Lansdowne, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
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House on Stewart, 2013
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Discover Lansdowne
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Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
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 Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Pennsylvania | ||
| County | Delaware | ||
| Seat | Borough Hall | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Borough | ||
| • Body | Borough Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1.18 sq mi (3.06 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1.18 sq mi (3.06 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 108 ft (33 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,107 | ||
| • Density | 9,404.74/sq mi (3,629.96/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP Code |
19050
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| Area codes | 610, 484, and 835 | ||
| FIPS code | 42-41440 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1178879 | ||
Lansdowne is a small town, also called a borough, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It's about 6 miles southwest of Center City Philadelphia. The town was named after the Marquess of Lansdowne. In 2020, about 11,107 people lived there.
Lansdowne grew quickly in the early 1900s. This happened after a train stop was built near Lansdowne Avenue and Baltimore Pike. Today, Lansdowne is mostly a place where people live. It has a main shopping area near the old train stop.
Sometimes, people spell the town's name wrong as "Landsdowne." It can also be confused with Lansdale, which is in a different county nearby.
Contents
Where is Lansdowne Located?
Lansdowne is in the eastern part of Delaware County. It shares borders with several other towns. To the southeast is Yeadon. To the southwest is Clifton Heights. Upper Darby Township surrounds Lansdowne on its north, east, west, and south sides.
Drexel Hill, which is part of Upper Darby Township, is to the northwest. The town of East Lansdowne is very close, just 0.1 miles east.
The town covers about 1.18 square miles (3.06 square kilometers) of land. Darby Creek, a small river that flows into the Delaware River, forms the southwestern and southern edges of Lansdowne.
How Many People Live in Lansdowne?
Lansdowne has seen its population change over the years. In 1890, only 875 people lived here. By 1950, the population had grown to 12,169. The highest population was in 1970, with 14,090 people. In 2010, the population was 10,620. By 2020, it had grown slightly to 11,107 people.
Most households in Lansdowne are families. About 28% of households have children under 18. The average household has about 2.31 people.
Schools in Lansdowne
Lansdowne has both public and private schools for students.
Public Schools for Kids
The William Penn School District serves students in Lansdowne. This school district was formed in 1972. Before that, Lansdowne was part of a different school district.
- Ardmore Avenue Elementary School (Kindergarten to 6th grade)
- Penn Wood Middle School (7th to 8th grade) in Darby
- Penn Wood High School 9th Grade Academy (9th grade) in Yeadon
- Penn Wood High School, Green Avenue Campus (10th to 12th grade)
Private Schools for Kids
Lansdowne Friends School is a private elementary school. It is a Quaker school.
Saint Philomena School was a Catholic school. It was open for over 100 years. However, it closed in 2011 because not enough students were attending. In its last year, it had 141 students.
Cool Places and History
Lansdowne was once a popular vacation spot for people from Philadelphia. They would travel by train or horse to relax in the town's beautiful Victorian homes. Many of these old homes have been divided into apartments. Lansdowne is working to protect these grand old houses.
The town is a center for arts and music. It has:
- The Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra
- Celebration Theater
- The Lansdowne Folk Club
- Jamey's House of Music
- The Lansdowne Arts Festival
You can also visit the Farmers Market. It is open on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Halloween, no matter the weather.
The Lansdowne Fire Department started in 1894. It has volunteer firefighters and a professional ambulance service. Other nearby fire companies also help Lansdowne when needed.
Lansdowne has several historic buildings. These include an old movie theater and a clubhouse. Two areas in Lansdowne are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Lansdowne Theatre, the Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne, the Henry Albertson Subdivision Historic District, and the Lansdowne Park Historic District. People are working hard to reopen the old Lansdowne Theatre. Its famous sign was lit up again in 2012 after a lot of repair work.
In the 1800s, Scottish weavers lived and worked by Darby Creek on Scottdale Road. Some of their houses are still standing today. There is also a Quaker community and a Friends' Meeting House on Lansdowne Avenue.
Lansdowne is also home to a very old sycamore tree. It is about 350 years old and is one of the biggest trees in Pennsylvania!
Environmental Cleanup Efforts
Years ago, a company called W.L. Cummings Radium Processing Co. worked in Lansdowne. From 1915 to 1920, they processed a material called radium for medical research. This process left behind sandy waste material. Some builders used this waste in the walls and foundations of nearby homes and businesses.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that about 40 homes and businesses in Lansdowne and nearby towns had this material. It contained substances like radium, thorium, radon, and asbestos.
In 1995, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked together to clean up these areas. They took down the old warehouse and removed the contaminated soil. They even rebuilt 11 homes. A review in 2000 showed that the cleanup was successful.
Another cleanup happened at a professor's home on Stratford Avenue. From 1924 to 1944, he processed radium in his basement. This caused radium to spread in his house and nearby properties. The EPA cleaned up this site between 1986 and 1989. The house was taken apart and moved to a special landfill. The site was declared clean in 1991.
Getting Around Lansdowne
Lansdowne has about 24.92 miles of public roads. Most of these roads are taken care of by the borough itself.
There are no major highways that go directly through Lansdowne. The main roads are Baltimore Avenue and Lansdowne Avenue. These two roads meet in the center of town.
For public transportation, Lansdowne has two train stations: Lansdowne Station and Gladstone Station. These stations are part of SEPTA Regional Rail's Media/Wawa Line. They can take you to Center City Philadelphia.
Several SEPTA Suburban Bus routes also serve Lansdowne. These buses connect the town to other transportation hubs like 69th Street Transportation Center, Darby Transportation Center, and Chester Transportation Center.
Famous People from Lansdowne
Many interesting people have connections to Lansdowne:
- Leroy Burrell: A world champion and Olympic silver medalist in track.
- Pat Croce: Former president of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.
- Jessica Dragonette: A singer and movie actress.
- Steve Gunn: A musician.
- Bruce Harlan: An Olympic gold medalist in diving from 1948.
- Joan Jett: A famous rock musician.
- Jeff LaBar: Best known from the band Cinderella.
- Andrea Lee: A short story writer for New Yorker magazine.
- Joe Lunardi: An ESPN college basketball analyst.
- Larry Mendte: A former TV news anchor in Philadelphia.
- Kurt Vile: An indie rock musician.
Images for kids
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Baltimore Avenue in Lansdowne
