Radnor Township, often called simply Radnor, is a first class township with home rule status in

Delaware County, Pennsylvania Delaware County, colloquially referred to as Delco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With a population of 576,830 as of the 2020 census, it is the List of counties in Pennsylv ...

, United States. Radnor Township is part of the famed Main Line of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. As of the 2019

United States census The United States census (plural censuses or census) is a census that is legally mandated by the Constitution of the United States. It takes place every ten years. The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790 United States ce ...

, the township's population was 31875. Radnor Township is the largest municipality in Delaware County by land area and the fourth-largest by population, following Upper Darby Township,

Haverford Township Haverford Township is a home rule municipality township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States.Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

. Radnor Township is one of the oldest municipalities in Pennsylvania. Radnor Township was founded as a part of the

Welsh tract The Welsh Tract, also called the Welsh Barony, was a portion of the Province of Pennsylvania, a British colony in North America (today a U.S. state), settled largely by Welsh-speaking Quakers in the late 17th century. The region is located to the ...

. The original settlers were Welsh-speaking Quakers, led by John Roberts, in an attempt to establish a

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

of Wales in Pennsylvania. In about 1681, a group of Welsh Quakers met with

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...

to secure a grant of land in which they could conduct their affairs in their own language. The parties agreed on a tract covering , to be constituted as a separate county whose people and government could conduct their affairs in Welsh.

, an English

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

, laid out the township in an elongated rectangle located parallel to the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river in eastern Pennsylvania. It flows for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map(). accessed April 1, 2011. from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Pottsville ...

, and the borders of the township have remained unchanged since its founding in 1682. In 1717, the Welsh Friends built a meeting house on a trail made by the

Susquehannock The Susquehannock, also known as the Conestoga, Minquas, and Andaste, were an Iroquoian Peoples, Iroquoian people who lived in the lower Susquehanna River watershed in what is now Pennsylvania. Their name means “people of the muddy river.” T ...

in Radnor Township. Radnor Township grew around the meeting house and remained the center of population of the township for 200 years. The new township was named Radnor after the county in Wales called

Radnorshire Radnorshire () was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974, later becoming a Districts of Wales, district of Powys from 1974 to 1996. It covered a sparsely populat ...

. The influence of the Welsh, some of whom were forced by heavy taxation to sell their land, waned in the latter half of the 18th century. A hint of Radnor's beginnings remain in the names of streets and places evident throughout the community, such as the St. Davids neighborhood, named for

Saint David David (; ; ) was a Welsh Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Mynyw during the 6th century. He is the patron saint of Wales. David was a native of Wales, and tradition has preserved a relatively large amount of detail about his life. ...

, the patron saint of Wales. There are a number colleges and universities located in Radnor Township, of which the two largest are

Villanova University Villanova University is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842 and named after Thomas of Villanova, Saint Thom ...

and

Cabrini University Cabrini University was a private Catholic university in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1957, and was named after the first American naturalized citizen saint, Mother Franc ...

. The

Valley Forge Military Academy and College Valley Forge Military Academy and College (VFMAC) is a private boarding school (grades 7–12) and military junior college in Wayne, Pennsylvania. It follows in the traditional military school format with army traditions. The high-school p ...

is located in the neighborhood of Wayne and Eastern University is located in the neighborhood of St. Davids.

History

Colonial era

In 1681, Richard Davies purchased 5,000 acres from

. These lands were sold to various purchasers and were mainly in the location of current Radnor Township. The township was part of the

Welsh Tract The Welsh Tract, also called the Welsh Barony, was a portion of the Province of Pennsylvania, a British colony in North America (today a U.S. state), settled largely by Welsh-speaking Quakers in the late 17th century. The region is located to the ...

and was named for

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

. In 1717, the Welsh Friends erected a

meetinghouse ( Radnor Friends Meetinghouse) near what is now the intersection of Conestoga Road and Sproul Road at the geographic center of the township. The new town, "Radnorville", later known as the community of "Ithan" after nearby Ithan Creek, grew around the meetinghouse. The Welsh influence waned in the late 18th century as many left the area due to high taxation. Stone monuments were erected in various locations throughout the township in the late 20th century to commemorate the township's Welsh heritage.

