, the Welsh Tract, by

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 ...

. In 1713, Lower Merion was established as an independent Township with about 52 landholders and tenants. In 1900, the Township was incorporated as a Township of the First Class. Lower Merion is home to the oldest continuously used place of worship in the United States, the Merion Friends Meeting House, used continuously since 1695. On April 4, 1991, U.S. Senator

John Heinz Henry John Heinz III (October 23, 1938 – April 4, 1991) was an American businessman and Republican politician from Pennsylvania. Heinz represented the Pittsburgh suburbs in the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977 and ...

died while as a passenger in a

Piper Aerostar The Piper Aerostar (formerly Ted Smith Aerostar) is an American twin-engined propeller-driven executive or light transport aircraft, designed by Ted R. Smith. It was originally built by Ted Smith Aircraft Company, which after 1978 became part o ...

propeller aircraft when it collided with a Bell 412 helicopter over the Merion Elementary School in the

Merion air disaster In southeastern Pennsylvania on April 4, 1991, a Piper Aerostar propeller-driven aircraft Mid-air collision, collided in mid-air with a Bell 412 helicopter over Merion Elementary School in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, Lower Merion Township ...

. The other four people in both aircraft also died, and the falling debris from the aircraft also caused the death of two elementary students and injured five others. The Mill Creek Historic District, and Seville Theatre are 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 ...

. Green Hill Farms was added in 2011. In 2010, the township received national media attention when a student filed a lawsuit, ''

Robbins v. Lower Merion School District ''Robbins v. Lower Merion School District'' is a federal class action lawsuit, brought in February 2010 on behalf of students of two high schools in Lower Merion Township, a suburb of Philadelphia. In October 2010, the school district agreed to ...

'', after a school administrator used the webcam of a school-issued laptop to spy on the student while the student was in his home. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed an amicus brief in support of the student. In 2012, the

Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...

modified the

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...

in a way that would have required the replacement of Lower Merion's historic street signs, some of which date back to the early 1910s. After some campaigning by local residents and by Senator

Pat Toomey Patrick Joseph Toomey Jr. (born November 17, 1961) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for Pennsylvania since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms as the U.S. representat ...

, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners declared, via an ordinance, the entire Lower Merion as a historic district and received a waiver from Secretary of Transportation

Ray LaHood Raymond H. LaHood (born December 6, 1945) is an American politician who served as the 16th United States Secretary of Transportation from 2009 to 2013 under President Barack Obama. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the ...

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township has a total area of 23.9 square miles (61.8 km²), of which 23.7 square miles (61.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.4 km²) (0.67%) is water. The township is bounded by the Wynnefield Heights, Belmont Village, Wynnefield, and Overbrook communities in the city of

; the Boroughs of

Conshohocken Conshohocken ( ; Lenape: ''Kanshihàkink'') is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in ...

and

West Conshohocken West Conshohocken is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,320 at the 2010 census. Its sister community is Conshohocken, located across the Schuylkill River. Montgomery County's seat, Norristown, is lo ...

, and the Townships of Upper Merion and Whitemarsh in Montgomery County and by the Townships of Haverford and Radnor in Delaware County. The Borough of Narberth, a separate political entity of one-half square mile, is completely surrounded by the Township. Forming the township's southern border is

City Avenue U.S. Route 1 (US 1) is a major north–south U.S. Highway, extending from Key West, Florida, in the south to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border in the north. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, US 1 runs for from the Maryland state lin ...

(

U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making ...

) separating it from the City of Philadelphia. Along City Ave, starting with the Schuylkill Expressway and continuing on to Lord & Taylor at Belmont Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, is what is known as the "Golden Mile" which also includes the radio and television studios of WCAU, the Exxon Building, the Fox Building and the Germantown Savings Bank Building. Behind those buildings are the One-Ninety-One Condominiums and the Bala Cynwyd Plazas. The township's eastern border is along the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It f ...

, which is paralleled by the

Schuylkill Expressway The Schuylkill Expressway , locally known as "the Schuylkill", is a freeway through southern Montgomery County and the city of Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, and the easternmost segment of Interstate 76 (I-76) in the U.S. state of Pennsyl ...

(

I-76 Interstate 76 may refer to: Interstate Highways in the United States * Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska) * Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania Video gaming * ''Interstate '76 ''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular ...

), a limited access roadway that connects to Philadelphia and the Valley Forge Interchange of the

Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's w ...

