Haverford Township, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Haverford Township The Township of Haverford, Pennsylvania
Home rule municipality First Class Township
Clockwise: Darby Creek; Brookline Boulevard; Grange Estate; Haverford High School; Merion Golf Club; and Founder's Hall at Haverford College
Seal
Location in Delaware County and the state of Pennsylvania.
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Country	United States of America
State	Pennsylvania
County	Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Settled	1682
Area
• Total	9.95 sq mi (25.76 km2)
• Land	9.95 sq mi (25.76 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	289 ft (88 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	48,491
• Estimate  (2016)	49,029
• Density	4,930.02/sq mi (1,903.46/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
FIPS code	42-045-33144

Haverford Township is a town in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's named after the town of Haverfordwest in Wales. Haverford is a suburb located just west of Philadelphia. Many people who live here travel to Philadelphia for work.

The township was founded in 1682 and became an official town in 1911. Since 1977, it has been a "home rule municipality," meaning it can make many of its own local laws.

Haverford Township includes parts of other communities like Haverford, Ardmore, Wynnewood, Bryn Mawr, and Drexel Hill. The area known as Havertown is entirely within Haverford Township.

The township grew a lot because of train lines and trolley routes, which made it easy for people to travel. In 2020, about 50,431 people lived here, making it the 16th largest town in Pennsylvania.

Haverford Township is famous for golf! Two different golf clubs here have hosted major golf championships for men. Merion Golf Club has hosted the U.S. Open five times (in 1934, 1950, 1971, 1981, and 2013). Llanerch Country Club hosted the 1958 PGA Championship.

Haverford, along with Upper Darby, Cheltenham, and Lower Merion, are important suburbs close to Philadelphia.

History of Haverford Township

Early Settlement in the 1600s

A section of the 1687 Thomas Holmes map of the Welsh Tract, showing Haverford Township.

Haverford Township was part of a large area called the Welsh Tract. This land was set aside by William Penn for Welsh Quakers. Quakers are a religious group known for their peaceful beliefs.

In 1681, Welsh Quakers met with William Penn. They bought 40,000 acres of land, which today includes Haverford, Radnor, and Lower Merion Townships.

The first three families arrived in Haverford Township in 1682. They chose land near the southern border. The earliest map of this area was made in 1687.

Until the early 1900s, Haverford was mostly farmland. Farmers raised animals and grew crops. The two creeks, Cobbs Creek and Darby Creek, were important for early settlers. They used the water to power mills. For example, a small mill called "Haverford Mill" was built on Cobbs Creek in 1688.

Growth and Mills in the 1700s and 1800s

In 1703, Daniel Humphreys bought the Haverford Mill property. He built a sawmill and a mill for cleaning and dyeing cloth. Later, these became part of the Castle Hill Mills.

On Darby Creek, another mill called Haverford New Mill was built in 1707. It operated until 1904. Other mills were built on the creeks over time, making cloth and grinding grain.

Around 1800, Israel Whelen Sr. built the Nitre Hall Powder Mills on Cobbs Creek. These mills made black powder, which was needed for mining and other uses. Between 1810 and 1840, these were the second largest powder mills in the U.S. They produced a lot of powder, especially during the War of 1812.

After the powder mills closed in 1840, Dennis Kelly bought the property. He changed the buildings to make cotton and wooden goods. He also built other mills, like Clinton Mills and Cedar Grove Mill, which were very successful.

Modern Development in the 1900s

Haverford Township started to change from farms and mills into a developed area after 1900. Railroads bought land and built planned communities like Llanerch (1897) and Brookline (1909). Other communities like Beechwood, Oakmont, and Manoa also grew. After World War II, many new houses were built.

Several golf courses were also developed, including Merion Golf Club and Llanerch Country Club.

Education

The first school building in Haverford Township was the Federal School, built in 1797. In the 1800s, four more one-room schools and one religious school were built.

After World War II, new schools were added. Today, the School District of Haverford Township serves about 5,475 students. There are five elementary schools (Chatham Park, Chestnutwold, Coopertown, Lynnewood, and Manoa), one middle school (Haverford Middle School), and one high school (Haverford High School).

Haverford High School

Every fourth-grade student in Haverford Township spends a day at the Federal School. This helps them learn what school was like in 1797.

The school district also offers programs for adults and senior citizens.

Haverford College

Founders Hall at Haverford College

Haverford College is a famous college located partly in Haverford Township. It was founded in 1833 by the Society of Friends (Quakers). The college has many historic buildings on its large 225-acre campus. It is known for its excellent undergraduate programs.

Historical Sites

Haverford Township has several historic buildings that tell stories about its past.

Lawrence Cabin

Lawrence Cabin

The Lawrence Cabin is a very old house. David Lawrence, an early Welsh settler, bought land here in 1709. The log house might be even older. A stone part was added around 1730. This house stayed in the Lawrence family until 1942.

Federal School

Federal School, built in 1797

The Federal School was the first school built in Haverford Township. Land for the school was bought in 1797. It was built for the children of the township. This historic school is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pont Reading House

Pont Reading's earliest section, built around 1683

The Pont Reading House is a beautiful old home. It was the home of Joshua Humphreys, who designed famous ships for the United States Navy, like the USS Constitution. The oldest part of the house might have been built as early as 1683. It has been added to over the years, with sections built in the 1700s and 1800s.

Nitre Hall

Nitre Hall, built around 1800

The Nitre Hall Powder Mills were built around 1800 by Israel Whelen. These mills made gunpowder for the young United States. They were very important, especially during the War of 1812. After the powder mills closed, the buildings were used to make textiles (cloth). Nitre Hall is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Grange Estate

Grange Estate, built around 1700

The Grange Estate is a historic mansion in Havertown. It was built around 1750 and made bigger several times. Haverford Township bought it in 1974. The Grange Estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography and Climate

Haverford Township is in the northeast part of Delaware County. It covers about 10 square miles (25.76 square kilometers) of land. The township is part of the Philadelphia Main Line area and the Welsh Tract.

Important waterways in Haverford Township include Cobbs Creek, Darby Creek, Naylors Run, and Meadowbrook Run.

Neighboring Towns

Allgates, November 2009

Haverford Township shares borders with several other towns:

• Lower Merion Township (to the northeast)
• City of Philadelphia (to the east)
• Upper Darby Township (to the south)
• Springfield Township (to the southwest)
• Marple Township (to the west)
• Radnor Township (to the northwest)

Weather in Haverford Township

Haverford Township has a climate with warm summers. The average temperature in January is about 32.1°F (0.1°C). In July, the average temperature is about 77.2°F (25.1°C).

Population and People

In 2020, Haverford Township had 50,431 people. Most residents (85.5%) were White. Other groups included African American (3.5%), Asian (5.0%), and people of two or more races (3.4%). About 3.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 17,923 households in the township. About 33.4% of these households had children under 18. The average family size was 3.2 people.

The median age in Haverford Township was 40 years old.

In 2022, the average income for a household was $124,875. About 3.1% of the population lived below the poverty line. Many adults (62.5%) aged 25 and older had a college degree or higher.

The most common family backgrounds reported in Haverford Township are:

• Irish (34.2%)
• Italian (20.3%)
• German (15.9%)
• English (10.9%)
• Polish (5.2%)

Neighborhoods

Haverford Township is made up of many smaller areas and neighborhoods. Some of these are:

Golf in Haverford Township

A plaque on the 18th fairway at Merion East Golf Course remembering Ben Hogan's famous shot from the 1950 U.S. Open

Haverford Township has hosted many important golf tournaments. Six major men's championships and 11 U.S. Amateur Championships (for men and women) have been held here.

Famous golf moments happened here:

• Bobby Jones completed his "grand slam" (winning all four major golf championships in one year) at Merion in 1930.
• Ben Hogan made a famous comeback at the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion after a serious car accident.
• Dow Finsterwald won the 1958 PGA Championship at Llanerch Country Club.
• Lee Trevino beat Jack Nicklaus in a playoff at the 1971 U.S. Open at Merion.
• The U.S. Open returned to Merion in 2013 and was won by Justin Rose.

Here is a list of major golf events held in Haverford Township:

• 1904 U.S. Women's Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1909 U.S. Women's Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1916 U.S. Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1924 U.S. Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1926 U.S. Women's Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1930 U.S. Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1934 U.S. Open (Merion Golf Club)
• 1949 U.S. Women's Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1950 U.S. Open (Merion Golf Club)
• 1958 PGA Championship (Llanerch Country Club)
• 1966 U.S. Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1971 U.S. Open (Merion Golf Club)
• 1981 U.S. Open (Merion Golf Club)
• 1989 U.S. Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 1998 U.S. Girls' Junior (Merion Golf Club)
• 2005 U.S. Amateur (Merion Golf Club)
• 2013 U.S. Open (Merion Golf Club)

Transportation

Roads and Highways

I-476 Blue Route southbound in Haverford Township

Haverford Township has over 158 miles of public roads. The state of Pennsylvania maintains about 34 miles, and the township maintains the rest.

The main highway through Haverford Township is I-476, also called the "Blue Route." It runs north-south along the western edge of the township. Other important roads include:

• U.S. Route 1 (Township Line Road)
• U.S. Route 30 (Lancaster Avenue)
• Pennsylvania Route 3 (West Chester Pike)
• Pennsylvania Route 320 (Sproul Road)

Public Transportation

SEPTA provides public transportation in Haverford Township. The Norristown High Speed Line train goes through the township, stopping at several stations:

• Township Line Road
• Penfield
• Beechwood–Brookline
• Wynnewood Road
• Ardmore Junction
• Ardmore Avenue
• Haverford

SEPTA also offers bus service with routes 103, 104, 105, 106, 110, 112, 115, 120, 123, and 126. These buses connect to different places in the township and other suburbs.

Notable People from Haverford Township

Many interesting people have lived in Haverford Township, including:

• Garrett Brown, inventor of the Steadicam (a camera stabilizer)
• Mark DiFelice, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Jimmy Dykes, former baseball player and manager
• Theodore Freeman, NASA astronaut
• Randy Grossman, former Pittsburgh Steelers football player and four-time Super Bowl champion
• Brendan Hansen, Olympic swimmer and medalist
• Joshua Humphreys, who built the USS Constitution ship
• Steve Joachim, former professional football player
• Ross Katz, Academy Award-nominated film producer
• Atwater Kent, famous inventor and radio maker
• Billy King, NBA executive
• John LeClair, former NHL player
• Joe Lunardi, ESPN's March Madness bracket expert
• Glen Macnow, sports radio host
• Mitchel Resnick, MIT professor who helped create LEGO Mindstorms and Scratch software
• Jean Shiley, 1932 Olympic gold medalist in high jump
• Andy Talley, successful college football coach
• Jack Thayer, a survivor of the Titanic sinking
• Michael Tollin, film director and producer
• Tom Verica, actor and director
• Jeff Yass, stock market manager
• Marian Hill, an electronic music duo
• Stephan Grupp, a doctor who developed a new cancer treatment for children
• Alex G, singer-songwriter
• Emily Yacina, singer-songwriter
• Betty and Richard T. James, inventors of the Slinky toy

Places to Visit

Here are some interesting places in Haverford Township:

• Haverford College
• Haverford College Arboretum (a garden with many different trees and plants)
• The Haverford School
• Merion Golf Club
• Llanerch Country Club
• Old Haverford Friends Meetinghouse (a historic Quaker meeting house)
• Grange Estate

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Haverford para niños