Upper Darby Township, often shortened to Upper Darby, is a

home rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

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. As of the 2020 census, the township had a total population of 85,681, making it the state's sixth-most populated municipality after

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 ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

Allentown Allentown may refer to: Places * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a city in four counties in Georgia * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Tazewell County * Allentown, New Jersey, a boroug ...

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

, and

Erie Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...

. Upper Darby borders

, the nation's sixth-most populous city, and constitutes part of the

Delaware Valley The Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as Greater Philadelphia and informally called the Delaware Valley, the Philadelphia tri-state area, and locally and colloquially Philly–Jersey–Delaware, is a major metropolitan area in the Nor ...

, also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the nation's seventh-largest metropolitan area. Upper Darby is home to the Tower Theater, a historic music venue on 69th Street built in the 1920s, and to several

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

sites. In August 2019, the radio tower on top of the theater was removed due to structural concerns.

History

Settlement and 17th century

Charles Willson Peale - Landscape Looking Toward Sellers Hall from Mill Bank - B

In 1650, the area that eventually became Upper Darby had been inhabited by the

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

tribe of Native Americans for thousands of years. The Lenape were part of the larger late

Woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with woody plants (trees and shrubs), or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunli ...

culture, living in

longhouse A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. It has been built in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America. Many were built from lumber, timber and ...

s and birch bark homes, and engaging in the type of agriculture featuring

companion planting Companion planting in gardening and agriculture is the planting of different crops in proximity for any of a number of different reasons, including Weed control, weed suppression, pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial ins ...

of the Three Sisters (winter squash, maize, and beans). The first permanent Europeans settlers arrived in late 1653 with a group from

New Sweden New Sweden () was a colony of the Swedish Empire between 1638 and 1655 along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Established during the Thirty Years' War when Sweden was a g ...

. Soon after, in 1655, New Sweden was taken over by the Dutch, and then came under English rule in October 1664 as part of England's overall conquest of

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam (, ) was a 17th-century Dutch Empire, Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''Factory (trading post), fac ...

. The region was controlled as a possession of the English king until it was included in a large land grant to

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 ...

in 1681. Upon Penn's founding of the

colony of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn, who received the land through a grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania was derived from ...

the next year, the area was designated as part of the municipality of Darby 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 ...

. It was subsequently part of the eastern section of that county which was split off on September 26, 1789, to form Delaware County. The Lower Swedish Cabin, thought to have been built in 1654, is located on Creek Road along the Darby Creek and is believed by many to be a remnant of the early Swedes, who introduced the

log cabin A log cabin is a small log house, especially a minimally finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first-generation home building by settl ...

to this area. Today the "Swedish Cabin" is designated with a Pennsylvania Historical Marker. The Cabin is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

18th century

Darby Township originally occupied the area between the current border of Upper Darby to the north, Cobbs Creek and then Darby Creek to the east and south, and Ridley and Springfield townships to the west. This continued until 1747, when, for the convenience of the inhabitants, it was decided at a town meeting to separate the upper part from the lower "in all matters save the levies made for the support of the poor," with the northern part thereafter to be called Upper Darby Township. The exact boundary was not established until 1786, when a petition was presented to the court. The following is an excerpt from this petition: The abundance of creeks and streams in the area favored the development of mills, and it was in Upper Darby that some of the first mills in Delaware County could be found. Some notable examples were the Cardington Mills in the Cardington section of the township and the Kent Mills in the Kellyville section. The site of the former Kent Mills is now a recreation area and dog park known as Kent Park. One local mill owner was the Garrett family, who owned mills along the Darby Creek.

19th century

Abe Pennock House old Sellers Library Upper Darby DelCo PA

In addition to mills, the township was part of a region that was home to rock quarries, factories, and other various industrial concerns. Industrialization greatly increased the township's population from just over 800 in 1800 to almost 5,000 by 1890 and spurred residential and commercial development that attracted an influx of European immigrants. To serve this influx, churches were founded across the township. The township's population explosion turned out to be a double-edged sword as beginning in 1885, the township lost large sections of territory as the citizens of more populated neighborhoods petitioned the state to be recognized as separate municipalities. The first of these was the borough of Clifton Heights (incorporated on June 1, 1885), followed by the boroughs of Lansdowne (July 6, 1893),

Aldan Aldan may refer to: People *Gille Aldan, the first bishop of Galloway, Scotland *Andrey Aldan-Semenov (1908–1985), Russian writer *Duke Aldan, a fictional character in ''Langrisser IV'' video game Places *Aldan, Russia, a town in the Sakha Repub ...