. The Mid-County Interchange is located just outside the township. Other highways serving the Township are

U.S. Route 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...

and Pennsylvania Routes 23 and 320. Before European settlement, Lower Merion's dense forest was home to bears, cougars, wolves, rattlesnakes, otters, beavers, weasels, turkeys, grouses, woodland bison, trout, and bald eagles. When Europeans arrived, they began cutting down the forests, chasing away much of the wildlife. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Lower Merion transformed from a farming township to a suburban area, and wildlife changed accordingly. Today, red foxes, white-footed mice, horned owls, skunks, raccoons, crayfish, songbirds, butterflies, and white-tailed deer populate the township.

Unincorporated communities

* Ardmore (also in Delaware County) *

Bala Cynwyd Bala Cynwyd ( ) is a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. It is located on the Philadelphia Main Line in Southeastern Pennsylvania, bordering the western edge of Philadelphia at U.S. Route 1 (City Avenue). It was originally two separ ...

* Belmont Hills * Bryn Mawr (also in Delaware County) * Gladwyne * Haverford (also in Delaware County) * Merion *Overbrook Hills *Pencoyd * Penn Valley * Penn Wynne *Roseglen * Rosemont (also in Delaware County) * Villanova (also in Delaware County) * Wynnewood

Climate

Lower Merion straddles the boundary between a hot-summer

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(''Dfa'') and a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa''). The hardiness zone is 7a. Average monthly temperatures in Gladwyne range from 31.7 °F in January to 76.5 °F in July, in Bryn Mawr they range from 31.4 °F in January to 76.4 °F in July, and at the former location of NBC 10 studios in Bala Cynwyd they range from 32.6 °F in January to 77.4 °F in July

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the township was 85.7% White, 5.6% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 6.0% Asian, and 1.9% were two or more races. 3.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 59,850 people, 22,868 households, and 15,024 families residing in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 2,526.1 people per square mile (975.4/km²). There were 23,699 housing units at an average density of 1,000.3/sq mi (386.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.30%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 4.50%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.08% Native American, 3.42%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.07%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.50% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

and 1.12% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.60% of the population. There were 22,868 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.99. In the township, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64 and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.5 males. For every 100 women aged 18 and over, there were 78.7 males. The median income for a household in the township was $86,373, and the median income for a family was $115,694 (these figures had risen to $114,608 and $148,123 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Men had a median income of $77,692 versus $43,793 for women. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the township was $55,526. About 1.9% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Lower Merion is a first-class township with 14 commissioners elected by ward. *Daniel Bernheim (D), Ward 1 *Joshua Grimes (D), Ward 2 *Michael F. McKeon (D), Ward 3 *Anthony C. Stevenson (D), Ward 4 *Ray A. Courtney (D), Ward 5 *Andrew S. Gavrin (D), Ward 6 *Sean P. Whalen (D), Ward 7 *Shawn Kraemer (D), Ward 8 *David F. McComb (D), Ward 9 *V. Scott Zelov (R), Ward 10 *Tiffany O'Neill (R), Ward 11 *Todd M. Sinai (D), Ward 12, President *Gilda L. Kramer (D), Ward 13 *Rick Churchill (D), Ward 14 The Township is part of the Fourth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Madeleine Dean), the Fifth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon), the 149th State House District (represented by Rep. Tim Briggs), the 148th State House District (represented by Rep. Mary Jo Daley), the 194th State House District (represented by Rep. Pam DeLissio) and the 17th State Senate District (represented by Sen. Amanda Cappelletti).

Rail stations

Lower Merion Township is the heart of the affluent

series of suburban communities, named after the "

Main Line Mainline, ''Main line'', or ''Main Line'' may refer to: Transportation Railway * Main line (railway), the principal artery of a railway system * Main line railway preservation, the practice of operating preserved trains on an operational railw ...

" of the former

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

that runs through the township. Now known as the

SEPTA The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five c ...

Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line, or R5 commonly known as the Main Line, is a SEPTA Regional Rail service running from Center City Philadelphia through Montgomery County and Delaware County to Thorndale in Chester County. It operates along the far eas ...

, the rail line has station stops in Lower Merion in the following communities within the township: * Merion Station in Merion *

Wynnewood Station Wynnewood station is a SEPTA Regional Rail station in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. It is located at Wynnewood and Penn Roads in Philadelphia's western suburbs, and is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains with the exception of several express run ...

in Wynnewood * Ardmore Station in Ardmore (also served by

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

's '' Keystone Service'') * Haverford Station in Haverford * Bryn Mawr Station in Bryn Mawr * Rosemont Station in Rosemont The

Cynwyd Line The Cynwyd Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line from Center City Philadelphia to Cynwyd in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Originally known as the Ivy Ridge Line, service was truncated on May 17, 1986, at its current terminus at Cynwyd. Trac ...

