Narberth, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Narberth is a borough in Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 4,282 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
Narberth is an enclave surrounded by Lower Merion Township, close to the western edge of the city of Philadelphia. It is part of the "Main Line"
, a string of leafy, picturesque suburbs with quaint Welsh names extending west from Philadelphia along the old Pennsylvania Railroad's "main line" from Merion through Ardmore
, Bryn Mawr
, Villanova
, Devon and Wayne
among other towns and municipalities. Narberth is unique among those locations in that it is fairly enclosed; no major thoroughfares run through the town, but Montgomery Avenue runs northwest/southeast along the borough's northern border.
Because of its small size, Narberth is a walking town, with virtually all of its shopping and recreational facilities within walking distance of residents' houses. SEPTA's "Main Line" railroad tracks separate North Side from South Side. Narberth is mostly a residential community, with a central business district
along Haverford, Narberth, Forest, and Essex Avenues.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 4,233 people, 1,904 households, and 1,037 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 8,571.7 people per square mile (3,335.4/km²). There were 1,981 housing units at an average density of 4,011.5 per square mile (1,561.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.23% White, 1.18% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.14% from other races
, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.
There were 1,904 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples
living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $60,408, and the median income for a family was $79,545. Males had a median income of $59,076 versus $41,518 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $35,165. About 2.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
The borough has many square blocks of fine old Victorian homes and apartment buildings, and most its families live north and west of downtown areas, extending north along Montgomery Avenue to North Wynnewood Avenue.
South Narberth lies south of the train tracks and over the Narberth Avenue bridge. It is sometimes confused with Merion because of its resemblance to that municipality. This entirely residential area extends west into Wynnewood and south into Merion, delimited by Rockland Avenue and East Wynnewood Road.
The northeast section is so-called "working-class" Narberth, populated by turn-of-the-century row houses, which today are often inhabited by descendants of Italian and Irish immigrants. The area has many long-time family businesses, such as Joseph Gaudini's Tailor Shop and Al DiBonaventura's Barber Shop. Its center is the narrow intersection of Iona and Woodbine Avenues. Ryan Christopher's Restaurant, the latest in a succession of eateries that have tried to replace Giuliani's—the landmark family restaurant that sat at the intersection for many decades—is also here. Northeast Narberth extends to Montgomery Avenue on the north, North Narberth to the west, and Windsor to the south. Saint Margaret's Catholic church, its school, and a Lutheran church reside on this area's western border.
form of government with a mayor
and a seven-member borough council. The mayor is Tom Grady, a Democrat
. The members of borough council, all of whom are Democrats, are Mary Jo Pauxtis (president), Aaron Muderick (vice president), Nancy Lotz, Heidi Boise, Surge Ghosh, Michael (Sam) Quinn, and Bob Wegbreit. The Borough Manager is Bill Martin.
The borough is part of the Sixth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Jim Gerlach
), the 148th State House District (represented by Rep. Mike Gerber) and the 17th State Senate District (represented by Sen. Daylin Leach
).
. Borough children attend either Merion Elementary or Belmont Hills Elementary schools, Bala Cynwyd Middle or Welsh Valley Middle schools, and either Lower Merion High School or Harriton High School. Religious schools in the immediate vicinity include the private Waldron Mercy Academy
and Merion Mercy Academy
Catholic schools, the parish Saint Margaret's Elementary Catholic School, and Torah Academy in nearby Wynnewood. Nearby private schools include Friends Central School on City Avenue, Gladwyne's Montessori School, and the girls schools Agnes Irwin
and Baldwin
, the boys schools the Haverford School and Episcopal Academy, and coeducational Shipley School, all in or near Bryn Mawr.
Narberth is virtually home to Saint Joseph's University
, which occupies an increasingly large area adjacent to the Lankenau Hospital campus in nearby Merion on City Avenue. Villanova University
, straddling Lancaster Pike, and Rosemont College
, on Montgomery, are also nearby, as are Haverford College
, Bryn Mawr College
, Cabrini College
, and Eastern University
, the latter two in nearby Saint David's.
Narberth is also served by Route 1, City Avenue, traveling north and south, and is easily accessible to Routes 76, the Schuylkill Expressway east and west, and 476, the Philadelphia bypass nicknamed the "Blue Route", traveling south and north between Chester and Interstate 95 in the south and Plymouth Meeting, Germantown, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike traveling east and west.
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...
. The population was 4,282 at the 2010 census.
History
Narberth is located on a parcel of land originally deeded to Edward Rees (which later became “Prees” and eventually “Price”), who arrived from Wales in 1682. A portion of this original tract became the 100 acre (0.404686 km²) farm of Edward R. Price, who founded Elm as a “Quaker-friendly” town in 1881. The town named changed to Narberth in 1893, and Narberth was incorporated in 1895. In 1995, the borough celebrated its 100th birthday with a year-long celebration.Geography
Narberth is located at 40°0′27"N 75°15′44"W (40.007462, -75.262169).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 borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
Narberth is an enclave surrounded by Lower Merion Township, close to the western edge of the city of Philadelphia. It is part of 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...
, a string of leafy, picturesque suburbs with quaint Welsh names extending west from Philadelphia along the old Pennsylvania Railroad's "main line" from Merion through Ardmore
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
, Bryn Mawr
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
, Villanova
Villanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova is a community in the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It straddles Lower Merion Township of Montgomery County and Radnor Township of Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Pennsylvania Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburban towns located...
, Devon and Wayne
Wayne, Pennsylvania
Wayne is an unincorporated community located on the Main Line, centered in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. While the center of Wayne is in Radnor Township, Wayne extends into both Tredyffrin Township in Chester County and Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County...
among other towns and municipalities. Narberth is unique among those locations in that it is fairly enclosed; no major thoroughfares run through the town, but Montgomery Avenue runs northwest/southeast along the borough's northern border.
Because of its small size, Narberth is a walking town, with virtually all of its shopping and recreational facilities within walking distance of residents' houses. SEPTA's "Main Line" railroad tracks separate North Side from South Side. Narberth is mostly a residential community, with a central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
along Haverford, Narberth, Forest, and Essex Avenues.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the borough was 90.4% White, 1.9% Black or African American, 4.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 2.7% were two or more races. 2.4% 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 4,233 people, 1,904 households, and 1,037 families residing in the borough. 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 8,571.7 people per square mile (3,335.4/km²). There were 1,981 housing units at an average density of 4,011.5 per square mile (1,561.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.23% White, 1.18% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.14% 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 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.
There were 1,904 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were 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, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $60,408, and the median income for a family was $79,545. Males had a median income of $59,076 versus $41,518 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 borough was $35,165. About 2.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
The borough has many square blocks of fine old Victorian homes and apartment buildings, and most its families live north and west of downtown areas, extending north along Montgomery Avenue to North Wynnewood Avenue.
Neighborhoods
Narberth is divided up into sections, each with a different personality. "Downtown" Narberth is where the main cluster of stores and public facilities are located. This area borders Haverford Avenue and is delimited by Wynnewood Road, north of the train tracks. Among the commercial downtown landmarks are the town's original movie house, the Narberth Theater, now a spruced-up double-screen; Ricklin's Hardware Store; Ice Chill And Grill (AKA Ice Cafe) A Frozen Treats store; Mapes' Five and Ten, now with two locations and the last of area's independent variety stores; and The Greeks Bar and Restaurant. An assortment of coffee shops, dress shops, and antique establishments line the district. The Narberth Playground, bordered by Haverford, Wynnewood, and Windsor Avenues, is known for its popular summer basketball leagues, featuring summer night games with some of the best local high school and collegiate players. The playground has a unique and traditional July 4 festival, mostly unchanged for more than a century, which begins at 9 AM with children's races and culminates twelve hours later in one of the region's best-known fireworks displays. Narberth's public library, renovated in 2009, is located adjacent to the entrance to the children's playground on Windsor Avenue.South Narberth lies south of the train tracks and over the Narberth Avenue bridge. It is sometimes confused with Merion because of its resemblance to that municipality. This entirely residential area extends west into Wynnewood and south into Merion, delimited by Rockland Avenue and East Wynnewood Road.
The northeast section is so-called "working-class" Narberth, populated by turn-of-the-century row houses, which today are often inhabited by descendants of Italian and Irish immigrants. The area has many long-time family businesses, such as Joseph Gaudini's Tailor Shop and Al DiBonaventura's Barber Shop. Its center is the narrow intersection of Iona and Woodbine Avenues. Ryan Christopher's Restaurant, the latest in a succession of eateries that have tried to replace Giuliani's—the landmark family restaurant that sat at the intersection for many decades—is also here. Northeast Narberth extends to Montgomery Avenue on the north, North Narberth to the west, and Windsor to the south. Saint Margaret's Catholic church, its school, and a Lutheran church reside on this area's western border.
Recreation
The Borough of Narberth maintains two recreational facilities: The Narberth Playground and the Sabine Avenue Playground. The Narberth Playground has two basketball courts, three tennis courts, a field area, a junior basketball court (once volleyball), and a playground for younger children. The Sabine Avenue Tot Lot, on the grounds of the former Narberth Elementary School, is the smaller of the two and was recently renovated with new playground equipment. In addition, the borough sponsors a Fall soccer program, a Spring baseball program, a Summer basketball program, and many other sports and recreation activities.Politics and government
Narberth has a city managerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
form of government with a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a seven-member borough council. The mayor is Tom Grady, a 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...
. The members of borough council, all of whom are Democrats, are Mary Jo Pauxtis (president), Aaron Muderick (vice president), Nancy Lotz, Heidi Boise, Surge Ghosh, Michael (Sam) Quinn, and Bob Wegbreit. The Borough Manager is Bill Martin.
The borough is part of the Sixth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Jim Gerlach
Jim Gerlach
James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...
), the 148th State House District (represented by Rep. Mike Gerber) and the 17th State Senate District (represented by Sen. Daylin Leach
Daylin Leach
Daylin Leach is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 17th senatorial district since 2009. He was previously a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 149th district from 2003 to 2009.-Biography:Leach graduated from Parkland High...
).
Schools and Colleges
Residents of Narberth are served by 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...
. Borough children attend either Merion Elementary or Belmont Hills Elementary schools, Bala Cynwyd Middle or Welsh Valley Middle schools, and either Lower Merion High School or Harriton High School. Religious schools in the immediate vicinity include the private Waldron Mercy Academy
Waldron Mercy Academy
Waldron Mercy Academy is a K-8 Catholic private elementary school, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, located in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, USA...
and Merion Mercy Academy
Merion Mercy Academy
Merion Mercy Academy is a female, private, independent, Catholic, college preparatory school, teaching grades 9 through 12, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. It is located in Merion, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia...
Catholic schools, the parish Saint Margaret's Elementary Catholic School, and Torah Academy in nearby Wynnewood. Nearby private schools include Friends Central School on City Avenue, Gladwyne's Montessori School, and the girls schools Agnes Irwin
Agnes 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...
and Baldwin
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...
, the boys schools the Haverford School and Episcopal Academy, and coeducational Shipley School, all in or near Bryn Mawr.
Narberth is virtually home to Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
, which occupies an increasingly large area adjacent to the Lankenau Hospital campus in nearby Merion on City Avenue. Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, straddling Lancaster Pike, and Rosemont College
Rosemont College
Rosemont College is a coeducational college located in Rosemont in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. It was originally founded as a women's college. A Catholic college, it is operated by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus...
, on Montgomery, are also nearby, as are Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
, Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
, Cabrini College
Cabrini College
Cabrini College is a coeducational Roman Catholic residential college in the Philadelphia metropolitan area of Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, founded by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1957. It was one of the first colleges in the United States to make community service a...
, and Eastern University
Eastern University
Eastern University is a private university in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, United States affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA, with an interdenominational student body...
, the latter two in nearby Saint David's.
Transportation
The Narberth Train Station, the third stop on the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line, is located on Haverford Avenue in downtown Narberth. These railroad tracks run through the Main Line, the collective western suburbs of Philadelphia where the railroad westward was originally established. Towns on the lower Main Line adjacent to Narberth include Overbrook, Merion, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr. The SEPTA Route 105 bus runs along the length of Lancaster Pike on the Main Line, and the SEPTA Route 44 bus supplements the trains for service between Narberth and Center City Philadelphia. South Wynnewood is served by the SEPTA Route 100 Trolley that connects the southern Main Line suburbs with Norristown to the north and west and SEPTA's 69th Street/Market-Frankford (Blue Line) rapid transit train service into Center City and beyond into Frankford north of Center City along the Delaware River.Narberth is also served by Route 1, City Avenue, traveling north and south, and is easily accessible to Routes 76, the Schuylkill Expressway east and west, and 476, the Philadelphia bypass nicknamed the "Blue Route", traveling south and north between Chester and Interstate 95 in the south and Plymouth Meeting, Germantown, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike traveling east and west.
Hospitals
Wynnewood is also home to one the principal three teaching hospitals that serve Philadelphia's Main Line. Along with the eponymous Bryn Mawr and Paoli Memorial hospitals, Lankenau Hospital, on Lancaster Pike (Route 30) in Wynnewood near the Overbrook border, has traditionally been affiliated with either Jefferson or Hahnemann (now Drexel) colleges of medicine and is always (with Bryn Mawr and Paoli) on the list of the nation's top community hospitals. Saunders House, a rehabilitation facility, can be found on Lankenau's premises, as is a large and busy medical office building that is home to many of the private practices of the hospital's attending physicians.Press
Local events are covered by The Main Line Times and the newer Main Line Life print newspapers.Famous residents
- Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
founder and National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
commissioner Bert BellBert BellDe Benneville "Bert" Bell was the National Football League commissioner from 1946 until his death in 1959. As commissioner, he helped chart a path for the NFL to facilitate its rise in becoming the most popular sports attraction in the United States...
spent his final years in Narberth, and there is a plaque in his honor in downtown Narberth outside the location of the restaurant where he usually conducted NFL business. - World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter ace Pug SoutherlandPug SoutherlandJames Julien "Pug" Southerland II was a United States Navy fighter pilot during World War II. He is credited with scoring 5 victories , flying Grumman F4F Wildcats...
was born in Narberth. - Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
star Margaret HarshawMargaret HarshawMargaret Harshaw was an American opera singer and voice teacher who sang for 22 consecutive seasons at the Metropolitan Opera from November 1942 to March 1964. She began her career as a mezzo-soprano in the early 1930s but then began performing roles from the soprano repertoire in 1951...
grew up in Narberth. - InternetInternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
Star James RolfeJames RolfeJames Simon Rolfe is one of Canada's leading composers of contemporary music. He studied composition with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto and Jo Kondo in Japan...
alias the Angry Video Game Nerd lives in Narberth. - ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
governor-elect John HickenlooperJohn HickenlooperJohn Wright Hickenlooper is an American politician and current Governor of Colorado. A Democrat, he was previously the Mayor of Denver, Colorado from 2003 to 2011.-Early life, education and career:...
was born and raised in Narberth.