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Lansdowne, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
House on Stewart, 2013.
House on Stewart, 2013.
Motto(s): 
Discover Lansdowne
Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Location in Delaware County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania is located in Pennsylvania
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania is located in the United States
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Delaware
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
 (2010)
 • Total 10,620
 • Estimate 
(2019)
10,647
 • Density 9,015.24/sq mi (3,479.62/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
19050
Area codes 610 and 484
FIPS code 42-41440
GNIS feature ID 1178879

Lansdowne is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States located 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the City Center of Philadelphia. It was named for the Marquess of Lansdowne. As of the 2010 census the borough had a population of 10,620.

Lansdowne grew quickly in the early part of the twentieth century when a railroad stop was established near the intersection of Lansdowne Avenue and Baltimore Pike. The borough is primarily residential with a commercial center near the original railroad stop. The borough also contained some light industrial buildings which have been in decline in recent decades.

The borough is sometimes erroneously spelled "Landsdowne" or confused with Lansdale, in nearby Montgomery County.

Geography

Lansdowne is located in eastern Delaware County at 39°56′29″N 75°16′31″W / 39.94139°N 75.27528°W / 39.94139; -75.27528 (39.941345, -75.275343). It is bordered to the southeast by Yeadon, to the southwest by Aldan and Clifton Heights, and to the north, east, west, and south by Upper Darby Township. Drexel Hill, a part of Upper Darby Township, borders Lansdowne to the northwest, and the borough of East Lansdowne is just 0.1 miles (0.16 km) east of the Lansdowne border.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all land. Darby Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River, forms the southwest and southern border of the borough.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 875
1900 2,630 200.6%
1910 4,066 54.6%
1920 4,797 18.0%
1930 9,023 88.1%
1940 10,837 20.1%
1950 12,169 12.3%
1960 12,601 3.6%
1970 14,090 11.8%
1980 11,891 −15.6%
1990 11,712 −1.5%
2000 11,044 −5.7%
2010 10,620 −3.8%
2020 11,107 4.6%

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,620 people, 4,589 households, and 2,667 families residing in the borough. The population density was 8,990.2 people per square mile (3,471.2/km2). There were 4,975 housing units at an average density of 4,211.5 per square mile (1,626.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 47.1% White, 44.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.6% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.7% some other race, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.

There were 4,589 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were husband–wife families, 15.2% had a woman householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of people living alone, and 10.9% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31, and the average family size was 3.04.

In the borough 21.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.2% were from 18 to 24, 28.2% were from 25 to 44, 30.0% were from 45 to 64, and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 women there were 86.1 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

For the period 2010–14, the estimated median annual income for a household in the borough was $56,020, and the median income for a family was $74,656. Male full-time workers had a median income of $51,534 versus $50,276 for women. The per capita income for the borough was $31,158. About 10.1% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

Features

St. Philomena school Lansdowne PA
St. Philomena School
Lansdowne PA Fire Station 19
Fire Station 19
Albertson1
The Albertson subdivision, built between 1890 and 1940, is a historic district recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

Lansdowne was once a vacation resort for residents of Philadelphia. People traveled by rail and horse to relax in the borough's Victorian homes. Many of the homes have since been turned into multiple-dwelling apartments which, due to zoning law changes, is no longer an option. Lansdowne is trying to preserve the integrity of its lovely, big homes.

It is home to numerous arts organizations, including the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, Celebration Theater, the Lansdowne Folk Club, and the Lansdowne Arts Festival. The Farmers Market runs, rain or shine, on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm, between Memorial Day and Halloween.

The fire department was incorporated December 4, 1894, and provides a career ambulance service alongside a volunteer fire service. The borough's fire service is supplemented by the Yeadon, Clifton Heights, East Lansdowne, and Garrettford-Drexel Hill Fire Companies.

The borough has several historic buildings, including a movie theater and clubhouse, and two areas that are on the National Register of Historic Places. They are the Lansdowne Theater, Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne, Henry Albertson Subdivision Historic District, and Lansdowne Park Historic District. There has recently been a movement to re-open the theater. The marquee was ceremoniously re-lit on October 5, 2012 after much reconstruction, indicating that the movement is healthy.

A community of Scottish weavers lived and worked on Scottdale Road by the Darby Creek in the 19th century. Some of their houses are still in existence. A Quaker community and a Friends' Meeting House are located on Lansdowne Avenue.

Lansdowne is also home to a 350-year-old sycamore tree, one of the largest in the state of Pennsylvania.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

William Penn School District serves Lansdowne.

  • Ardmore Avenue Elementary School (K-6)
  • Penn Wood Middle School (7-8) (Darby)
  • Penn Wood High School 9th Grade Academy, Cypress Street Campus, (9) (Yeadon)
  • Penn Wood High School, Green Avenue Campus, (10-12)

Private schools

Lansdowne Friends School is a Quaker elementary school.

Saint Philomena School of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia operated for over 100 years before closing in 2011 due to a decrease in the number of students. In the 2010–2011 school year it had 141 students. It had 88 would-be students for the 2011–2012 school year that did not arrive. The Delco Times stated that had the school remained open, it would have had to reduce enrichment services. There would have been four students in the second grade, and three other classes each would have had fewer than 10 students.

Notable people

  • Leroy Burrell, former world champion, world record holder, Olympic silver medalist in the 100 meters, and current track coach at the University of Houston; raised in Lansdowne
  • Pat Croce, former president of the Philadelphia 76ers and founder of Novacare; raised in Lansdowne
  • Jessica Dragonette, singer and movie actress, went to Lansdowne High
  • Steve Gunn, musician
  • Bruce Harlan, Olympic gold medalist in diving; raised in Lansdowne
  • Joan Jett, rock and roll musician; lived in Lansdowne as a child
  • Jeff LaBar, best known from the band Cinderella; native
  • Andrea Lee, New Yorker short story writer; lived in Lansdowne as a child and attended Lansdowne Friends School
  • Joe Lunardi, ESPN college basketball analyst and creator of "Bracketology"; longtime resident of Lansdowne
  • John P. McDonald, librarian and director of libraries at the University of Connecticut; born and raised in Lansdowne
  • Larry Mendte, former anchorman for CBS3 in Philadelphia; born and raised in Lansdowne
  • Winant Sidle, U.S. Army major general; raised in Lansdowne
  • Kurt Vile, indie rock musician
  • Frank D. Wagner, Supreme Court Reporter of Decisions, born in Lansdowne
  • Gus Kearney, Author and Educator.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lansdowne (Pensilvania) para niños

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