, with weekday service, has stops at: * Bala Station * Cynwyd Station (both in

)

Economy

Top employers

According to a Lower Merion Township bond document, the top employers in 2015 were:

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Pupils living in the Lower Merion Township attend schools in the

Lower Merion School District Lower Merion School District, or LMSD, is a public school district located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The school district includes residents of both Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth. Established in 18 ...

unless they go to a private school. The educational roots of the township stretch back to the Lower Merion Academy, one of the first public schools in the country. There are six elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools (

Lower Merion Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Philadelphia Main Line. The township's name originates with the county of Merioneth in north Wales. Merioneth is an English-language transcription of the W ...

and Harriton High Schools). Students are split between schools depending on location of residence.

Notable graduates

Basketball star Kobe Bryant attended Lower Merion High School. He led the Aces to the state championship in 1996. Producer

Marshall Herskovitz Marshall Schreiber Herskovitz (born February 23, 1952) is an American film director, writer, and producer, and currently the President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America. Among his productions are ''Traffic'', '' The Last Samurai'', '' ...

was also once a student at Lower Merion High School. Author

Lisa Scottoline Lisa Scottoline (; born July 1, 1955) is an American author of legal thrillers. Life Born in the Lower Moyamensing neighborhood of Philadelphia, Scottoline attended Lower Merion High School and then went on to earn a B.A. in English magna cum la ...

graduated from

Lower Merion High School Lower Merion High School is a public high school in Ardmore, a community in Philadelphia's Main Line suburbs. It is one of two high schools in the Lower Merion School District; the other one is Harriton High School. Lower Merion serves both Lo ...

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

's first secretary of state,

Alexander Haig Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. (; December 2, 1924February 20, 2010) was United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House Chief of Staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Prior to and in between these ...

, graduated from Lower Merion High School, as did

Robert Fagles Robert Fagles (; September 11, 1933 – March 26, 2008) was an American professor, poet, and academic, best known for his many translations of ancient Greek and Roman classics, especially his acclaimed translations of the epic poems of Homer. ...

Lawrence Summers Lawrence Henry Summers (born November 30, 1954) is an American economist who served as the 71st United States secretary of the treasury from 1999 to 2001 and as director of the National Economic Council from 2009 to 2010. He also served as pres ...

, the former president of Harvard University and the 71st Secretary of the Treasury, graduated from

Harriton High School Harriton High School is a public secondary school serving portions of Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. The school is located on the Philadelphia Main Line. Harriton is one of two high schools in the Lower Merion School District; the other is ...

. Actor

David Boreanaz David Paul Boreanaz ( born May 16, 1969) is an American actor, television producer, and director known for playing the roles of vampire-turned-private investigator Angel on The WB/ UPN ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' supernatural drama (1997–200 ...

attended Rosemont School of the Holy Child in the Rosemont section of Lower Merion Township. His father, Dave Roberts, is a weatherman for

WPVI-TV WPVI-TV (channel 6), branded on-air as 6 ABC, is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, airing programming from the ABC network. Owned and operated by the network's ABC Owned Television Stations division, the stati ...

's Action News in

Private schools

Rosemont School of the Holy Child, located in Rosemont and in Lower Merion Township, is affiliated with but not governed by the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as ...

. The school is adjacent to Rosemont College. Other private schools in the area include The Shipley School,

The Baldwin School The Baldwin School (simply referred to as Baldwin School or Baldwin) is a private school for girls in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1888 by Florence Baldwin. The school occupies a 19th-century resort hotel designed by ...

Waldron Mercy Academy Waldron Mercy Academy is a K- 8 Catholic private elementary school, sponsored by thSisters of Mercyand located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, located in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, USA. The school is accredited by the Mi ...

The Haverford School , motto_translation = , address = 450 Lancaster Avenue , location = , region = , city = Haverford , county = , state = Pennsylvania , ...

The Agnes Irwin School The Agnes Irwin School is a non-sectarian college preparatory day school for girls from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. It was founded in 1869 by Agnes Irwin in Philadelphia. Irwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, later beca ...

, Friends Central School,

French International School of Philadelphia The French International School of Philadelphia (french: École française internationale de Philadelphie, EFIP) is a French international school in Bala Cynwyd, Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania within the Delaware Valley. As of 1993 it is the ...