(September 22, 1893), Millbourne (October 12, 1909), and East Lansdowne (June 3, 1911). Part of the territory of Aldan was also taken from Darby Township. Reflecting the

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 ...

background of its earliest English settlers, Upper Darby was active in the antislavery movement. At least one abolition society existed prior to 1830, and sent a committee of twelve prominent citizens to the 1830 meeting of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia. Many homes in the area were stops on the

, including Hoodland, the home of abolitionist Abraham L. Pennock and Thomas Pennock, which was eventually bequeathed to the township's public library and which currently houses the children's library, connected to a much larger modern annex which houses the Main Branch. Another prominent abolitionist,

Thomas Garrett Thomas Garrett (August 21, 1789 – January 25, 1871) was an American abolitionist and assisted in the Underground Railroad movement before the American Civil War. He helped more than 2,500 African Americans escape slavery. For his effort ...

, grew up in Upper Darby and Thornfield, his home until the age of 32, still stands at Garrett Road and Maple Avenue in the Drexel Hill neighborhood. The influx of immigrants drawn to the township by industrialization caused the township's population to explode, and also gave Upper Darby a role in the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

. Two regiments from Upper Darby took part in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, including the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, which was involved in the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgi ...

and

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

. In addition to mills, the township was part of a region that was home to rock quarries, factories, and other various industrial concerns. Industrialization greatly increased the township's population from just over 800 in 1800 to almost 5,000 by 1890 and spurred residential and commercial development that attracted an influx of European immigrants. To serve this influx, churches were founded across the township. The township's population explosion turned out to be a double-edged sword as beginning in 1885, the township lost large sections of territory as the citizens of more populated neighborhoods petitioned the state to be recognized as separate municipalities. The first of these was the borough of Clifton Heights (incorporated on June 1, 1885), followed by the boroughs of Lansdowne (July 6, 1893),

(September 22, 1893), Millbourne (October 12, 1909), and East Lansdowne (June 3, 1911). Part of the territory of Aldan was also taken from Darby Township.

20th century

In 1907, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company recognized the potential for growth in the township and extended the Market-Frankford elevated train line, or the "El", from just west of 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 ...

in Philadelphia to 69th and

Market Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: *Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand *Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market *Marketing, the act of sat ...

Streets in Upper Darby. The El terminus at 69th Street Station became a busy terminal serving several trolley and light rail lines into the suburbs, as well as numerous city and suburban bus routes. Commuter traffic spurred the development of the 69th St. shopping district in the 1920s by John McClatchy, and made Upper Darby the second-busiest shopping area in the region after

Center City Philadelphia Center City includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It comprises the area that made up the City of Philadelphia prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854, which extended the ci ...

. The business district is noted for many fine examples of

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

style buildings. A population explosion in the township followed; by the 1960s, Upper Darby was the seventh-most populous municipality in Pennsylvania. In the early 1970s, students from Highland Park Elementary School began a campaign to have the Pennsylvania Firefly declared the official state insect of Pennsylvania. With advice and support from state

legislator A legislator, or lawmaker, is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people, but they can be appointed, or hereditary. Legislatures may be supra-nat ...

s, the students began a campaign that included letter writing, the circulation of petitions, and the distribution of

bumper sticker A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker designed to be attached to the rear of a car or truck, often on the bumper. They are commonly sized at around and are typically made of PVC. Bumper stickers serve various purposes, including p ...

s. On April 10, 1974,

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Milton J. Shapp Milton Jerrold Shapp (born Milton Jerrold Shapiro; June 25, 1912 – November 24, 1994) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 40th governor of Pennsylvania from 1971 to 1979 and the first Jewish governor of Pennsylvania. He ...

signed their bill making the Pennsylvania Firefly their state's official insect. A couple of years later, Highland Park Elementary School was presented with a

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...

plaque in honor of the students' achievement.

21st century

In the wake of the 2020 racial uprising in response to the

murder of George Floyd On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported that he made a purchase using a c ...

, several protests and actions took place in Upper Darby, including a

die-in A die-in, sometimes known as a lie-in, is a form of protest in which participants simulate being dead. Die-ins are actions that have been used by a variety of protest groups on topics such as animal rights, anti-war, against traffic violence, hum ...

at 69th and Market Streets. In 2020, the community voted on a motto for Upper Darby, "The World in One Place," reflecting the multicultural community of the present day. Upper Darby has seen a rise in LGBTQ activism of late, and Upper Darby Pride, a non-profit organization planned the first Upper Darby Pride Fest for June 2020. It was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was held a year later by U.D.T.J. on the grounds of Upper Darby High School and accompanied by other Pride events in the township. In 2023, the Pride celebration in Upper Darby grew into what is now Delaware County Pride. Delaware County Pride hosted its inaugural festival in Downtown Upper Darby June 10, 2023.

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 7.9 square miles (20.4 km), all land. The township lies on the edge of the Piedmont slightly above the City of Philadelphia ( above sea level). The area is crossed by several small creeks. The

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

of East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania is an

enclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is so ...

completely surrounded by Upper Darby Township; additionally, an

exclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...

of Upper Darby Township is separated from the rest of the township. Upper Darby neighborhoods include Aronimink, Beverly Hills, Bywood, Drexel Hill, Drexel Park, Fernwood, Highland Park, Llanerch Hills, Kellyville, Kirklyn, Oakview, Primos,

Secane Secane is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, Ridley Township and Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United State ...

, Stonehurst, Terminal Square, and Westbrook Park.

Cobbs Creek Cobbs Creek is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of Darby Creek in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It forms an approxima ...

runs along the border of Upper Darby and connects with Darby Creek. Cobbs Creek Park and the Philadelphia public golf course abut the Highland Park Neighborhood of Upper Darby along the border of Philadelphia's Overbrook Park neighborhood.

Neighborhoods

*Addingham *Aronimink *Beverly Hills *Bywood *Cardington * Drexel Hill, also a

census designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

*Fernwood *Highland Park *Kirklyn *Penn Pines *Primos *

*Terminal Square *Stonehurst Hills *Walnut Park *Westbrook Park

Adjacent municipalities and communities

Cobbs Creek, Philadelphia Cobbs Creek is a neighborhood located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, named for the creek which forms part of Philadelphia's western border. Cobbs Creek is generally bounded by Market Street to t ...

Climate

Upper Darby has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(''Cfa'') 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 bordering 7b. Average monthly temperatures in the vicinity of Garrett Road and Lansdowne Avenue range from 32.9 °F in January to 77.7 °F in July.

Demographics

Upper Darby is one of Pennsylvania's most diverse communities.

2020 census

In 2019, three out members of the

LGBTQ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...

community were elected to the Upper Darby School Board. As of the census of 2000, there were 85,038 people, 32,551 households, and 20,474 families residing in the township. The population density was 14,658.7 people per square mile. There were 34,322 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of Upper Darby was 59.1%

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 ...

; 20.5% African American; 15.3% Asian; 0.1% Native American; <0.1%

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 ...

; 0.5% from other races and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.4% of the population There were 32,551 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.23. 25.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64 and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the township was $41,489, and median income for a family was $52,500. Males had a median income of $38,090 versus $30,416 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,770. About 7.3% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia The Archdiocese of Philadelphia () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia originally included all of Pennsylvania and Dela ...

operates several Catholic churches in Upper Darby: * St. Andrew Church (Drexel Hill) * St. Bernadette Church (Drexel Hill) * St. Charles Borromeo Church (Drexel Hill) * St. Dorothy Church (Drexel Hill) * St. Laurence Church (Highland Park) Soji Zen Center is a Buddhist Temple in the Drexel Hill section of Upper Darby. Masjid Al-Madinah Islamic Center is a mosque and cultural center located on 69th Street. Masjid Omar and AL-Quran Center are in the Stonehurst and Bywood neighborhoods. Sree Sree Sanatan Shangho and Sree Narayana Guru Deva Temple are Hindu Temples located in Bywood. St Demetrios

Greek Orthodox Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Greek Christianity, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christians or more broadly the rite used in the Eastern Rom ...

Church is located in the Stonehurst neighborhood.

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

denominations in Upper Darby include Presbyterian, Baptist, United Methodist, Lutheran, and non-denominational.

Crime

In 1991, five Upper Darby policemen were convicted in federal court and sentenced to prison for violating the civil rights of two residents, a father and son. Each was found guilty on several counts involving assault, false arrest, and prosecution. On January 30, 2002, Upper Darby police officer Dennis McNamara was shot and killed in the line of duty by Thomas Campbell. McNamara was investigating a suspicious parked vehicle around 9:30 PM when Campbell came up behind him and shot him in the side of the head with a .32 caliber revolver. McNamara had a section of Lansdowne Avenue renamed in his honor; Campbell pled guilty to his murder in 2003 and was sentenced to life in prison plus ten years. He died in Graterford Prison in 2015.

Arts and culture

Tower Theater, located in Terminal Square at the intersection of 69th and Ludlow Streets, opened as a movie and vaudeville theater in 1927. After closing briefly, the Tower reopened as a concert venue in 1972, and has hosted acts including the first American tours of

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

and

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Religion * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...

. In addition to musical acts, the Tower has hosted comedians such as

Trevor Noah Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He was the host of ''The Daily Show'', an American late-night talk show and satirical news program on Comedy ...

and Jim Norton. In 2018, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' listed the Tower as one of the ten best live music venues in the United States. Upper Darby Summer Stage is one of the nation's oldest youth theater programs. The annual Music Man Festival is held at Greenhorn Gardens in Arlington Cemetery and features live music, food, beer gardens, and a 5k fundraiser for arts programs. The Upper Darby International Festival is an annual event held in September in Terminal Square (prior to 2021 it was held on 69th Street). The festival features performances, artwork, and food reflecting the diverse cultural backgrounds of the Upper Darby community. Opened in 2018, the Upper Darby Art Gallery in the Highland Park neighborhood features local, national and international artists and works, as well as art classes. Centered in Terminal Square and the West Chester Pike business districts, Upper Darby restaurants feature a diverse range of cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Liberian, Indian, Italian, Korean, Mexican, and Colombian. The community is also known for its Irish pubs, and the Llanerch Diner was the setting for a pivotal scene in the film

Silver Linings Playbook ''Silver Linings Playbook'' is a 2012 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by David O. Russell. The film is based on Matthew Quick's 2008 novel '' The Silver Linings Playbook''. It stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawre ...

. The

Philadelphia Museum of Art The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is an List of art museums#North America, art museum originally chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount, a hill located at ...

opened the first branch museum in the United States, modeled on the Carnegie Library branch system, on 69th Street. The 69th Street Branch of the PMA operated from 1930 to 1933. The

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

operated the Flower and Clark Observatory in the Highland Park neighborhood from 1897 to 1956, the site is now known as Observatory Park.

Historic sites

* Arlington Cemetery is on the former site of Riverview Farm, a stop on the

. A small museum is located in the Mt. Vernon building at the cemetery. * Collen Brook Farm was 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 ...

in 1988. It was the home of political leader George Smith. * Lower Swedish Cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is believed to be the oldest building in Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest log cabins in the United States. *

Sellers Hall Sellers Hall, located in Upper Darby and completed in 1684, is one of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania and is the ancestral home of the Sellers family of scientists and engineers. Samuel Sellers (1655-1732) arrived in Philadelphia in 1682, ...

is one of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania, and was the ancestral home to one of Upper Darby's earliest settling families, the Sellers. The oldest part of the building was built in 1684 by Samuel Sellers. Sellers Hall served as a station on the Underground Railroad in the 1800s. * Thornfield – Abolitionist Thomas Garrett's home, built around 1800. * Upper Darby's downtown Terminal Square area contains several

buildings centered around the McClatchy Building on the corner of 69th and Market.

Libraries

Upper Darby Township has three public library branches as part of the Delaware County Library System: * Sellers Memorial Free Library * Free Library Municipal Branch * Free Library Primos Branch

Cemeteries

*Friends Southwestern Burial Ground, a Quaker cemetery founded in 1860. *Fernwood Cemetery, a privately owned burial ground founded in 1870. *Arlington Cemetery, a non-denominational burial ground founded in 1895. *Har Jehuda Cemetery, a Jewish burial ground founded in 1896. *Montrose Cemetery, privately owned founded 1896

Government and politics

In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

received 71.1% of the vote in Upper Darby with Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

receiving 28.9%. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

received 25,475 votes (66.3%), Republican Donald Trump received 11,967 (31.1%) votes, with independent candidates receiving just over 1,000 votes in Upper Darby. In the 2016 U.S. Senate race, Democrat

Katie McGinty Kathleen Alana McGinty (born May 11, 1963) is a retired American politician and former state and federal environmental policy official. She served as an environmental advisor to Vice President Al Gore and President Bill Clinton. Later, she served ...

received 23,294 votes over Republican

Pat Toomey Patrick Joseph Toomey Jr. (born November 17, 1961) is an American businessman and politician who served as a United States senator from Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms as the U.S. represen ...

, who received 13,539 votes in Upper Darby. Upper Darby is in

Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional district Pennsylvania's fifth congressional district encompasses all of Delaware County, an exclave of Chester County, a small portion of southern Montgomery County and a section of southern Philadelphia. Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon represents the distri ...

, currently represented by Democrat

Mary Gay Scanlon Mary Gay Scanlon (born August 30, 1959) is an American attorney and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she has represented in the United States House of Representatives since 2019. The district is based in Delaware County, a mostly ...

. In the Pennsylvania legislature, Upper Darby is represented by Democrat Gina Curry in the 164th District and Democrat Heather Boyd is in the 163rd House District. Upper Darby is in the 26th Pennsylvania Senate District, represented by Democrat Tim Kearney. In local politics, Democrats hold an 6-5 majority of the town council seats as well as the mayor's office; all nine seats on the school board are held by Democrats. On January 2, 2024, Democrat Ed Brown was sworn in as Upper Darby's first

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

mayor.

Education

Public schools

Upper Darby Township's public education is provided by the

Upper Darby School District Upper Darby School District (UDSD) is a large public school district of approximately 12,000 students in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It consists of an area including Upper Darby Township, Clifton Heights borough, ...

. In all, the 12 public schools plus the Kindergarten Center serve nearly 12,000 students. The district has one high school,

Upper Darby High School Upper Darby High School (UDHS) is a four-year public high school located in Upper Darby Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Upper Darby School District. Established in 1895, it is the oldest high school in Delaware Count ...

, two middle schools, Beverly Hills Middle School and Drexel Hill Middle School, and 10 public elementary schools. In addition to Upper Darby,

, Clifton Heights, and Millbourne students attend the Upper Darby School District. Established in 1895, Upper Darby High School is one of the largest

brick and mortar Brick and mortar (or B&M) is an organization or business with a physical presence in a building or other structure. The term ''brick-and-mortar business'' is often used to refer to a company that possesses or leases retail shops, factory produc ...

high schools in Pennsylvania with almost 4,000 students.

Private schools

In addition to the public school district, Upper Darby is home to several parochial and private schools. Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School for boys and girls, is Roman Catholic, and has an enrollment of fewer then 1,000 students. The schools offers grades 9–12, and will soon offer access to classes at the adjacent Delaware County Community College. In addition to the high school, there are nine parochial primary and middle schools located in the Township, with a combined enrollment of 2,867. Catholic

K-8 schools K8 or K-8 may refer to: * K-8 (Kansas highway), two highways in Kansas, one in northern Kansas, one in southern Kansas * K-8 school, a type of school that includes kindergarten and grades one through eight * Red telephone box, K8 telephone box, des ...

include: * Saint Andrew School ( Drexel Hill) * St. Bernadette of Lourdes School (Drexel Hill) * St. Dorothy School (Drexel Hill) * St. Eugene School (Primos) * St. Laurence School (Highland Park) Almost all of the private academic schools in the Township are administered by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia except for the Holy Child Academy, which is a Catholic academy run by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Former schools included St. Alice School, closed in 2006, and St. Charles Borromeo School, closed in 2007.

Tertiary and adult education

Also available to residents of Upper Darby and surrounding areas is the Upper Darby Adult Evening Program (UDAEP). UDAEP offers professional development and general education classes to township residents. UDAEP is an independent non-profit entity separate from the Upper Darby School District. Delaware County Community College's Upper Darby Center holds day and evening classes serving 600 students.

Infrastructure

Transportation

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 ...

's 69th Street Transportation Center is located in Terminal Square on 69th Street. It serves as the western terminal stop of the

Market–Frankford Line The L, formerly known as the Market–Frankford Line, is a rapid transit line in the SEPTA Metro network in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The L runs from the 69th Street Transit Center in Upper Darby, just outside of West Philad ...

, the eastern terminal stop of the

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 ...

(formerly Route 100) and SEPTA trolley routes 101 and 102, as well as

Bus Routes , and . The Norristown High Speed Line has stops in Upper Darby at 69th Street and Parkview station. Upper Darby Township is also served by SEPTA Bus Routes and .

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 ...

Media/Wawa Line The Media/Wawa Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail service that runs from Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia west to Wawa Station, Wawa in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware County. It uses the West Chester Branch, which connects ...

passes through the southern portion of Upper Darby Township, with stations at

and

Primos PRIMOS is a discontinued operating system developed during the 1970s by Prime Computer for its minicomputer systems. It rapidly gained popularity and by the mid-1980s was a serious contender as a mainline minicomputer operating system. With t ...

. As of 2022, there were of public roads in Upper Darby 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.

Pennsylvania Route 3 Pennsylvania Route 3 (PA 3) is a state highway located in the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania. The route runs from U.S. Route 322 Business (West Chester, Pennsylvania), U.S. Route 322 Business (US 322 Bus.) in West Chester, Pennsylvania, ...

, which links

and West Chester passes through the northern portion of Upper Darby Township as Market Street and the West Chester Pike.

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, ...

follows Township Line Road along the northwestern edge of the township.

U.S. Route 13 U.S. Route 13 or U.S. Highway 13 (US 13) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 (I-95) just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to US 1 in the northeast ...

follows Church Lane and Baltimore Avenue through the far southeastern corner of the township.

Emergency services

Upper Darby Township is served by the 133-member Upper Darby Police Department, the Crozer-Keystone North Division

Paramedic A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), ...

s (based out of Delaware County Memorial Hospital), and the Upper Darby Township Fire Department, a combination paid/volunteer department which consists of a headquarters building and 5 stations: * Company 20 – Garrettford- Drexel Hill (which is the only full-time volunteer station), housing two pumpers (engines), one ladder truck, and one rescue truck. * Company 26 – Highland Park, housing one Squad Co, and one rescue truck. * Company 36 – Cardington-Stonehurst, housing one pumper, one squirt, and one mask service unit * Company 37 – Upper Darby, housing one ladder truck and one utility truck. * Company 74 – Primos-

-Westbrook Park, one Quint, one pumper and one tower ladder truck.

In popular culture

*The fictional Philadelphia neighborhood Darby Heights in the 2021 IFC film ''

Last Call In a Bar (establishment), bar, a last call (last orders) is an Wiktionary:announcement, announcement made shortly before the bar closes for the night, informing patrons of their last chance to buy alcoholic beverages. There are various means to ...

'' is based on Upper Darby and the film features shots from the Terminal Square and Highland Park neighborhoods. *Singer-songwriter Steve Gunn's 2018 release "Stonehurst Cowboy" is about his father's childhood in Upper Darby's Stonehurst neighborhood. *The 2012

David O. Russell David Owen Russell (born August 20, 1958) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He has earned numerous accolades including two British Academy Film Awards, and a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for five Academy Aw ...

film ''

'' is set in Upper Darby.

Notable people

Lloyd Alexander Lloyd Chudley Alexander (January 30, 1924 – May 17, 2007) was an American author of more than 40 books, primarily fantasy novels for children's literature, children and young adults. Over his seven-decade career, Alexander wrote 48 books, and ...

(1924–2007), author *

Keith Andes Keith Andes (born John Charles Andes, July 12, 1920 – November 11, 2005) was an American actor. He is known for films such as '' Blackbeard the Pirate'' (1952) and '' Clash by Night'' (1952). Early life Andes was born to Mr. and Mrs. William ...

(1920–2005), Broadway actor * Patrice Banks (born 1982), engineer and mechanic, founder of Girls Auto Clinic *

Anthony Becht Anthony G. Becht (born August 8, 1977) is an American professional American football, football coach, broadcaster and former player who is the head coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (2024), United Football League ( ...

(born 1977), NFL football player * Heather Boyd, Pennsylvania State Representative for the 163rd district (2023–present) * Joe Burke (1884–1950), composer, pianist and actor * Bnyx (born 1995), record producer and songwriter *

John Cappelletti John Raymond Cappelletti (born August 9, 1952) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) with the Los Angeles Rams and San Diego Chargers. He played college football for the Penn ...

(born 1952), NFL football player *

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...

(1929–2012), entertainer *

Robert J. Clendening Robert J. Clendening (April 24, 1914 – July 28, 1982) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for Delaware County, Pennsylvani ...

(1914–1982), Pennsylvania State Representative for Delaware County from 1949 to 1952 *

Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American Folk music, folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of o ...

(1943–1973), singer songwriter *

Mark Cronin Mark Cronin is an American television producer and writer. Biography Cronin grew up in the Philadelphia suburb of Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Upper Darby High School and the University of Pennsylvania. At the later, h ...

, television producer *

Robert Crumb Robert Dennis Crumb (; born August 30, 1943) is an American artist who often signs his work R. Crumb. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contemporary American c ...

(born 1943), cartoonist * Gina Curry (born 1972), educator, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives * Margo L. Davidson (born 1962), broadcaster, former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives * George Delahunty (born 1952), physiologist, endocrinologist, and professor at

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Nonsectarian, nonsecterian Women's colleges in the United States, ...

* Heather Donahue (born 1974), writer, actress * H.D. (1886–1961), poet and novelist *

Masoumeh Ebtekar Masoumeh Ebtekar (; born 21 September 1960) is an Iranian politician. A Reformist, she headed the country's Department of Environment from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2017, after which she served as the Vice President for Women and ...

(born 1960), Vice President of Iran for Women and Family Affairs *

Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. Known for her comedic roles in sketch comedy, television and film, Fey has received List of awards and nominations received by Tina Fe ...

(born 1970), comedian, writer, actress *

D'or Fischer D'or Anthony Naheem Fischer (; born October 12, 1981) is an American-Israeli professional basketball who last played for Elitzur Eito Ashkelon of the Israeli National League. He has also represented the senior Israeli national team. Standing at ...

(born 1981), American-Israeli basketball player *

Derek Frey Derek Frey (born April 23, 1973) is an American filmmaker who has been a producer on numerous Tim Burton-directed films including ''Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'', '' Frankenweenie'', ''Big Eyes'', ''Alice in Wonderland'', ''Dumb ...

(born 1973), film producer and director *

(1789–1871), abolitionist *

Monica Horan Monica Louise Horan (born January 29, 1963) is an American actress best known for her role as Amy MacDougall-Barone on the television sitcom ''Everybody Loves Raymond''. Life and career Horan was born in Darby, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Selm ...

(born 1963), actress *

Jamie Kennedy James Harvey Kennedy (born May 25, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. In film, Kennedy played Randy Meeks in the ''Scream'' film series (1996–2000), which saw him as a supporting character in the first and third installments and a le ...

(born 1970), comedian * Jeff LaBar (1963–2021) American guitarist in the

glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music, heavy metal that features pop music, pop-influenced Hook (music), hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat arena rock, rock anthems, and slow Sentimental ballad#Powe ...

band

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

* Simoni Lawrence (born 1989), football player * F. Joseph "Joe" Loeper (born 1944), American politician (resigned) who represented the 26th senatorial district from 1979 through 2000 in the Pennsylvania State Senate, including over 10 years as Republican Majority Leader *

David MacAdam David Lewis MacAdam (July 1, 1910 – March 9, 1998) was an American physicist and color scientist who made important contributions to color science and technology in the fields of colorimetry, color discrimination, color photography and televis ...

(1910–1998), Physicist and color scientist * Mike Manley (born 1961) Cartoonist *

Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the American Bro ...

(1923–2009), co-host, ''

Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show, originating in the American Media, United States. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest inte ...

