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Havertown, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Havertown
Unincorporated community
Old Haverford Friends Meetinghouse
Old Haverford Friends Meetinghouse
Havertown is located in Pennsylvania
Havertown
Havertown
Location in Pennsylvania
Havertown is located in the United States
Havertown
Havertown
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Delaware
Township Haverford
Founded 1681
Elevation
276 ft (84 m)
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
19083
Area codes 610 and 484
1681 32 settlements
Haverford Township 1681

Havertown is a residential suburban unincorporated community in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately 9 miles west of the center of Philadelphia. Havertown's ZIP Code is 19083 and "Havertown" is a postal address. The name "Havertown" was coined by the U.S. Post Office and came into use on January 1, 1946. Before then, each constituent community was known by its local name: Bon Air, Brookline, Penfield, Beechwood, Llanerch, Manoa, Oakmont, Coopertown, Ardmore. Under William Penn's land divisions these communities were part of the Welsh Tract and comprised the area known as Harford, a Welsh contraction of Haverford.

History

Havertown’s rich history began with Haverford Township's founding by Welsh Quakers in 1681 on land purchased by William Penn. The town is home to many historic sites, such as the Grange Estate, a mansion that entertained the Revolutionary War figures George Washington and General Lafayette. Nitre Hall, also located within the town’s borders, supplied the United States with over 800,000 pounds of gunpowder during the War of 1812. Other Havertown sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Federal School and Lawrence Cabin. The namesake of Haverford and Havertown is Haverfordwest, Wales, UK.

Havertown is also known for its large Irish-American population. Many Irish-Americans still live there today. According to the 2000 US Census, Haverford Twp. ranks in the top 60 of census-recognized municipalities nationwide in percentage of population with Irish ancestry. The neighborhood takes pride in its distinct Irish heritage and is home to many Irish pubs and shops. Many locals still reverentially (and only half-jokingly) refer to Havertown as the "33rd county" (of Ireland). For these reasons the neighborhood remains a very popular destination for Irish immigrants. Of the 51,560 residents, 11,182 noted "Irish" as their first reported ancestry.

Havertown is notable for being the birthplace of Swell Bubble Gum, which closed its doors in late 2004, and was demolished in 2011. In 2013, the site became the home of the new Haverford Area YMCA.

Parks and recreation

Havertown is home to over 30 outdoor parks and playing fields. The town also provides other recreation facilities, including the Haverford Township Free Library, and the Haverford Township Skatium, a multi-use ice rink for Havertown residents. The recently renovated Haverford Reserve boasts a community park for the ultimate recreation experience, with over 5 miles of trails, wetlands, old forests and wildlife habitat, along with a state-of-the-art environmental lab. Haverford Reserve also includes playing fields, the freedom playground, and a dog park. Part of Haverford Reserve, the Haverford Township Community Recreation & Environmental Center (CREC) opened its doors to residents of Haverford and Havertown. The $7.4 million, geothermal-powered, LEED-certified building includes a double gymnasium, walking track, multi-use rooms, fitness rooms, and an environmental nature area. Further, CREC offers a variety of classes for people of all ages and abilities, ranging from yoga and spinning, to art and cooking classes. Where the CREC stands was once a coal power plant that provided power for the hospital buildings on the grounds of the former Haverford State Hospital. The hospital closed in 1998, and Haverford Township purchased the 209-acre site from the state in 2002. In 2006, the Township sold 40 acres for private development and used the proceeds from that sale toward the cost of constructing the CREC and developing the site's outdoor facilities.

Haverford Music Festival

The concept for the Haverford Music Festival was introduced by the Haverford Township Civic Council (HTCC), a private, non-profit organization that funds historic, environmental, business, and community initiatives in Haverford Township. Inspired by the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Bethlehem Musikfest and other music festivals in the area, the all-day, family-oriented Haverford Music Festival has taken place annually in the Oakmont Business District of Havertown since 2011. In 2012, the festival attracted more than 15,000 people, who enjoyed over 30 bands on three stages. HTCC benefits from festival proceeds and uses to fund community-based programs within Haverford Township. Proceeds from the 2011 Music Festival were given to the Haverford Partnership for Economic Development (HPED) for Oakmont Business District Beautification.

Environmental remediation

Havertown has a Superfund site caused by the National Wood Preservers wood treatment facility, which was in operation from 1947 to 1991. The chemical used to treat wood at this site was dumped into the ground. The Environmental Protection Agency began remediating the site in 1976, and they completed construction of the cleanup site on September 16, 2010. The groundwater continues to be extracted and treated on a continuous basis. Although approximately 26,000 people live within a mile of the site, there are no known users of the groundwater within a one-mile radius of the site. The nearby population is on the public water supply.

Education

HHS Aud
Haverford High School

Havertown is served by the School District of Haverford Township, which has one high school, one middle school, and five elementary schools. A newly refurbished elementary school, Chestnutwold Elementary, re-opened its doors in early September 2008. It replaced Oakmont Elementary, which became home to the district offices. In 2009, Manoa Elementary School moved from Manoa Road to the intersection of Manoa and Eagle Roads, taking part of the field that had been there for many years. In 2021, Lynnewood Elementary opened it doors to the newly refurbished school. The Haverford High School sports teams are called the "Fords," and have a Model T Ford as mascot.

Cardinal John Foley Regional School is the area Catholic school. It formed in 2012 from a merger of Annunciation B.V.M. and St. Denis Catholic schools.

Infrastructure

Notable people

  • Howard Benson, two-time Grammy nominated producer
  • Jan Berenstain, one of the creators of the Berenstain Bears, briefly attended Manoa school in the late 1920s until the Depression compelled the family to return to Philadelphia; her autobiography mentions a broken collarbone from a tussle in the Manoa School playground.
  • Leo Burt, anti-war activist, still at-large; on FBI Most Wanted List in connection with 1970 Sterling Hall bombing at University of Wisconsin campus
  • Jerry Crawford, MLB umpire
  • Joey Crawford, NBA referee
  • Marguerite de Angeli, award-winning children's book author who lived in Manoa in 1930s
  • Tim Donaghy, former NBA referee, game fixer
  • Kyle Eckel, NFL player, two-time MVP of Army-Navy game
  • John Facenda, Philadelphia newscaster and narrator for NFL Films
  • Rick Fisher, two-time Tony Award winner for lighting
  • Stephen Freind, Republican representative in Pennsylvania General Assembly
  • Alex G, singer-songwriter
  • Frank Gasparro, Chief Engraver of the US Mint
  • Julie Gold, composer & Grammy Song of the Year Award winner, 1991, "From a Distance"
  • Brendan Hansen, four-time Olympic medalist
  • Joshua Humphreys, shipbuilder
  • Ross Katz, film producer
  • Billy King, former GM of NBA's Philadelphia 76ers
  • John LeClair, played for NHL's Philadelphia Flyers
  • Joe Lunardi, ESPN bracketologist
  • Glen Macnow, Philadelphia radio personality
  • Marcus McElhenney, coxswain, 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist
  • Mary Lou Metzger, singer and dancer on Lawrence Welk Show
  • Ryan Mulhern, former Washington Capitals hockey player
  • David Ricketts, composer, guitarist, producer for A&M Records
  • Robin Roberts, Phillies pitcher, Hall of Famer, resided in Manoa
  • James Rolfe, Angry Video Game Nerd
  • Michael Sembello, composer, guitarist, wrote "Maniac" for Flashdance film soundtrack
  • Brendan Foley, Hilltop Baseball six-time league champion
  • Jean Shiley-Newhouse, 1932 Olympic gold medalist
  • Mike Tollin, film producer and director
  • Sam Venuto, former running back in National Football League
  • Tom Verica, actor
  • Mark Yudof, president of University of California

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