, Kohelet Yeshiva High School, The Mesivta High School, Caskey Torah Academy, and other schools outside the area.

Colleges and universities

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College ( ; Welsh: ) is a women's liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Founded as a Quaker institution in 1885, Bryn Mawr is one of the Seven Sister colleges, a group of elite, historically women's colleges in the United ...

Harcum College Harcum College is a private associate degree-granting college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1915 and was the first college in Pennsylvania authorized to grant associate degrees. History Edith Hatcher, daughter of prominent Vir ...

Rosemont College , mottoeng = I will lift my eyes up to the hills , established = 1921 , type = Private college , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Society of the Holy Child Jesus) , president = J ...

, and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary are located in Lower Merion Township. The campus of Saint Joseph's University straddles the city line between Lower Merion and Philadelphia, while Haverford College straddles the lines between Lower Merion and Haverford Townships.

Miscellaneous education

The Japanese Language School of Philadelphia (JLSP, フィラデルフィア日本語補習授業校 ''Firaderufia Nihongo Hoshū Jugyō Kō''), a supplementary Japanese school, holds its classes at the Friends Central School (FCS) in Wynnewood and in Lower Merion Township. Residents are also serviced by the

Lower Merion Library System The Lower Merion Library System (LMLS) is the public library system of the township of Lower Merion, in Pennsylvania. It is among the largest public library systems in Pennsylvania. While Lower Merion accounts for 7% of the population of Montg ...

Historic features

NRHP Historic Districts

* Bryn Mawr College Historic District * Gladwyne Historic District * Mill Creek Historic District

Notable buildings and structures

*1690 House (1690), part of Mill Creek Historic District *

Arboretum of the Barnes Foundation The Arboretum of the Barnes Foundation (5 ha / 12 acres) is an arboretum and the former site of the Barnes Foundation art gallery located at 300 North Latch's Lane, Merion, Pennsylvania, with entrance at 50 Lapsley Lane. Since 2018 the adjacent ...

(1922) *

(1890–91), NRHP listed * Black Rock Dam (1825) *

Bryn Mawr Hospital Bryn Mawr Hospital, part of Main Line Health, is a 264-bed acute care hospital located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Bryn Mawr, pronounced , from Welsh language, Welsh for big hill, is a census-designated place (CDP) located across three towns ...

(1893) * Bryn Mawr Theater (1926), NRHP listed *

Dolobran Dolobran is a Shingle style architecture, Shingle Style house at 231 Laurel Lane in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It was designed by architect Frank Furness for shipping magnate Clement Griscom in 1881, and was expanded at least twice by Furness. The h ...

(1881) *

Flat Rock Tunnel The Flat Rock Tunnel is an active railroad tunnel located on Norfolk Southern's Harrisburg Line near Manayunk, Pennsylvania, United States. The tunnel was built by the Reading Railroad for its line along the Schuylkill River. Construction of t ...

(1838–40) *Green Hill Farms (1695), NRHP listed * Harriton House (1704), NRHP listed * Idlewild Farm Complex (1740), NRHP listed *

Lankenau Medical Center Lankenau Medical Center, part of Main Line Health, is a 370-bed acute care, teaching hospital in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Lankenau Medical Center has been named as one of the top 5 hospitals in the Philadelphia region by '' U.S. News & World Repo ...

(1953) *

Lower Merion Academy Bala Cynwyd Junior High School Complex, is a historic school complex in Bala Cynwyd, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The complex includes the Bala Cynwyd Middle School, the Cynwyd Elementary School, as well as the former Lo ...

(1812), NRHP listed *

Manayunk Bridge The Manayunk Bridge (also known as the Manayunk Viaduct, Pencoyd Viaduct, and Schuylkill River Railroad Bridge) is an S-shaped former railroad bridge over the Schuylkill River, Schuylkill Canal and Schuylkill Expressway, that connects Bala Cyn ...

(1918) *

Merion Cricket Club Merion Cricket Club is a private club in Haverford, Pennsylvania, founded in 1865. The current clubhouse is its sixth, the last four having been designed by Philadelphia architect Frank Furness and his partner, Allen Evans, who was also a founder ...

(1897), NRHP listed * Merion Friends Meeting House (1714), NRHP listed *Merion Tribute House (1924) *

Pencoyd Pencoyd is a hamlet and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. The parish, which also includes the hamlet of Netherton and part of the hamlet of Harewood End, both to the east of Pencoyd hamlet, is approximately south from the city and county ...

(c.1690, demolished 1964) *

Philadelphia Country Club Philadelphia Country Club is a private country club located in the Gladwyne suburb of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It has 27 holes of regulation golf including one 18-hole championship course, a nine-hole course, an ...

(1890) * Rathalla, Rosemont College (1889–91), NRHP listed * St. Charles Borromeo Seminary (1871) * Suburban Square (1928) * M. Carey Thomas Library (1901–07), NRHP listed * General Wayne Inn (1704), NRHP listed *

West Laurel Hill Cemetery West Laurel Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1869, is 200 acres in size and contains the burials of many notable people. It is affiliated with Laurel Hill Cemetery in neighboring P ...

(1869), NRHP listed * Whitehall Apartments (1925–26), NRHP listed * Woodmont (1891–94), NRHP listed *Yorklynne (1899-1902, demolished 1974), former campus of

Episcopal Academy The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12 based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Prior to 2008, the main campus was located in Merion Station and the satellite campus was located in D ...

, removed from NRHP 1974

Notable people

Walter Annenberg Walter Hubert Annenberg (March 13, 1908 – October 1, 2002) was an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and diplomat. Annenberg owned and operated Triangle Publications, which included ownership of ''The Philadelphia Inquirer' ...

, newspaper tycoon/philanthropist *

Hap Arnold Henry Harley Arnold (June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950) was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1941), ...

WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Air Force general * Albert C. Barnes * James Hadley Billington, Librarian of Congress * Kobe Bryant, basketball legend, five-time NBA champion with the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

Taylor Buchholz Taylor Buchholz (born October 13, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Biography Buchholz stands 6 feet 4 inches tall, and weighs 220 lbs. He bats and throws right-handed. He grew up and lives in Springfield, Pe ...

, baseball player *

John Debella John DeBella is an American DJ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 102.9 WMGK-FM. He was born in Queens, New York. Career Before arriving in Philadelphia, DeBella did a stint at WLIR Garden City. In the early 1980s he hosted ''The DeBella Traves ...

, DJ *

Shelly Gross Sheldon Harvey "Shelly" Gross (May 20, 1921 – June 19, 2009) was an American producer and promoter of concerts and theatrical performances, who developed a number of venues in suburban areas outside major cities on the East Coast together wi ...

, film producer *

, Secretary of State * Patti LaBelle, Grammy award-winning singer *

Howard Lassoff Howard Alan Lassoff (October 15, 1955 – February 7, 2013) was an American-Israeli basketball player. He also played in Israel for 14 years. Biography Initially interested in tennis, Lassoff grew to 6 feet 10 inches tall. He became interes ...

American-Israeli , native_name_lang = , image = , caption = , population = 110,000–150,000 , popplace = New York metropolitan area, Los Angeles metropolitan area, Miami metropolitan area, and other large metropolitan are ...

basketball player *

Jeffrey Lurie Jeffrey Robert Lurie (born September 8, 1951) is an American motion picture producer, businessman, and the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Early life and education Lurie was born to a Jewish family in Bos ...

, producer, businessman and owner of NFL's

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

Garry Maddox Garry Lee Maddox (born September 1, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and business entrepreneur. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from to . Maddox began his career with the San Francisco Giants but, ...

, baseball player *

Brooke McCarter Brooke McCarter (April 22, 1963 – December 22, 2015) was an American actor, producer, director, composer and musician. He is known for the role of Paul in the 1987 vampire horror comedy ''The Lost Boys''. Background McCarter was born in Bryn M ...

, actor, singer, director, producer star of the film ''The Lost Boys'' *

Tim McCarver James Timothy McCarver (born October 16, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from to , most prominently as a member of the St. Louis Cardina ...

, major league catcher and baseball broadcaster *

David Magerman David Mitchell Magerman (born 1968) is an American computer scientist and philanthropist. He spent 22 years working for an investment management company and hedge fund, Renaissance Technologies. Early life and education Magerman was born to Melv ...

, philanthropist *

Teddy Pendergrass Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter. He was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. Pendergrass spent most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musi ...

, Grammy winning singer * M. Night Shyamalan, filmmaker * Martin J. Silverstein, attorney and diplomat who served as United States Ambassador http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/RC/2015/S0027.pdf https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/NC/2015/20150127.pdf *

, former Harvard president

References

External links

Lower Merion Township

Lower Merion Historical Society

Lower Merion School District
{{authority control 1713 establishments in Pennsylvania Philadelphia Main Line Townships in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania