Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Huntingdon Valley
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Village
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Lady Washington Inn on Huntingdon Pike
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 Huntingdon Valley
Location in Pennsylvania
Huntingdon Valley
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Montgomery, Bucks |
| Elevation | 223 ft (68 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
19006
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| Area codes | 215, 267 and 445 |
Huntingdon Valley is a charming village and suburban area in Pennsylvania, United States. It's located in parts of Montgomery County and Bucks County. The area borders some sections of Philadelphia, like Fox Chase and Bustleton. It's known for its beautiful homes and green spaces.
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History of Huntingdon Valley
Huntingdon Valley began with land given by John Boutcher to his son. The village is found along Huntingdon Pike, which is also Pennsylvania Route 232. A famous building here is the Lady Washington Inn. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. People believe that Martha Washington, the first lady, stayed there while George Washington was at Valley Forge.
Early settlers built mills along the Pennypack Creek. The Fetter's Mill Village Historic District is in the valley where this creek flows. For a long time, the area around the village was mostly countryside. It only started to become more developed in the second half of the 1900s.
Living in Huntingdon Valley
Huntingdon Valley is known for having a high quality of life. Most of the homes here are single-family houses. The area has one of the highest average incomes per person in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This means many families living here have good jobs and comfortable lives.
Lorimer Park
A great place to visit in Huntingdon Valley is Lorimer Park. This park covers about 213 acres (0.86 square kilometers) of woods and open fields. It connects to Pennypack Park in Philadelphia County. Lorimer Park is also next to Fox Chase Farm. This farm is one of only two working farms left in Philadelphia County. It's a wonderful spot for outdoor activities like hiking and enjoying nature.
School Districts for Students
Students living in Huntingdon Valley attend different school districts. These include the Lower Moreland Township School District, which has Pine Road Elementary, Murray Avenue School, and Lower Moreland High School. Some students go to Upper Moreland School District or Abington School District. Abington School District has several elementary schools, a junior high, and a senior high school. If you live in Bucks County, you would attend the Centennial School District. A movie called Can't Hardly Wait was even based on experiences at Lower Moreland High School!
Passenger Train Service
For many years, Huntingdon Valley had passenger train service. Trains ran until January 14, 1983. The service stopped because the diesel trains were getting old and not many people were riding them. A bus service replaced the trains for a while, but it also ended in 1999. After that, people had to travel to nearby train stations like Fox Chase or Bethayres to get to Center City Philadelphia.
Later, some groups wanted to bring the train service back. They talked with local officials and SEPTA (the public transportation agency). They hoped trains could help reduce traffic. However, in 2014, these plans were stopped. Officials decided to build the Pennypack Trail for walking and biking on the old train tracks instead.
Valley Swim Club Incident
In 2009, an event happened at the Valley Swim Club in Huntingdon Valley that gained national attention. A group of mostly African-American children from a day care center were told they could not swim there. This was because of their race. The day care center filed a federal lawsuit against the club. In September 2009, a state commission found that it was likely racism was involved. The swim club later closed down. Its property was sold in 2010.
Forest Hills Cemetery
Forest Hills Cemetery in Huntingdon Valley is a burial place for many people. One notable person buried here is World War II figure Jack Agnew. He was a real person who helped inspire the famous novel and film, The Dirty Dozen.
Notable People from Huntingdon Valley
Many interesting people have come from Huntingdon Valley, including:
- I. Michael Leitman – A surgeon and important leader in medical education at Mount Sinai Health.
- Joseph Thurman Pearson Jr. (1876-1951) – A talented painter and teacher at the PAFA.
- John Pitcairn Jr. (1841-1916) – He founded the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company and helped build the beautiful Bryn Athyn Cathedral.
- Lawrence Saint (1885-1961) – An artist famous for his work with stained glass.
- Alice Kent Stoddard (1883-1976) – A painter known for her portraits and landscapes.
- Nancy Spungen (1958-1978) – She was the girlfriend of musician Sid Vicious. She died under mysterious circumstances in 1978.
