Gladwyne, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Gladwyne is a suburban community in Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
along the Main Line
. The population was 4,050 at the 2000 census. As Gladwyne is neither an incorporated area nor a census-designated place
, all data are for the ZIP code
19035, with which the community is coterminous.
There are four churches, a synagogue, a library, two schools, the Gladwyne fire company, the Gladwyne Civic Association, the Stony Lane Swim Club, playgrounds, parks, businesses, and retail shops within the confines of Gladwyne. The historic Guard House Inn is also located within Gladwyne.The village is also home to the Philadelphia Country Club on its periphery, Merion Cricket Club, and to The Courts a private tennis club. Because the town was early to preserve space and has received many donations of land, developers have not subdivided the area into more typical suburban developments, so the area retains a mixture of farm, colonial town, and late 19th/early 20th housing uncharacteristic of other Main Line communities.
Industrialist James Crosby Brown of the Pennsylvania Railroad
built a 185 acre (0.7486691 km²) estate that upon his death was divided into non-divisible (deed-restricted) lots of three to 17 acres (68,796.6 m²), an early act of (partial) preservation that set an important precedent for future acts by both individuals and the township. The Lower Merion Conservancy plays a significant role in protecting the local heritage and maintains its office in Gladwyne's Rolling Hill Park.
. Twenty-four mills operated along Mill Creek through the beginning of the twentieth century, and the major road through residential Gladwyne runs along the banks of the creek. After the American Civil War
and following construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line west from Center City, wealthy Philadelphians located many of their summer homes there.
The development of the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) in the 1960s and the subsequent development of King of Prussia as a major business center increased Gladwyne's appeal, as it was the Main Line town situated closest to the Expressway and midway between King of Prussia and Center City Philadelphia. The Gladwyne Elementary School was built in 1958 to accommodate the children of these new residents and the Gladwyne FreeLibrary was renovated and expanded as well. Yet the core of the village, built originally at the convergence of Youngsford and Righter's Mill Roads during the latter part of the eighteenth century, remained essentially the same, allowing Gladwyne to retain all of its original historic character and at the same time enjoy the conveniences of modern suburban living, such as a centrally located supermarket with ample parking, pharmacy, tavern, and restaurants.
, the community has a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.8 km²), all land. It is primarily rolling hills in topography.
of 2000, there were 4,050 people, 1,476 households,and 1,057 families residing in the community. The population density
was 820.0 people per square mile (316.7/km²). There were 1,538 housing units at an average density of 311.4/sq mi(120.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.22% Caucasian, 2.34% Asian, 0.77% African American, 0.32% from other races
, and 0.69% from two or more races. 1.09%of the population were Hispanic
or Latino of any race.
There were 1,476 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% are married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.98.
In the community the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 2.0% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.2%who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.8 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $159,905, and the median income for a family was $200,000. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $51,103 for females. The per capita income
for the community was $90,940. About 2.1% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
unless they attend one of the area's many private schools. Lower Merion schools maintain an excellent reputation and its public schools are frequently ranked among the best in the nation,public or private. Both high schools are being replaced as of fall 2008, part of a $350 million township building program. Most other Lower Merion public schools have recently been renovated as well.
, all-girls Baldwin School
, coeducational Friends Central School, coeducational Haverford Friends School, all-boys Haverford School, and coeducational Shipley School. Parochial schools are also numerous and include several parish-related Catholic elementary schools, Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor, Barack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, all-girls, 9-12 Merion Mercy Academy in Merion, Torah Academy in Wynnewood, and coeducational, K-8 Waldron Mercy Academy, also in Merion.
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
along the Main Line
Pennsylvania Main Line
The Main Line is an unofficial historical and socio-cultural region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising a collection of affluent towns built along the old Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad which ran northwest from downtown Philadelphia parallel to Lancaster Avenue , a road...
. The population was 4,050 at the 2000 census. As Gladwyne is neither an incorporated area nor a 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...
, all data are for the ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
19035, with which the community is coterminous.