'' with Johnny Carson *

Pat Meehan Patrick Leo Meehan (born October 20, 1955) is a former American Republican Party politician and federal prosecutor from Pennsylvania who represented parts of Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster counties in the United States Hou ...

(born 1955), U.S. Representative Pennsylvania 7th District (2010–2018) * Shannon Meehan, author and veteran's activist * Nicholas Micozzie (1930–2020), Pennsylvania State Representative for the 163rd district (1979–2014) *

Terrence J. Nolen Terrence Nolen (born 20th century), usually called Terry Nolen, is an American theater director and the producing artistic director of the Arden Theatre Company, a professional regional-theatre company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Car ...

(born 1963), theater director, co-founder of the Arden Theater Company *

Cheri Oteri Cheryl Ann Oteri (; born September 19, 1962) is an American actress and comedian. A Primetime Emmy Award nominee, she is best known for her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1995 to 2000. Earl ...

(born 1962), comedian, actress * Sophonisba Angusciola Peale (1786–1859),

ornithologist Ornithology, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (''órnis''), meaning "bird", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study", is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related discip ...

and artist * Abraham L. Pennock (1786–1868), abolitionist and inventor * Dorothy Germain Porter, golfer *

Jack Ramsay John Travilla Ramsay (February 21, 1925 – April 28, 2014) was an American basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" (as he held an earned doctorate). He was best known for leading the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA championship, ...

(1925–2014), NBA head coach *

Todd Rucci Todd Rucci (born July 14, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a guard for eight seasons with the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) from 1993 to 2000. He played college football for the Penn ...

(born 1970), football player *

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...

(born 1948), singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer *

Alvin Sargent Alvin Sargent (April 12, 1927 – May 9, 2019) was an American screenwriter. He won two Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, for '' Julia'' (1977), and '' Ordinary People'' (1980). Sargent's other works include screenplays of the films ...

(1927–2019), screenwriter *

Herb Sargent Herbert Sargent (born Supowitz; July 15, 1923 – May 6, 2005) was an American television writer, a Television producer, producer for such comedy shows as ''The Tonight Show'' and ''Saturday Night Live'', and a screenwriter (''Bye Bye Braverman'' ...

(1923–2005), screenwriter *

Mike Scioscia Michael Lorri Scioscia ( ; born November 27, 1958), nicknamed "Sosh" and "El Jefe" (Spanish for "The Boss"), is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Los A ...

(born 1958) baseball player, manager

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Coleman Sellers II Coleman Sellers II (January 28, 1827 – December 28, 1907) was a prominent American engineer, chief engineer of William Sellers & Co., professor of mechanics at the Franklin Institute, professor of engineering practice at Stevens Institute of T ...

(1827–1907), engineer, former president of the

Franklin Institute The Franklin Institute is a science museum and a center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and wikt:statesman, statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin ...

* John Sellers (1728–1804), scientist. *

William Sellers William Sellers (September 19, 1824 – January 24, 1905) was a mechanical engineer, manufacturer, businessman, noted abolitionist, and inventor who filed more than 90 patents, most notably the design for the United States Standard thread, Unite ...

(1824–1905), engineer and inventor. * Ed Stefanski, former NBA player, executive * Marty Stern (born 1936), women's track coach * Tim (born 1981), singer * George Wackenhut (1919–2004), founder of the

Wackenhut G4S Secure Solutions (USA) is an American/British-based security services company, and a subsidiary of G4S plc. It was founded as The Wackenhut Corporation in 1954, in Coral Gables, Florida, by George Wackenhut and three partners (all former ...

private security firm. *

Paul Westhead Paul William Westhead (born February 21, 1939) is an American former basketball coach. He was the head coach for three National Basketball Association (NBA) teams and an assistant for four others, and also coached in the National Collegiate Ath ...

(born 1939), NBA basketball coach * William Wharton (1925–2008), author * Michael Zabel (born 1978), Pennsylvania State Representative for the 163rd district (2019–2023)

References

External links

Upper Darby Township
{{authority control 1653 establishments in North America 1653 establishments in the Swedish colonial empire 17th-century establishments in New Sweden Home Rule Municipalities in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1653 Townships in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania