Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Cheltenham Township is a home rule municipality
in Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States. Although it retains the word "Township
" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1977 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was 36,793 at the 2010 census, making it the third most populous township in Montgomery County. It is bordered by the City of Philadelphia to the East and South, Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
to the North, Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
to the West.
.
The La Mott section of the township was the site of Camp William Penn
, the training grounds of the first African-American troops ever enlisted into the United States Army
during the American Civil War
. These soldiers were at General Lee's surrender, helped hunt down John Wilkes Booth and were the only African-American soldiers to carry President Lincoln's casket.
The USCT (United States Colored Troops) 3rd Regiment were the first to be trained at Camp William Penn. It is tradition that soldiers have a grand parade before leaving for war, but Philadelphia was partially a racist community at that time and the government believed that a parade might cause a riot, so it was cancelled. The leader of the Camp (Colonel Louis Wagner) was furious and made sure the next regiment to come through would have a parade.
Cheltenham became a township of the first class in 1900. In 1976, it passed a home rule charter that took effect in 1977.
There are many books about Cheltenham Township's prestigious history.
on the north side and Springfield Township
on the west side.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the township has a total area of 9 square miles (23.3 km²). The area consists of rolling hills and also has a few streams running through it, most notably the Tookany Creek
. It includes the census-designated place
s of Cheltenham, Elkins Park
, Wyncote
, Glenside
, Melrose Park
, La Mott
and Laverock
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 36,875 people, 14,346 households, and 9,640 families residing in the township. The population density
was 4,083.1 people per square mile (1,576.7/km²). There were 14,897 housing units at an average density of 1,649.5 per square mile (637.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 66.45% White
, 24.61% African American
, 0.12% Native American
, 6.44% Asian
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
, 0.79% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races
. Hispanics or Latinos
of any race were 1.99% of the population.
30.4% of the townships households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% are headed by married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.05.
The age distribution was 22.8% under 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $61,713, and the median income for a family was $76,792. Males had a median income of $50,564 versus $36,439 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $31,424. About 3.0% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Cheltenham Township does not have a mayor. Rather it is governed by a Board of Commissioners, who are elected one from each of the township's seven wards. A President of the Board is rotated between these commissioners, and serves as the head of government. Paul Greenwald is the current Board President. A school board, led by Tina Viletto, is in charge of the school district.
The township is in the Second Congressional District (represented by Rep. Chaka Fattah
), and Pennsylvania's 154th Representative District
(represented by Rep. Lawrence Curry
). Prior to the 2000 census, it was in the 13th congressional district with the rest of Montgomery County. It is also in Pennsylvania's 4th Senatorial District
serves the township. There are seven public schools and a number of private schools. Public schools include Cheltenham Elementary School (k-4), Myers Elementary School (k-4), Glenside Elementary School (k-4), Wyncote Elementary School (k-4), Elkins Park School (5-6), Cedarbrook Middle School
(7-8), and Cheltenham High School
(9-12).http://www.cheltenham.org
The largest private high school in Cheltenham Township is Bishop McDevitt High School
(9-12) which is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
.
The section of Elkins Park
in Cheltenham is the former home of Tyler School of Art
, a conceptual fine-arts school that is part of Temple University
. Cheltenham is also home to Arcadia University
(formerly known as Beaver College), Salus University (formerly known as The Pennsylvania College of Optometry), Westminster Theological Seminary
, Gratz College
and Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
, the only seminary
affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism
.
line stations are located wholly within the township. The stations carry the names of the neighborhoods in which they are located: Elkins Park
; Glenside
; and Melrose Park
. Two additional stations, (Jenkintown-Wyncote
and Cheltenham
), straddle the township's border.
Beginning on January 31, 2005, Cheltenham Township partnered with Abington Township to launch a shared transit service. The Cheltenham Transit Service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays according to the same route and timetable as the current schedule. A new bus will be used for the service since Laidlaw Transit Service will be the new contractor. All other policies and procedures will remain the same. The bus runs in Abington Township on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The addition of Saturday to the Cheltenham Transit Service schedule offers riders new flexibility in their weekend travels. Although the change will result in a net reduction in service, Township officials consider this option preferable to eliminating the transit bus altogether.
There are several major roads in Cheltenham Township. Cheltenham Avenue is a major roadway and is an easy access point to many of the other roadways like Pennsylvania Route 611
and Pennsylvania Route 309
. It is also the border between Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Cheltenham Avenue ends on the westside at Paper Mill Road in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
which is part of the Springfield Township. Pennsylvania Route 73
is one of the major roadways in Cheltenham Township, known as 'Church Road' and 'Township Line Road' because it is the border line between Cheltenham and Abington Townships. Pennsylvania Route 309
starts in Cheltenham Township and serves as a major highway. It goes through many townships and ends up in PA 29 in Noxen Township. Pennsylvania Route 152
starts in Cheltenham Township and is known as 'Limekiln Pike.' It ends on the north end of Pennsylvania Route 309
in Telford, PA. Pennsylvania Route 611
starts in Philadelphia and runs through Cheltenham Township as Old York Road. It is the main access road to Willow Grove in Abington and Upper Moreland Townships.
Home Rule Municipality (Pennsylvania)
A Home Rule Municipality in Pennsylvania is one incorporated under its own unique charter, created pursuant to the state's Home Rule and Optional Plans Law and approved by referendum. "Local governments without home rule can only act where specifically authorized by state law; home rule...
in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States. Although it retains the word "Township
Township (Pennsylvania)
A township in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a state of the United States of America, is one of four types of municipalities in the state . Townships were established based on convenient geographical boundaries and vary in size from six to forty square miles...
" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1977 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was 36,793 at the 2010 census, making it the third most populous township in Montgomery County. It is bordered by the City of Philadelphia to the East and South, Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 55,310 in as of the 2010 census.Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's...
to the North, Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 19,418 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland...
to the West.
History
Cheltenham was established in 1682 by 15 Quakers from Cheltenham, England, including Richard Wall and Tobias Leech, who purchased 4070 acres (16.5 km²) of land from William PennWilliam Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
.
The La Mott section of the township was the site of Camp William Penn
Camp William Penn
Camp William Penn was a Union Army training camp located in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania from 1863 to 1865, notable for being the first training grounds dedicated to African American troops who enlisted in the United States Army during the American Civil War...
, the training grounds of the first African-American troops ever enlisted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. These soldiers were at General Lee's surrender, helped hunt down John Wilkes Booth and were the only African-American soldiers to carry President Lincoln's casket.
The USCT (United States Colored Troops) 3rd Regiment were the first to be trained at Camp William Penn. It is tradition that soldiers have a grand parade before leaving for war, but Philadelphia was partially a racist community at that time and the government believed that a parade might cause a riot, so it was cancelled. The leader of the Camp (Colonel Louis Wagner) was furious and made sure the next regiment to come through would have a parade.
Cheltenham became a township of the first class in 1900. In 1976, it passed a home rule charter that took effect in 1977.
There are many books about Cheltenham Township's prestigious history.
- A History of Cheltenham Township by Elaine Rothschild
- Images of America Cheltenham Township by Old York Road Historical Society
- Remembering Cheltenham Township by Donald Scott Sr.
- Making Marathon: A History of Early Wyncote by Thomas J. Wieckowski
Geography
Cheltenham is a residential township in Montgomery County, southeastern Pennsylvania. It borders Philadelphia and is 16 km (10 mi) northeast of the city's center. It also borders Abington TownshipAbington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 55,310 in as of the 2010 census.Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's...
on the north side and Springfield Township
Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 19,418 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland...
on the west side.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 9 square miles (23.3 km²). The area consists of rolling hills and also has a few streams running through it, most notably the Tookany Creek
Frankford Creek
Frankford Creek is a minor tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania. The stream originates as Tookany Creek at Hill Crest in Cheltenham Township and meanders eastward, then southeastward, throughout Cheltenham Township, until a sharp bend near the Philadelphia border at Lawncrest,...
. It includes the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s of Cheltenham, Elkins Park
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Elkins Park is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is split between Cheltenham and Abington Townships in the suburbs of Philadelphia, roughly from Center City, Philadelphia.-Points of interest:...
, Wyncote
Wyncote, Pennsylvania
Wyncote is a census-designated place in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,044 at the 2010 census...
, Glenside
Glenside, Pennsylvania
Glenside is a census-designated place in Abington, Cheltenham, and Springfield townships, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,384 at the 2010 census...
, Melrose Park
Melrose Park, Pennsylvania
Melrose Park is an unincorporated section of Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania on the Philadelphia city line. It is bordered to the south by Cheltenham Avenue, to the west by Old York Road, to the east by New Second Street and to the north by Ashbourne Road....
, La Mott
La Mott, Pennsylvania
La Mott is an unincorporated residential community in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. There are 65 locations in the continental United States named Mott but this is the only one named La Mott. La Mott has the zip code of 19027...
and Laverock
Laverock, Pennsylvania
Laverock is a small unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States that started as a development in the 1920s. Originally, few homes were built after the onset of the depression, and remained that way until after World War II. In the 1950s and 1960s, Split Level Homes...
.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, Cheltenham Township was 57.4% White, 31.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.7% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 3.9% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA#locality-tab.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 36,875 people, 14,346 households, and 9,640 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,083.1 people per square mile (1,576.7/km²). There were 14,897 housing units at an average density of 1,649.5 per square mile (637.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 66.45% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 24.61% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.12% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 6.44% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.79% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
. Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race were 1.99% of the population.
30.4% of the townships households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% are headed by married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.05.
The age distribution was 22.8% under 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $61,713, and the median income for a family was $76,792. Males had a median income of $50,564 versus $36,439 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $31,424. About 3.0% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Politics and government
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 19.3% 4,043 | 80.0% 16,728 |
| 2004 | 22.7% 4,690 | 77.0% 15,866 |
| 2000 | 22.0% 4,106 | 76.0% 14,169 |
| 1996 | 23.2% 4,040 | 70.1% 12,190 |
| 1992 | 24.3% 4,723 | 65.0% 12,624 |
Cheltenham Township does not have a mayor. Rather it is governed by a Board of Commissioners, who are elected one from each of the township's seven wards. A President of the Board is rotated between these commissioners, and serves as the head of government. Paul Greenwald is the current Board President. A school board, led by Tina Viletto, is in charge of the school district.
The township is in the Second Congressional District (represented by Rep. Chaka Fattah
Chaka Fattah
Chaka Fattah is the U.S. representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
), and Pennsylvania's 154th Representative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 154
The 154th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is made up of parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia County. The district includes the following areas:* Montgomery County** Cheltenham Township** Jenkintown** Springfield* Philadelphia County...
(represented by Rep. Lawrence Curry
Lawrence Curry
Lawrence Curry is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.-External links:* official PA House website* official Party website...
). Prior to the 2000 census, it was in the 13th congressional district with the rest of Montgomery County. It is also in Pennsylvania's 4th Senatorial District
Pennsylvania Senate, District 4
The Pennsylvania 4th Senatorial District is a senatorial district in the Pennsylvania State Senate. The district is home to about 650,000 people. The district includes Abington Township, Cheltenham Township, Jenkintown, Springfield, Rockledge, and part of Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania 4th...
Education
The Cheltenham Township School DistrictCheltenham Township School District
The Cheltenham Township School District is a public school district serving Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The district operates one High School, one Junior High School, one Middle School and four Elementary Schools.- Schools :...
serves the township. There are seven public schools and a number of private schools. Public schools include Cheltenham Elementary School (k-4), Myers Elementary School (k-4), Glenside Elementary School (k-4), Wyncote Elementary School (k-4), Elkins Park School (5-6), Cedarbrook Middle School
Cedarbrook Middle School
Cedarbrook Middle School is a Junior High School in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania that serves students in grades 7 and 8. It is preceded by Elkins Park Middle School, and four elementary schools: Glenside Elementary, Wyncote Elementary, Myers Elementary, and Cheltenham Elementary...
(7-8), and Cheltenham High School
Cheltenham High School
Cheltenham High School is a public high school in Wyncote, Pennsylvania serving grades 9 through 12. Cheltenham is the Senior High School in the School District of Cheltenham Township...
(9-12).http://www.cheltenham.org
The largest private high school in Cheltenham Township is Bishop McDevitt High School
Bishop McDevitt High School (Wyncote, Pennsylvania)
Bishop McDevitt High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in the Wyncote community in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-Background:...
(9-12) which is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
.
The section of Elkins Park
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Elkins Park is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is split between Cheltenham and Abington Townships in the suburbs of Philadelphia, roughly from Center City, Philadelphia.-Points of interest:...
in Cheltenham is the former home of Tyler School of Art
Tyler School of Art
The Stella Elkins Tyler School of Art, usually just referred to as Tyler School of Art is Temple University's school of art, which confers BFA and MFA degrees. The school was originally founded by sculptors Stella Elkins Tyler and Boris Blai on a separate 14-acre estate in Elkins Park...
, a conceptual fine-arts school that is part of Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
. Cheltenham is also home to Arcadia University
Arcadia University
Arcadia University is a private university located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, on the outskirts of Philadelphia. A master's university by Carnegie Classification, the university has a co-educational student population of more than 4,000. The university was ranked 25th in the master's universities in...
(formerly known as Beaver College), Salus University (formerly known as The Pennsylvania College of Optometry), Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
, Gratz College
Gratz College
Gratz College is a general college of Jewish studies founded in 1895 offering a broad array of credentials and programs in virtually every area of higher Judaic learning to aspiring Jewish educators, communal professionals, lay people and others seeking to become more knowledgeable of...
and Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College , is located in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles north of central Philadelphia. RRC is the only seminary affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism. It is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and...
, the only seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of Mordecai Kaplan . The movement views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization. It originated as a branch of Conservative Judaism, before it splintered...
.
Libraries
Cheltenham Township has four libraries which are the East Cheltenham Free Library, Elkins Park Free Library, La Mott Free Library, and the Glenside Free library.Transportation
Three SEPTA Regional RailSEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
line stations are located wholly within the township. The stations carry the names of the neighborhoods in which they are located: Elkins Park
Elkins Park (SEPTA station)
Elkins Park is a SEPTA Regional Rail located in the Elkins Park neighborhood of Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and is along the SEPTA Main Line. The station building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its notable architecture. The station is located...
; Glenside
Glenside (SEPTA station)
Glenside is a SEPTA Regional Rail station along the SEPTA Main Line at the intersections of Easton Road and Glenside Avenue in Glenside, Pennsylvania. At Carmel Junction, immediately west of Glenside station, the Warminster Line splits from the Lansdale/Doylestown Line.-External links:***...
; and Melrose Park
Melrose Park (SEPTA station)
Melrose Park station is a SEPTA Regional Rail station located along the SEPTA Main Line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority...
. Two additional stations, (Jenkintown-Wyncote
Jenkintown-Wyncote (SEPTA station)
Jenkintown–Wyncote is a SEPTA Regional Rail station along the SEPTA Main Line. It is located at the intersection of Greenwood Avenue and West Avenue in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.-Station:...
and Cheltenham
Cheltenham (SEPTA station)
Cheltenham is a station located along the SEPTA Regional Rail Fox Chase Line. It is located at Old Soldiers Road and Hasbrook Avenue and has a 17-space parking lot....
), straddle the township's border.
Beginning on January 31, 2005, Cheltenham Township partnered with Abington Township to launch a shared transit service. The Cheltenham Transit Service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays according to the same route and timetable as the current schedule. A new bus will be used for the service since Laidlaw Transit Service will be the new contractor. All other policies and procedures will remain the same. The bus runs in Abington Township on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The addition of Saturday to the Cheltenham Transit Service schedule offers riders new flexibility in their weekend travels. Although the change will result in a net reduction in service, Township officials consider this option preferable to eliminating the transit bus altogether.
There are several major roads in Cheltenham Township. Cheltenham Avenue is a major roadway and is an easy access point to many of the other roadways like Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611 is a major state highway in Pennsylvania, United States, running from Interstate 95 south of downtown Philadelphia north to Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania in The Poconos....
and Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
. It is also the border between Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Cheltenham Avenue ends on the westside at Paper Mill Road in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
Wyndmoor is a census-designated place in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,498 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
which is part of the Springfield Township. Pennsylvania Route 73
Pennsylvania Route 73
Pennsylvania Route 73 is a 62.51 miles long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from Pennsylvania Route 61 in Leesport to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in Philadelphia, where it continues as New Jersey Route 73.Predating the Interstate...
is one of the major roadways in Cheltenham Township, known as 'Church Road' and 'Township Line Road' because it is the border line between Cheltenham and Abington Townships. Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
starts in Cheltenham Township and serves as a major highway. It goes through many townships and ends up in PA 29 in Noxen Township. Pennsylvania Route 152
Pennsylvania Route 152
Pennsylvania Route 152 is a 25 mile long state highway located in the US state of Pennsylvania. The route, travels north–south from PA Route 309 located in Cedarbrook north to PA Route 309 located east of Telford.PA 152 is unique to other Pennsylvania Highways because it ends at two...
starts in Cheltenham Township and is known as 'Limekiln Pike.' It ends on the north end of Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
in Telford, PA. Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611 is a major state highway in Pennsylvania, United States, running from Interstate 95 south of downtown Philadelphia north to Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania in The Poconos....
starts in Philadelphia and runs through Cheltenham Township as Old York Road. It is the main access road to Willow Grove in Abington and Upper Moreland Townships.
Notable people
- Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
(saxophonist) - Randy BreckerRandy BreckerRandal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
(jazz, rock, and R&B trumpeter) - Michael Stuart BrownMichael Stuart BrownMichael Stuart Brown is an American geneticist and Nobel Laureate. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Joseph L. Goldstein in 1985 for describing the regulation of cholesterol metabolism.- Life and career :...
(American physician, geneticist, and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine) - Jay CookeJay CookeJay Cooke was an American financier. Cooke and his firm Jay Cooke & Company were most notable for their role in financing the Union's war effort during the American Civil War...
(financier - had his 'country estate' in Chelten Hills) - Bill CosbyBill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
(comedian) - Rebecca CreskoffRebecca CreskoffRebecca Creskoff is an American actress.-Career:Creskoff graduated from the University of Pennsylvania before attending New York University where she received her Master of Fine Arts degree....
(American actress) - Cyrus H.K. CurtisCyrus Hermann Kotzschmar CurtisCyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis was an American publisher of magazines and newspapers, including the Ladies' Home Journal and the Saturday Evening Post.-Biography:...
(founder of the Curtis Publishing CompanyCurtis Publishing CompanyThe Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during the early 20th century. The company's publications included the Ladies' Home Journal and The Saturday Evening Post, The American Home,...
, which published The Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
and Ladies Home Journal) - Reggie JacksonReggie JacksonReginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
(Hall of Fame baseball player, Actor - grew up in township) - Paul WestheadPaul WestheadPaul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
(NBA championship-winning coach, taught English at Cheltenham High School in 1960's) - George Horace LorimerGeorge Horace LorimerGeorge Horace Lorimer was an American journalist and author. He is best known as the editor of The Saturday Evening Post....
(longtime editor of The Saturday Evening Post) - Edgar Lee MastersEdgar Lee MastersEdgar Lee Masters was an American poet, biographer, and dramatist...
(Lawyer and author of the Spoon River Anthology – spent final years and died in Elkins Park.) - Mark LevinMark LevinMark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
(conservative talk radio host) - Mary Ellen MarkMary Ellen MarkMary Ellen Mark is an American photographer known for her photojournalism, portraiture, and advertising photography. She has had 16 collections of her work published and has been exhibited at galleries and museums worldwide. She has received numerous accolades, including three Robert F...
(photographer) - Lucretia Coffin Mott (prominent feminist, abolitionist, and Quaker)
- Benjamin NetanyahuBenjamin NetanyahuBenjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
(Currently serving his second term as Israeli prime minister - lived in township during high school) - Yonatan Netanyahu (Israeli war hero who died saving Jewish hostages in Operation EntebbeOperation EntebbeOperation Entebbe was a counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4 July 1976. A week earlier, on 27 June, an Air France plane with 248 passengers was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists and...
) - Ezra PoundEzra PoundEzra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
(poet - grew up in township) - Kate VrijmoetKate Vrijmoet- Biography :Kate Vrijmoet began formal art studies at Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, receiving a scholarship for two semesters of weekend courses while in high school . She went on to the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University, and was invited to teach there in 1994,...
(artist - grew up in township) - David UosikkinenDavid UosikkinenDavid Uosikkinen is an American drummer and Internet content manager, best known for being a founding member of rock band The Hooters.-Early life:...
(drummer for rock band The HootersThe HootersThe Hooters is an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By combining a mix of rock and roll, reggae, ska and folk music, The Hooters first gained major commercial success in the United States in the mid 1980s due to heavy radio and MTV airplay of several songs including "All You...
) - John WanamakerJohn WanamakerJohn Wanamaker was a United States merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure, considered by some to be the father of modern advertising and a "pioneer in marketing." Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:He was born on July 11, 1838.He opened his first store in...
(businessman sometimes called the father of the department storeDepartment storeA department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
- had a second home in the township) - George Dunton WidenerGeorge Dunton WidenerGeorge Dunton Widener was an American businessman who died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic.-Biography:...
(a Philadelphia businessman who died in the sinking of the Titanic)
Miscellaneous
- Cheltenham has its own Public-access televisionPublic-access televisionPublic-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel, Channel 42 (Cheltenham School District Broadcasting) on ComcastComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
Cablevision. - Cheltenham is twinned with - and named after - Cheltenham, United Kingdom.
- The Fox sitcom "'Til Death'Til Death’Til Death is an American sitcom which aired on the Fox network from September 7, 2006, to June 20, 2010. The series was created by husband-and-wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, who were also the writers and executive-producers...
" is set in Cheltenham. - The movie "The In CrowdThe In Crowd (1988 film)The In Crowd is a 1988 film directed by Mark Rosenthal and written by Rosenthal and his long time writing partner Lawrence Konner. The period piece set in the 1960s features music of the era, including "Land of a Thousand Dances" and the instrumental "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" by Vince...
" was filmed partly at Cheltenham High School.
Fire services
The Cheltenham Township Fire Department consists of 5 all volunteer fire companies.- Glenside Fire Company
- La Mott Fire Company
- Elkins Park Fire Company
- Cheltenham Hook & Ladder Company
- Ogontz Fire Company
Points of interest
- Curtis Hall ArboretumCurtis Hall ArboretumThe Curtis Hall Arboretum, sometimes called Curtis Arboretum, is a forty-five-acre arboretum that is located at 1250 Church Road , Wyncote, Pennsylvania. The arboretum was founded by Mary Louise Curtis Bok, in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis. The landscaping was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted...
- Located at the intersection of Greenwood Avenue and Church Road, Curtis Hall is home to Concerts in the Park over the summer, and the Community Harvest Festival, held annually on the second Saturday in October. Curtis also features many acres of fields, and a dog walking park. - Grey Towers CastleGrey Towers CastleGrey Towers Castle is a building on the campus of Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania which is in Cheltenham Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, USA. The castle was designed by Horace Trumbauer and built starting in 1893 as the estate of William Welsh Harrison...
- a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
designed by Horace Trumbauer and home to Arcadia UniversityArcadia UniversityArcadia University is a private university located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, on the outskirts of Philadelphia. A master's university by Carnegie Classification, the university has a co-educational student population of more than 4,000. The university was ranked 25th in the master's universities in...
- this historic castle in Glenside was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985, and was built in 1893. - Beth Sholom SynagogueBeth Sholom SynagogueBeth Sholom Congregation is a Conservative synagogue located in the Philadelphia suburb of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. It is the only synagogue designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright...
- a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
designed by Frank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
. Beth Shalom, which means "House of Peace" in Hebrew is one of the most recognizable structures in Cheltenham Township. - Richard Wall House - placed on the National Register of Historical Places 1979, the Wall House was built in 1683. It offers tours daily, run by the Cheltenham Township Historical Commission.
- Lynnewood HallLynnewood HallLynnewood Hall is a 110-room Neoclassical Revival mansion in Elkins Park, Montgomery County designed by architect Horace Trumbauer for industrialist Peter A. B. Widener between 1897 and 1900...
- Designed by Horace TrumbauerHorace TrumbauerHorace Trumbauer was a prominent American architect of the Gilded Age, known for designing residential manors for the wealthy. Later in his career he also designed hotels, office buildings, and much of the campus of Duke University...
for Peter Arrell Brown WidenerPeter Arrell Brown WidenerPeter Arrell Brown Widener was an American businessman and head of the prominent Widener family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
- Considered the largest surviving mansion of the Gilded Age in he Philadelphia Area, this was the home of Peter A.B. WidenerPeter Arrell Brown WidenerPeter Arrell Brown Widener was an American businessman and head of the prominent Widener family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
. - Elkins EstateElkins EstateElkins Estate is a estate located in Elkins Park, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The estate contains five buildings, the most notable being Elstowe Manor and Chelten House, both Horace Trumbauer designed mansions. Elstowe Manor was the summer home of William L...
- The home of William L. ElkinsWilliam Lukens ElkinsWilliam Lukens Elkins was an American businessman, inventor, and art collector.-Career:Although his father was a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, William Elkins was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. He started his working life at a grocery store in Philadelphia where his family had returned to...
, who was a successful businessman with the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and SEPTA.