There are four churches, a synagogue, a library, two schools, the Gladwyne fire company, the Gladwyne Civic Association, the Stony Lane Swim Club, playgrounds, parks, businesses, and retail shops within the confines of Gladwyne. The historic Guard House Inn is also located within Gladwyne.The village is also home to the Philadelphia Country Club on its periphery, Merion Cricket Club, and to The Courts a private tennis club. Because the town was early to preserve space and has received many donations of land, developers have not subdivided the area into more typical suburban developments, so the area retains a mixture of farm, colonial town, and late 19th/early 20th housing uncharacteristic of other Main Line communities.
Industrialist James Crosby Brown of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
built a 185 acre (0.7486691 km²) estate that upon his death was divided into non-divisible (deed-restricted) lots of three to 17 acres (68,796.6 m²), an early act of (partial) preservation that set an important precedent for future acts by both individuals and the township. The Lower Merion Conservancy plays a significant role in protecting the local heritage and maintains its office in Gladwyne's Rolling Hill Park.
History
Like the rest of the region, Gladwyne, known until 1891 as "Merion Square", originally was settled by Welsh Quakers beginning in 1682. It was given its new name to lessen confusion with the many "Merions" in the area, including the town of Merion, Lower Merion Township, and Upper Merion Township, and in imitation of the Welsh names of adjoining towns, although its new name was meaningless in WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. Twenty-four mills operated along Mill Creek through the beginning of the twentieth century, and the major road through residential Gladwyne runs along the banks of the creek. After 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...
and following construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line west from Center City, wealthy Philadelphians located many of their summer homes there.
The development of the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) in the 1960s and the subsequent development of King of Prussia as a major business center increased Gladwyne's appeal, as it was the Main Line town situated closest to the Expressway and midway between King of Prussia and Center City Philadelphia. The Gladwyne Elementary School was built in 1958 to accommodate the children of these new residents and the Gladwyne FreeLibrary was renovated and expanded as well. Yet the core of the village, built originally at the convergence of Youngsford and Righter's Mill Roads during the latter part of the eighteenth century, remained essentially the same, allowing Gladwyne to retain all of its original historic character and at the same time enjoy the conveniences of modern suburban living, such as a centrally located supermarket with ample parking, pharmacy, tavern, and restaurants.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 community has a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.8 km²), all land. It is primarily rolling hills in topography.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 4,050 people, 1,476 households,and 1,057 families residing in the community. 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 820.0 people per square mile (316.7/km²). There were 1,538 housing units at an average density of 311.4/sq mi(120.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.22% Caucasian, 2.34% Asian, 0.77% African American, 0.32% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.69% from two or more races. 1.09%of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino of any race.
There were 1,476 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% are married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.98.
In the community the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 2.0% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.2%who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.8 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $159,905, and the median income for a family was $200,000. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $51,103 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 community was $90,940. About 2.1% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Public schools
Children living in Gladwyne attend schools in the Lower Merion School DistrictLower Merion School District
Lower Merion School District, or LMSD, is a public school district located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The school district includes residents of both Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth. Established in 1836, LMSD is one of the oldest districts in Pennsylvania...
unless they attend one of the area's many private schools. Lower Merion schools maintain an excellent reputation and its public schools are frequently ranked among the best in the nation,public or private. Both high schools are being replaced as of fall 2008, part of a $350 million township building program. Most other Lower Merion public schools have recently been renovated as well.
Schools
The Gladwyne Montessori School is a private preschool-to-6th grade school located at 920 Youngsford Road across from the Gladwyne Park. Gladwyne Elementary School, part of the public Lower Merion School District, extends from its entrance on Merion Square Road to its playing fields adjacent to Righter's Mill Road. There are also a number of pre-K and K private schools within Gladwyne. Notable private schools within close proximity, many of them nationally renowned, include all-girls Agnes Irwin SchoolAgnes Irwin School
The Agnes Irwin School is an all-girls', non-sectarian, day school for students in grades PreK-12. The School has been a leader in girls' education since 1869, when it was founded by Miss Agnes Irwin of Philadelphia. Agnes Irwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, later became the...
, all-girls Baldwin School
Baldwin School
The Baldwin School is an all-girls private day school located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The school, founded in 1888 by Florence Baldwin, consists of a Lower, Middle, and Upper School totaling approximately 600 in enrollment...
, coeducational Friends Central School, coeducational Haverford Friends School, all-boys Haverford School, and coeducational Shipley School. Parochial schools are also numerous and include several parish-related Catholic elementary schools, Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor, Barack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, all-girls, 9-12 Merion Mercy Academy in Merion, Torah Academy in Wynnewood, and coeducational, K-8 Waldron Mercy Academy, also in Merion.
Notable residents, past and present
- Henry H. ArnoldHenry H. ArnoldHenry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
- America's only General of the Air Force. - Richie AshburnRichie AshburnDon Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
- MLB Hall of Famer, Philadelphia Phillies star, and longtime Phillies broadcaster. The baseball field at Gladwyne Park is named "Richie Ashburn Field" in his memory. - Ralph L. BrinsterRalph L. BrinsterRalph Lawrence Brinster is an American geneticist and Richard King Mellon Professor of Reproductive Physiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.- Birth and education :...
, Ph.D. - American biologist, pioneer in the development of techniques for manipulating the cellular and genetic composition of early mouse embryos and creator of the Brinster cell culture medium - John Thompson Dorrance - American chemist who invented condensed soup; president of the Campbell Soup Company, from 1914 to 1930
- Allen IversonAllen IversonAllen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
- NBA basketball formerly of the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, and of the Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, and the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. - Mark JosephsonMark JosephsonMark E. Josephson, M.D., is an American cardiologist and writer and was in the 1970s one of the American pioneers of the medical cardiology subspecialty of cardiac electrophysiology. His classic text, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology: Techniques and Interpretations, is widely acknowledged the...
, M.D. - Pioneering American cardiologist and writer, cofounder of cardiac electrophysiologyCardiac electrophysiologyCardiac electrophysiology is the science of elucidating, diagnosing, and treating the electrical activities of the heart. The term is usually used to describe studies of such phenomena by invasive catheter recording of spontaneous activity as well as of cardiac responses to programmed electrical...
, now professor of medicine at Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
in Boston. - Kyle KorverKyle KorverKyle Elliot Korver is an American basketball player, who currently plays for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association...
- NBA basketball player, formerly of the Philadelphia 76ers and now plays on the Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
. - Carter MerbreierCarter MerbreierW. Carter Merbreier is an American television personality, ordained Lutheran minister and former police chaplain for the Philadelphia Police Department. Merbreier created and co-hosted the long-running syndicated childrens television series, Captain Noah and His Magical Ark, in 1967...
- Creator and co-host (Captain Noah) of the childrens television series, Captain Noah and His Magical ArkCaptain Noah and His Magical ArkCaptain Noah and His Magical Ark was a television program for children and was generally broadcast around the Philadelphia area. The series aired from 1967 to 1994. It was film and produced at the WPVI-TV, Channel 6 studios in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Captain Noah and His Magical Ark, was... - Patricia MerbreierPatricia MerbreierPatricia "Pat" Merbreier was an American television personality and actress. She was best known for playing Mrs. Noah on the Philadelphia-based WPVI syndicated children's program, Captain Noah and His Magical Ark, for approximately 3,600 episodes between 1967 and 1994. Her real life husband, W...
- Co-host (Mrs. Noah) and puppeteer of Captain Noah and His Magical Ark - Martin MeyersonMartin MeyersonMartin Meyerson was a United States city planner and academic leader best known as the President of the University of Pennsylvania between 1970 and 1981....
, Ph.D. - American city planner and president of the University of Pennsylvania from 1970 to 1981. - Albert NiponAlbert NiponAlbert Nipon is an American fashion designer and ladies clothing manufacturer.Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Nipon turned a small maternity clothes company into an internationally known producer of ultra-feminine women's clothing during the early 1970s whose instant popularity caught the...
- American fashion designer, clothing manufacturer, and convicted tax fraud - Teddy PendergrassTeddy PendergrassTheodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass was an American R&B/soul singer and songwriter. Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade...
- late R&B singer. - J. Howard PewJ. Howard PewJ. Howard Pew was an American philanthropist and co-founder of Sunoco .Joseph Howard Pew was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania in 1882 and raised as a devout Presbyterian. In 1886 Pew’s father, Joseph Newton Pew, Sr. started an oil business in Pennsylvania, expanding to Texas when oil was discovered...
- son of the founder of the Sun Oil CorporationSunocoSunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
, Joseph Newton PewJoseph Newton PewJoseph Newton Pew was the founder of Sun Oil Company and a prominent philanthropist.Joseph N. Pew was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to John Pew and Nancy Glenn. He worked on the family's farm as a child. Pew attended public schools in Mercer and graduated from Edinboro Normal School...
, and chairman of its board of directors - M. Night ShyamalanM. Night ShyamalanManoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
- film director. - Robert SummersRobert SummersRobert Summers is a U.S. economist and professor emeritus, University of Pennsylvania, where he taught from 1960. A widely cited early work by Summers is on the small-sample statistical properties of alternate regression estimators where analytical measures are unavailable.Summers received his...
, Ph.D., and Anita SummersAnita SummersAnita Arrow Summers is an American educator of public policy, management, real estate and education and is Professor Emerita at the University of Pennsylvania.The daughter of Jewish immigrants from Romania...
, Ph.D. - U. S. economists at the University of Pennsylvania and parents of former Harvard president, U. S. Treasury secretary, and Obama chief economic adviser Lawrence H. Summers. - Silas L. WarnerSilas L. WarnerSilas L. Warner entered Princeton University from Choate Rosemary Hall in June, 1942, and graduated in 1945 after his first year at Northwestern Medical School. As a student he wrestled and played varsity soccer, football, tennis and hockey....
, M.D. - American psychiatrist and writer on personality disorders in adults and children. - Richard Barrett - former record producer and manager of the 3 Degrees, the Teenagers, ft Frankie Lymon, the Chantays.
- Shane Blankenhorn - new york city socialite
Points of interest
- Gladwyne Civic Association - Established in 1948, the objectives of the Gladwyne Civic Association are to maintain superior civic conditions in Gladwyne and to consider and take appropriate action concerning all questions relating to the welfare of the community. Gladwyne has always had a very active Civic Association that sponsors the town's annual Memorial Day Parade and Gladwyne Clean Up Day.
- Henry Foundation for Botanical ResearchHenry Foundation for Botanical ResearchThe Henry Foundation for Botanical Research is a nonprofit botanical garden located at 801 Stony Lane, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania.The garden was established in 1948 by botanist and plant explorer Mary Gibson Henry for plants that she collected through remote areas of the West, Midwest, and Southeast...
, a botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names... - Rolling Hill Park, a 102 acre (0.41277972 km²) parkParkA park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
on Mill Creek, with historic mill building ruins, purchased from Walter Pew by the Lower Merion Township - Idlewild Farm ComplexIdlewild Farm ComplexThe Idlewild Farm Complex is a 26 acre plot of land in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It was originally part of the Welsh Tract and is now a portion of the Bridlewild Trails Association.-Early Times:...
, a 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) farmFarmA farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
with buildings, donated to the Natural Lands Trust - Saunders Woods, a farmFarmA farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
with colonial house - Bridlewild Trail, a set of trailTrailA trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s extending 22 miles (35.4 km) through the Henry,Rolling Hill, Idlewild Farms, Saunders Woods, and other preserved spaces. The trail is open to residents, horses, and leashed pets. - 1690 House, the oldest standing structure in Lower Merion Township,incorporating remnants of a log cabin built by John Roberts for the Roberts Mill at the convergence of Mill Creek and Old Gulph Roads