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Wayne, Pennsylvania
Wayne post office
Wayne post office
Wayne, Pennsylvania is located in Pennsylvania
Wayne, Pennsylvania
Wayne, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Wayne, Pennsylvania is located in the United States
Wayne, Pennsylvania
Wayne, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
Counties Delaware, Montgomery, Chester
Townships Radnor
Elevation
117 m (384 ft)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
19080, 19087-19089
Area code(s) 610 and 484
Wayne, PA Keystone Marker
Keystone Marker for Wayne

Wayne is a community in Pennsylvania, United States. It is not an official town or city. Instead, it is an "unincorporated area." This means it does not have its own local government. Wayne is mostly in Delaware County. It is part of the famous Main Line. This area has many wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia.

Wayne stretches into other nearby areas too. These include Tredyffrin Township in Chester County. It also reaches into Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County. The main part of Wayne is called the Downtown Wayne Historic District. It was recognized as a special historic place in 2012.

The heart of Wayne is where Lancaster Avenue and Wayne Avenue meet. Wayne Avenue is like its main street. The old Wayne station is just one block north. In this area, you can find a post office, a movie theater, and a hotel. There is also a library and the new Radnor Middle School. Many shops, restaurants, and cafes are here too. Other important places in Wayne include the Wayne Hotel and Chanticleer Garden. You can also find the Valley Forge Military Academy and College.

Since 2020, there is a special area called a census-designated place in Wayne. This area is entirely within Radnor Township.

Discovering Wayne's Past

Louella House 1875
"Louella" home of J. Henry Askin, founder of Wayne

The story of Wayne began with a railroad stop. It was first called Cleaver's Landing. Later, it was renamed Wayne Station. This name honored General Anthony Wayne. A banker named J.H. Askin bought a large piece of land here. It was about 293 acres. He built a big house called "Louella." He named it after his daughters, Louisa and Ella. "Louella" was a huge stone house with 80 rooms. It had a large porch and beautiful lawns.

In 1880, two important men bought Askin's land. They were banker A.J. Drexel and newspaper editor G.W. Childs. They wanted to create a bigger community. They called it Wayne Estate. They built more homes and a hotel. In 1887, they shared a brochure about their project. They proudly said Wayne had "water, light and drainage." These were important services usually found in big cities.

They described Wayne Estate as a special place. It was not a town that just grew by chance. It was carefully planned from the start. They wanted to make sure residents had everything they needed. They spent a lot of money to make it a modern and convenient place to live.

Several places in Wayne are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Chanticleer Garden and the Wayne Hotel. Also listed are the Downtown Wayne Historic District, North Wayne Historic District, and South Wayne Historic District. The Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Wayne is also a historic site.

Wayne's Location and Surroundings

Wayne is located on the Main Line. This is a train line known as the Paoli/Thorndale Line on SEPTA Regional Rail. The main business area of Wayne is in Radnor Township. This is in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is at the crossing of Lancaster and Wayne Avenues.

The area covered by Wayne's ZIP code (19087) is quite large. It includes parts of Radnor Township. It also reaches into nearby areas. These are Upper Merion in Montgomery County. It also includes Tredyffrin in Chester County. Some communities within this ZIP code are Radnor, Strafford, St. Davids, and Chesterbrook.

Getting Around Wayne

You can travel to and from Wayne by train. The St. Davids station, Wayne station, and Strafford station are all in Wayne. These stations are on the Paoli/Thorndale SEPTA Line.

Who Lives in Wayne?

North Wayne PA HD 210 Walnut Cozy
House in the North Wayne Historic District

Before 2020, Wayne was not an official town or a special census area. So, information about its people came from the 19087 ZIP code. In 2010, about 32,225 people lived in this community. There were 12,754 households. The average age of people living here was 40.8 years old.

Most people (85.5%) were White. About 7.9% were Asian, and 5.3% were African American. About 3.7% of the people were Hispanic or Latino. The average income for a household was $118,801. Only about 5.1% of the people lived below the poverty line.

Businesses in Wayne

Several companies have their main offices in Wayne. These include Teleflex, Kenexa, and DLL Group (U.S.).

Learning and Schools in Wayne

Public Schools for All Ages

Conestoga High School
Conestoga High School

Students in Wayne attend different public schools. This depends on which part of Wayne they live in. If they live in the Radnor Township part, they go to schools in the Radnor Township School District. Students in the Tredyffrin part attend schools in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. Those in the Upper Merion Township part go to the Upper Merion Area School District.

For high school, students in Radnor Township attend Radnor High School. Students from Tredyffrin Township go to Conestoga High School. If you live in Upper Merion Township, you would attend Upper Merion Area High School.

Catholic Schools in the Community

The St. Katharine of Siena School is a Catholic school in downtown Wayne. It teaches students from kindergarten to 8th grade. It is run by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Catholic students in Radnor Township and other nearby towns can choose to attend Archbishop John Carroll High School. This school is in the nearby community of Radnor.

Private School Options

Many private schools are also close to Wayne. The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr is connected to the Quaker religion. The Haverford School in Haverford is for boys. The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont is for girls. These schools are all east of Wayne. Another private school, Episcopal Academy, opened in 2008. It is located to the south in Newtown Square.

The Valley Forge Military Academy and College is also located right in Wayne.

Higher Education Opportunities

Several colleges and universities are near Wayne. These include Villanova University, Cabrini University, and Eastern University. Valley Forge Military Academy also has a junior college program.

YSC Academy: A Unique School

The Philadelphia Union is a professional soccer team. They opened their own private school called YSC Academy. It started on September 3, 2013. This school is for student-athletes. The club wants to help these students become professional soccer players. The first 32 students already played for the Union's academy teams. In 2023, the school moved to a new campus. It is now at the Union Power Plant, near Subaru Park.

Famous People from Wayne

314 Louella S Wayne HD PA
House in the South Wayne Historic District

Many interesting people have connections to Wayne. Here are a few:

  • Diane Meredith Belcher, a concert organist and teacher
  • William Gilmore, an Olympic rower
  • Mark Herzlich, a football player
  • Kasie Hunt, a journalist
  • Abbi Jacobson, a comedian, writer, and actress
  • Karl Kirchwey, a poet
  • Anna Moffo, an opera singer
  • Lisa Raymond, a tennis player
  • Jerry Spinelli, a famous author
  • Larri Thomas, an actress and dancer
  • Thomas F. Wilson, an actor
  • Harold Wright, a clarinet player
  • Joshua Wurman, a scientist
  • Eric Bazilian, a musician
  • Lauv, a musician

Fun Places to Visit in Wayne

Wayne Theater Wayne PA
Anthony Wayne Theatre
Wayne Art Center 2021
Wayne Art Center
Old Eagle School, Strafford PA 2022 01
Old Eagle School

Wayne has many interesting places to explore:

  • Chanticleer Garden: A beautiful garden to visit.
  • St. Davids Church: A historic church.
  • Wayne Hotel: A historic hotel.
  • Radnor Trail System: Paths for walking and biking.
  • Anthony Wayne Theater: An art deco-style movie theater.
  • Eagle Village Shops: A place to shop.
  • Farmer's Market: Where you can buy fresh local goods.
  • Downtown Wayne: The main area with shops and restaurants.
  • Ardrossan Estate: A large historic estate.
  • Old Eagle School: A very old schoolhouse.
  • Wayne Art Center: A place for art classes and exhibits, started in 1931.
  • The Finley House: Another notable building.
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