The
Main Line is a historic area that
stretches from Bala
Cynwyd, right on the border
of Philadelphia, all the way to
Malvern.
The name "Main Line"
comes from the fact that the area
runs along the Pennsylvania Railway
dating back to the 1820s. Also
included in the Main Line are
the towns of Merion Station, Narberth
also known as Penn Valley, Wynnewood,
Gladwyne,
Ardmore,
Haverford,
Bryn Mawr, Radnor,
Villanova, Wayne,
Devon,Berwyn
and Paoli.
The center of the Main Line is
often said to be Wayne. With the
formation of the railway, a road
was logically built beside it,
forming what we know as Route
30 or Lancaster Avenue.
Being close to Lancaster, the
Main Line has a few local Farmers
Markets including the Lancaster
County Farmers Market located
on Lancaster Ave. in Wayne and
the Ardmore
Farmers Market which is in
Suburban Square in Ardmore. The
fresh produce and meats along
with specialty foods and gifts
shops will keep you coming back
to these great places.
The Main Line has become home
to many great things from local
businesses to arts and culture
to dining.
If you're looking for a great
place to eat, the Main Line is
where you'll find everything from
a formal place for a nice dinner
out to a great pub to enjoy a
pint with some friends. |
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| Ardmore |
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| Originally
named Athensville in 1853, the area
was renamed Ardmore in 1873 by the
Pennsylvania Railroad. Ardmore is
known for its strong business district
and historic downtown area. Ardmore
is home to Suburban Square, one
of America's oldest shopping centers. |
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| Bala
Cynwyd |
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| Bala
Cynwyd was settled in 1682 by Welsh
colonists who were Quakers and came
here to practice their faith freely.
They established Merion Friends
Meetinghouse and the Lower Merion
Academy once here. The area was
made up of small farming villages
and estates. In 1884 the Schuylkill
Valley Division of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company started to develop
stations in the Bala Cynwyd area
giving the residents access to other
regions. City Ave divides Bala Cynwyd
from Philadelphia. Along City Avenue
you will find many of the area's
television and radio stations. |
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| Berwyn |
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| Berwyn
was settled by the Welsh in the
1700s. Howel James owned 1000 acres
and sold off some of this land.
Much of the land remained undeveloped
until 1723 when Peter Elliot, a
blacksmith, sold 50 acres of his
land to his son. It wasn't until
1877, that the area was named Berwyn.
|
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| Gladwyne |
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| Gladwyne,
established in 1682 by Welsh Quakers,
was formerly known as Merion Square.
It was renamed Gladwyne in 1891
and has a history of mills operating
there. Just as in Wynnewood, wealthy
Philadelphians began building summer
homes in Gladwyne because of its
location and scenery. A unique part
of what makes up Gladwyne is the
rolling hills which wind throughout
the 4.9 square miles of land. Through
donations and preservation, Gladwyne
has remained a fusion of farms,
colonial towns, and housing from
the 1800s and 1900s. |
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| Haverford |
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| Haverford
was settled by the Welsh who were
active Quakers. By 1910 the population
was said to be 3,989 living in the
farms and villages of Haverford.
Haverford College was founded as
Haverford School by the Friends
in 1833 and is still an active college
today. |
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| Malvern |
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| Malvern
began as three tracts of land in
the 1600s that were settled by Quakers.
A railroad line joining the area
to West Chester was created in 1832,
aiding in the development of the
town of Malvern. From 1880-1910
there was a boom in building and
business. It wasn't until 1889 that
it was incorporated. |
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| Narberth/Penn
Valley |
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| Narberth,
also known as Penn Valley, was incorporated
as a borough in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania in 1895. Narberth's
layout makes it a great walking
town with schools, the library,
and shopping all close by. The Pennsylvania
railroad divides the town into a
north side and south side totaling
about ½ square mile of area.
Narberth is unique in that it does
not have any streets named street.
There are thoroughfares, avenues,
lanes, roads, circles, courts, places,
terrace, and manor, but no streets.
|
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| Paoli |
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| Paoli
is one of the earliest villages
in Tredyffrin. It dates back to
when the railroad was established
there, during the 19th century.
Paoli is named after the Corsican
hero Pasquale Paoli. |
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| Radnor |
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| Radnor
was settled by the Welsh who were
Quakers. In 1681 a Welshman, Richard
Davies, bought 1000 acres of land
from William Penn while in England.
The area was divided into four separate
areas that were settled. The area
continued to develop and by 1900
there were 5,474 residents living
in Radnor Township. |
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| Wayne |
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| The
development of Wayne began in 1870,
around the time that Askin built
his mansion on Lancaster Avenue.
Two halls were built in the town,
the Opera House and Wayne Hall,
which were both located on Lancaster
Avenue. A hotel that was built in
Wayne, the Bellevue Hotel, brought
people to see what it is like to
live in the country in the hopes
they would purchase a summer home
in Wayne. At this time, around 1890,
businesses began to expand and prosper.
Wayne still has a flourishing center
of town with great restaurants,
shops, and other attractions. |
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| Wynnewood |
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| Wynnewood
is part of the Lower Merion Township
and is located relatively close
to Philadelphia. Wynnewood began
as a self-sufficient farming community
and began developing around the
1880s. Homes were built along with
large and expansive estates. Philadelphia's
wealthy people began building expensive
summer retreats in the area. With
the railroad developing and becoming
more commuter friendly, people relied
on the city for work, but had larger
homes in the suburbs. |
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