18th century

In 1794, the

Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, first used in 1795, is the first long-distance paved road built in the United States, according to engineered plans and specifications. It links Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia at 34th Street, s ...

was built through Radnor Township, making it the first

toll road A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and connecting the cities of

and

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster ( ) is a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, eighth-most populous ci ...

. The turnpike was populated by businesses over time and forms the modern Lancaster Avenue. Lancaster Avenue is the largest and busiest roadway in Radnor Township that is not an interstate, and along it lies many notable places, including Villanova University and Downtown Wayne. The Columbia Railroad, later part of the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as 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. At its ...

also passed through the township in 1832. As a result, Radnor Township is today recognized among the collection of Philadelphia suburbs known as the Main Line. The Main Line railroad facilities are still used by

SEPTA SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people througho ...

(the Philadelphia area's transit authority) for its

Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line, commonly known as the Main Line, is a SEPTA Regional Rail service running from Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia through Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery County and Delaware County, Pennsylvan ...

and

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 intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

19th and 20th centuries

In the 1880s, George W. Childs bought property in the community of Louella in the western part of Radnor Township, renamed the area

Wayne, Pennsylvania Wayne is an unincorporated community centered in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, on the Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburbs located along the railroad tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad and one of the ...

(after

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

hero

Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and a Founding Father of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military expl ...

) and organized one of the

's first

suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

developments. A separate railroad passing through Radnor Township, the

Philadelphia and Western Railroad The Philadelphia and Western Railroad was a high-speed, third rail-equipped, commuter-hauling interurban electric railroad operating in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is now SEPTA, SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line, thoug ...

, was opened in the early 20th century. Today, parts of that railroad are still used as SEPTA's

Norristown High Speed Line The M, formerly known as the Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL), is a interurban light rapid transit line in the SEPTA Metro network, running between the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby and the Norristown Transportation Center ...

, while others have been repurposed into

walking trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or a small paved road (though it can also be a route along a navigable waterways) generally not intended for usage by motorized vehicles, usually passing through a natural area. Howe ...

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and 0.07% is water. Waterways in Radnor Township include Darby Creek, Ithan Creek, Little Darby Creek, Meadowbrook Run, and Gulph Creek.

Climate

Radnor Township has 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 cold ...

(''Dfa'') and the

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

is 7a. Average monthly temperatures in St. Davids range from 30.7 °F in January to 75.4 °F in July.

Locations

Adjacent municipalities

* Tredyffrin Township-northwest * Upper Merion Township-north and northeast * Lower Merion Township-east *

Haverford Township Haverford Township is a home rule municipality township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States.Marple Township-south * Newtown Township-southwest * Easttown Township-west

Neighborhoods

Radnor Township is divided into many neighborhoods. Some of these neighborhoods are well-defined, while others have unclear boundaries. The

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

of Wayne is further divided into smaller historic districts: the North Wayne Historic District and South Wayne Historic District, used as residential areas, and the Downtown Wayne Historic District used for commercial activity. Some mainly residential neighborhoods include St. Davids, Ithan and

Rosemont Rosemont may refer to: People Rosemont is a surname. Notable people with this surname include: * David A. Rosemont, American television producer * Franklin Rosemont (1943–2009), American poet, artist, historian * Norman Rosemont (1924–2018), ...

. The

unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

of Garrett Hill and Villanova are notable for their substantial

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

populations. Some neighborhoods, such as Strafford and Bryn Mawr, are split over municipal lines and are shared by at least one other township adjacent to Radnor.

Demographics

Racial breakdown

As of 2010 census, the racial makeup of the township was 85.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 3.9%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 7.9% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 3.0% of the populatio
Explore Census Data
As of the 2000 census, there were 30,878 people, 10,347 households, and 6,373 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 10,731 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 89.55%

, 5.67% Asian, 3.09%

, 0.08% Native American, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.62% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were

or Latino of any race.

Familial size

There were 10,347 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.08.

Age and poverty

In the township, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 24.0% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males. According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the township was $86,812, and the median income for a family was $113,601. Males had a median income of $71,308 versus $42,652 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the township was $39,813. About 2.4% of families and 6.7% 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 ...

, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The population of Radnor Township in 2010 was 31,531. Of these, about 20,337 (64.5%) were estimated to belong to some form of organized religion. Pennsylvania was unique in its guarantee of religious freedoms, one result of this uncommon freedom was a wide religious diversity, which continues to the present. Quakerism was brought to Radnor after William Penn granted Welsh settlers land west of Philadelphia to establish the Welsh Tract. The Radnor Friends Meetinghouse was built in 1717. Beginning in the nineteenth century, an influx of Irish, Italian, and Polish

immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short- ...

to the Delaware Valley caused the growth of

neighborhoods in Garrett Hill and Villanova. The development of these Catholic communities expanded further with the foundation of Villanova University and Cabrini University. According to

Sperling's BestPlaces Bertrand T. Sperling was born in 1950 in Brooklyn, New York. He is an author and researcher. His books and studies on quality of life in America have made him "an internationally recognized expert in cities." Work Studies Sperling is commissi ...

, the largest religious group in Radnor Township is the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, represented by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Almost half of Radnor residents identify as Catholics, and there are more Catholic parishes in Radnor than any other religious group. According to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Radnorites are served by five parishes: St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, St. Katharine of Siena Parish, SS. Colman and John Neumann Parish, Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish, and St. Monica Parish. St. David's Episcopal Church is one of the oldest houses of worship in Radnor and one of the oldest in the United States. Its parish is divided between Radnor and Newtown Township in Delaware County, as well as Easttown Township in

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States ** Chester County Council, boy scout council in Pennsylvania. * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire ...

. St. David's Episcopal Parish is the largest in the

Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania is a diocese of the Episcopal Church of the United States, encompassing the counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware in the state of Pennsylvania. The diocese has 36,641 members ...

Languages

As of 2000, 90.57% (26,115) of Radnor residents aged five and older spoke only English at home, while 9.43% (2,720) spoke any language besides English. Among the largest were Spanish (2.46%), French (0.99%) and Chinese (0.87%).

Landmarks

St. Thomas of Villanova Church in Villanova is known for its

Gothic revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

architecture. The church, built between 1883 and 1887, is considered to have been the tallest man-made structure between the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...

and

Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

at the time of its construction. Today, the church is nearly entirely

whitewash Whitewash, calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, asbestis or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime ( calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) or chalk (calcium carbonate, CaCO3), sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes ...

ed on the interior and lit by blue

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

windows. Much of the original decoration has been preserved, although moved to different locations in the parish and

campus A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls. By extension, a corp ...

. The windows enclosing the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

depict the life of St. Augustine. St. David's Episcopal Church, whose graveyard, and buildings begun in 1715, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grave yard hosts many founders including the celebrated revolutionary General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. The Bridge in Radnor Township No.1, Bridge in Radnor Township No.2,

Camp-Woods Camp-Woods, is a historic estate with associated buildings located at Villanova, Delaware County, Pennsylvania and built on a high spot which had been a 200-man outpost of George Washington's Army during the Valley Forge winter of 1777–78.Th ...

, Chanticleer, Downtown Wayne Historic District,

Glenays Glenays, also known as Leighton House, was an historic home which was located in Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. History and architectural features The property was purchased by Richard Roger Montgomery and his wife Elisabeth B ...

, North Wayne Historic District, Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Wayne, Radnor Friends Meetinghouse, South Wayne Historic District, Wayne Hotel, and Woodcrest are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. Other historic structures in Radnor Township include the Sorrel Horse, a former

tavern A tavern is a type of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...

located on Conestoga Road that sheltered

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and Lafayette during the Continental Army's retreat back to Philadelphia from the

Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Am ...

Economy

Lincoln Financial Group Lincoln National Corporation is a ''Fortune'' 200 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for LNC and its subsi ...

is headquartered in Radnor Township. In 2007 the company moved 400 employees, including its top executives, to Radnor from Philadelphia. Other companies based in Radnor Township include, J. G. Wentworth, ''

TV Guide magazine ''TV Guide'' is an American biweekly magazine that provides television program listings information as well as television-related news, celebrity interviews and gossip, film reviews, crossword puzzles, and, in some issues, horoscopes. The print ...

'', and

Airgas Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is an American supplier of industrial gas, industrial, medical and specialty gases (delivered in packaged or gas cylinder, cylinder form), as well as hardgoods and related products; one of the largest U.S. suppl ...

Top employers

Chanticleer Gardens Main House Springtime 2892px

According to Radnor Township's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Pupils in Radnor Township attend

Radnor Township School District Radnor Township School District is a school district that serves Radnor Township, Pennsylvania and has 3 elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Due to the affluent demographic of the Main Line that the Radnor Township Sch ...

Radnor High School Radnor High School is a public high school in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Of all high schools in Pennsylvania, Radnor is ranked 3rd by U.S. News & World Report, and 1st by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Overview Radnor High School is the onl ...

and Radnor Middle School are the sole public high and middle schools of the district. There are three elementary schools in the RTSD: Radnor Elementary School, Ithan Elementary School, and Wayne Elementary School.

Private schools

Archbishop John Carroll High School Archbishop John Carroll High School is a four-year secondary school part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, located in Radnor, Pennsylvania, on a 55-acre campus. The school currently enrolls approximately 685 students (2024). Hi ...

, a Roman Catholic High School in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

contains a boarding school program for seventh through twelfth grades. The Agnes Irwin School is an all-girls school for prekindergarten through twelfth grade. St. Katharine of Siena is a

Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...

in Wayne for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The Hill Top Preparatory School is a school located in Ithan for students with learning disabilities in fifth through twelfth grade. Armenian Sisters Academy, an Armenian primary school, has a Radnor postal address but is located in Upper Merion Township.

Colleges and universities

(including the former

) and Eastern University are located within Radnor Township. Valley Forge Military Academy and College operates a two-year junior college.

Sports

Radnor Township is home to the

Villanova Wildcats The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East (NCAA Division I) for every sport; except football and women's rowing where they compete in the Coastal Athletic Association (Football Champions ...

, the

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

athletic program of Villanova University, the Cabrini Cavaliers, the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...

athletic program of Cabrini University, and the Eastern Eagles, the NCAA Division III athletic program of Eastern University. The Villanova Wildcats have a storied athletic program, the pinnacle of which being their

men's basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

program. The Wildcats are consistently ranked among the AP Top 25, and won the

NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...

in 1985, 2016, and 2018. Each of these championships featured celebrations by students at the intersection of Lancaster and Ithan Avenues. The Cabrini Cavaliers won their first

NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship The NCAA Division III men's lacrosse tournament is the annual championship in men's lacrosse held by the NCAA for teams competing in Division III. After the inauguration of the NCAA Division I championship in 1971, the USILA added a "small colle ...

in 2019, defeating the Amherst Mammoths by a score of 16–12.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public transportation

Radnor Township is serviced by

SEPTA Regional Rail The SEPTA Regional Rail system is a commuter rail network owned by SEPTA and serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The system has 13 branches and more than 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, its suburbs and satellite town ...

which has stations within the township at Wayne, St. Davids, Radnor, and Villanova. Eastern Radnor Township is served by

, an

interurban The interurban (or radial railway in Canada) is a type of electric railway, with tram-like electric self-propelled railcars which run within and between cities or towns. The term "interurban" is usually used in North America, with other terms u ...

heavy rail Various terms are used for passenger railway lines and equipment; the usage of these terms differs substantially between areas: Rapid transit A rapid transit system is an electric railway characterized by high speed (~) and rapid acceleratio ...

line. Within Radnor Township, there are seven stations located at Bryn Mawr, Roberts Road, Garrett Hill, Stadium – Ithan Avenue, Villanova, Radnor, and

County Line Borders are generally defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders ...

SEPTA Suburban Bus SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people throughout ...

Route 106 runs through the center of Radnor Township via Lancaster Avenue, excluding a brief deviation along King of Prussia and Radnor-Chester Roads to service the Norristown High Speed Line's Radnor Station and Paoli/Thorndale Line's Radnor Station. The 106 serves the communities of Rosemont, Villanova, St. Davids, Radnor, and Wayne with westbound access to Paoli and eastbound access to the

69th Street Transportation Center 69th Street Transit Center is a SEPTA terminal in the Terminal Square area of Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. It serves the SEPTA Metro L, M, D, and multiple SEPTA bus routes. It is located at the end of 69th Street, a major retail corr ...

Upper Darby Upper Darby Township, often shortened to Upper Darby, is a home rule township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the township had a total population of 85,681, making it the state's sixth-most populated mun ...

. The 105 bus formerly drove a route similar to that of the 106, but a 2016 schedule change moved the route's western

terminus Terminus may refer to: Ancient Rome *Terminus (god), a Roman deity who protected boundary markers Transport *Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination *Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end des ...

to Rosemont Station, on Montrose Avenue near the border of Radnor Township and Lower Merion Township. Since 2017, the route runs parallel to Radnor Township's border on Airedale Road, but never enters the township.

Roads and highways

As of 2018, there were of public roads in Radnor Township, of which were maintained by

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, Michael B. Carroll. PennDOT ...

(PennDOT) and were maintained by the township. Highways serving Radnor Township include

U.S. Route 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route of the United States Numbered Highway System, with the highway traveling across the Northern U.S. With a length of , it is the third-longest U.S. Highway, afte ...

, which passes east–west through the township on

Lancaster Avenue Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

(part of the historical

Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is one of the first transcontinental highways in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated Octob ...

Pennsylvania Route 320 Pennsylvania Route 320 (PA 320) is a north–south state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the long route is at U.S. Route 13 in Pennsylvania, U.S. Route 13 (US 13)/Pennsylvania Route 291, PA 291 in Chester, Pen ...

, which passes north–south through the township along Sproul Road and Spring Mill Road; and

Interstate 476 Interstate 476 (I-476) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway of I-76 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The highway runs from I-95 near Chester north to I-81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through ea ...

, which passes north–south through the township on the Blue Route and has an interchange with US 30.

Healthcare

The corporate offices of

Main Line Health Main Line Health (MLH) is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. It includes four acute care hospitals— Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital Paoli Hospital, part of Ma ...

and

Thomas Jefferson University Thomas Jefferson University is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. ...

's Marcus Institute clinic are both located in the Radnor Financial Center. In 2020,

Penn Medicine The University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) is a major multi-hospital health system headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. UPHS and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania together comprise Penn Medicine, ...

opened a hospital next to the Blue Route called Penn Medicine Radnor.

Notable people

Jacob M. Appel Jacob M. Appel (born February 21, 1973) is an American polymath, author, bioethicist, physician, lawyer, and social critic.Nagamatsu, Sequoia "A Few Words with the Ubiquitous Jacob M. Appel" ''Prince Mincer'' Journal http://primemincer.com/ con ...

, novelist, ''Einstein's Beach House'' *Charles Duane Williams, an American lawyer who was fundamental in founding the

International Tennis Federation The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the governing body of world tennis, wheelchair tennis, and beach tennis. It was founded in 1913 as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by twelve national tennis associations. there are 211 nat ...

. *

Jane Barkman Jane Louise Barkman (born September 20, 1951), also known by her married name Jane Brown, is an American former swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. Competitive swimming career Barkman's earliest coaches include ...

, Olympian * David Brooks, journalist *

Randal Kleiser John Randal Kleiser (born July 20, 1946) is an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing the films ''Grease (film), Grease'' (1978), ''The Blue Lagoon (1980 film), The Blue Lagoon'' (1 ...

, movie director, '' Grease'' and '' The Blue Lagoon'' * Thomas F. Wilson, actor, Biff in ''

Back to the Future ''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 1985 ...

'' *

Joshua Wurman Joshua Michael Aaron Ryder Wurman (born October 1, 1960) is an American atmospheric scientist and inventor noted for tornado, tropical cyclone, and weather radar research, the invention of Doppler On Wheels, DOW and bistatic radar multiple-Dopple ...

, atmospheric scientist

In popular culture

'' Taps'' was filmed at Valley Forge Military Academy and College.

References

External links

Township website
{{authority control Townships in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania