Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
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The Lower Swedish Cabin in Drexel Hill
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Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Delaware |
| Township | Upper Darby Township |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.2 sq mi (8 km2) |
| • Land | 3.2 sq mi (8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 246 ft (75 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 28,043 |
| • Density | 8,760/sq mi (3,380/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
19026
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| Area codes | 610 and 484 |
Drexel Hill is a lively neighborhood in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's also known as a census-designated place (CDP), which is a special area defined for gathering population data.
In 2020, about 29,181 people lived in Drexel Hill. This means it's home to more than one-third of all the people in Upper Darby Township!
Contents
Exploring Drexel Hill's Location
Drexel Hill is located in the western part of Upper Darby Township. It's about eight miles from Center City, Philadelphia, a major city hub.
Borders and Nearby Areas
Drexel Hill shares its borders with several other towns and neighborhoods. To the north, you'll find Haverford Township. To the east are Kirklyn, Highland Park, Beverly Hills, and Bywood, all part of Upper Darby Township.
To the southeast is the borough of Lansdowne. South of Drexel Hill are Clifton Heights and the Westbrook Park neighborhood. To the southwest, it borders Springfield Township.
Natural Features and Roads
The Darby Creek flows along Drexel Hill's southwestern and southern edges. U.S. Route 1, also known as Township Line Road, runs through the northwestern part of Drexel Hill. It also forms most of the northern border with Haverford Township.
Drexel Hill covers an area of about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
Historic Places in Drexel Hill
Drexel Hill is home to some very old and interesting places that tell stories about its past.
The Lower Swedish Cabin
One of the most famous spots is the Lower Swedish Cabin on Creek Road. It's thought to be one of the oldest log houses in all of North America! Early Swedish settlers, who were part of the New Sweden colony, likely built it between 1638 and 1655.
Log cabin building was a big contribution from these Swedish settlers. People from other countries copied this style, and soon, log cabins became popular all across America.
Collen Brook Farm
Collen Brook Farm is another historic place with old buildings. It's located off Mansion Road at Marvine Avenue. The first house and barn were built around 1710 by Abraham Lewis.
Today, Upper Darby Township owns the farm. You can visit it on Sundays from May through October to learn about its history.
Thornfield and Thomas Garrett
Thornfield is a historic estate on Garrett Road. It was the childhood home of Thomas Garrett, a famous abolitionist and Quaker. Abolitionists were people who worked to end slavery.
Garrett Road is named after his family, who were among the first settlers in this area. Thomas Garrett later became a "station master" on the Underground Railroad in Wilmington, Delaware. The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom.
In 1956, a Quaker couple, Caroline and Walter Isard, bought Thornfield. Caroline Isard later helped start the Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia. The estate is still privately owned and is being restored to preserve its history.
Drexel Hill's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 29,744 | — | |
| 2000 | 29,364 | −1.3% | |
| 2010 | 28,043 | −4.5% | |
| 2020 | 29,181 | 4.1% | |
| source: | |||
Drexel Hill is a diverse community. In 2010, most residents were White (87.1%), with smaller groups of Black or African American (5.5%) and Asian (5.3%) people.
Many families in Drexel Hill have roots in different countries. The largest groups include people of Irish (41.8%), Italian (24.5%), and German (16.7%) heritage.
In 2010, there were nearly 12,000 households in Drexel Hill. About 30% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 2.46 people.
The median age in Drexel Hill was 37 years old. This means half the people were younger than 37 and half were older.
Getting Around Drexel Hill
Drexel Hill has good transportation options, making it easy to travel within the area and to nearby cities.
SEPTA Public Transit
SEPTA operates two trolley lines through Drexel Hill:
- Route 101 goes to Media.
- Route 102 goes to Sharon Hill.
Both lines start at the 69th Street Transportation Center.
Several SEPTA bus routes also serve Drexel Hill, including routes 107, 110, 111, and 115. These buses help people get around the township and to other places.
Main Roads
Major roads that run through Drexel Hill include Township Line Road (US 1), State Road, Burmont Road, Garrett Road, Lansdowne Avenue, Marshall Road, Drexel Avenue, Edmonds Avenue, and Shadeland Avenue. These roads connect Drexel Hill to surrounding communities.
Schools in Drexel Hill
Education is important in Drexel Hill, with several schools serving students from kindergarten through high school.
Public Schools
The Upper Darby School District manages the public schools in Drexel Hill and the rest of Upper Darby Township. Public schools located in Drexel Hill include:
- Upper Darby Kindergarten Center
- Aronimink Elementary School
- Garretford Elementary School
- Charles Kelly Elementary School (this school property is leased from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia)
- Drexel Hill Middle School
Two other schools, Hillcrest Elementary School and Upper Darby High School, are very close to Drexel Hill and use Drexel Hill addresses.
Other Schools
There are also several private schools in or near Drexel Hill:
- Parochial Schools: These schools are part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. They include Saint Andrew the Apostle School, Saint Bernadette School, and Saint Dorothy's School. Bonner & Prendergast Catholic High School also has a Drexel Hill address.
- Non-Parochial Private Schools: Holy Child Academy is another private school option.
Emergency Services
Drexel Hill is kept safe by dedicated emergency services.
Police and Paramedics
The Upper Darby Police Department serves Drexel Hill. Paramedics from Crozer-Keystone, based at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, provide emergency medical care.
Fire Department
The Upper Darby Township Fire Department is made up of both paid staff and volunteers. They operate from five stations, with Company 20 (Garrettford-Drexel Hill) being the only full-time volunteer station. These fire companies work together to respond to emergencies and keep the community safe.
Famous People from Drexel Hill
Many interesting people have lived in or have connections to Drexel Hill.
- Television personality Dick Clark lived in the Drexelbrook Apartment complex in the 1950s before he became famous for hosting American Bandstand.
- Another well-known TV personality, Ed McMahon, also lived at Drexelbrook before he teamed up with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.
- Children's author Lloyd Alexander, known for The Chronicles of Prydain series, lived in Drexel Hill with his wife and cats.
- The folk/pop singer-songwriter Jim Croce grew up in the Upper Darby area, including Drexel Hill. He graduated from Upper Darby Sr. High in 1960.
- Former United States Representative Pat Meehan, who served in Congress, lives in Drexel Hill.
- Alan Graham MacDiarmid, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2000, lived in Drexel Hill.
- Nancy Meyers, a successful movie producer and director known for films like The Parent Trap and What Women Want, grew up in the Drexel Hill area.
See also
In Spanish: Drexel Hill para niños
