Llanerch is an unincorporated community in Haverford Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Llanerch is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 1, Pennsylvania Route 3, and Darby Road.[2] The name Llanerch means "Open Space" in Welsh.[3][4]
Llanerch, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
Unincorporated community | |
 The former Llanerch School in Llanerch, built in 1913 | |
  Llanerch  Llanerch | |
| Coordinates: 39°58′17″N 75°17′57″W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| County | Delaware |
| Township | Haverford |
| Elevation | 78 m (256 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1179730[1] |
History
Prior to colonization, Llanerch was land belonging to the Lenape tribe. It fell under possession of William Penn by royal charter, and was subsequently settled by Welsh Quakers.[5] Much of the Welsh influence on the area today is apparent through road names such as "Llandillo" and "Llandaff". The name Llanerch itself derives from Llannerch, an historical Welsh commote, presumably where settlers of the region came from.[6]
Until the 1890s, Llanerch remained a mostly undeveloped area, with only a handful of families occupying the area.[7] The use of the name in the area dates at least to 1867.[4] Following the development of railway in nearby Philadelphia and the growth of the now-extinct trolley lines down West Chester Pike and Darby Road, Llanerch's population grew as the area became a junction between the city and many smaller, nearby boroughs. The 1898 subdivision development in Llanerch was one of the Township's first, with 12 dwellings constructed by architects Robert G. Kennedy and Frank A. Hays who both resided in the neighborhood.[4] Most of these early subdivisions in Haverford, such as Preston, Millbrook, South Ardmore, Brookline, Beechwood and Penfield, were streetcar suburbs along trolley and train lines that served as a key mode of transportation.[8] Llanerch had two lines meeting at Llanerch Junction by the end of the 19th century and a further third line to Ardmore in 1902.[9] This passage describes the meeting of the first trolley line and the rail line.
"The station of the Philadelphia & Delaware County Railway, running to Newtown Square, is at this village. This railroad belongs to the system of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The West Chester trolley road intersects the steam road here. That road at this time also ends at Newtown Square, though it is desired to continue it to West Chester."
— Samuel F. Hotchkin, "Llanerch", Rural Pennsylvania in the Vicinity of Philadelphia (1897)
"The Battle of Llanerch Crossing" (1895) was a rights battle over land between railway companies that ended at a crossroads in Llanerch, ending with a ruling at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.[10][11] There is a memorial to the historical background involving the case in the form of Llanerch Crossing, a small park with a mural and markers detailing the history of the feud.[12]
Llanerch is served by the Haverford Township Police Department, the Haverford Township School District, and the Llanerch Volunteer Fire Company.[13]
Religion
The community is home to the historic Llanerch Presbyterian Church, built in 1912,[14] and the former St. Andrew's Brookline Methodist Church, built in 1898, no longer in use for worship.[15]
In popular culture
Several scenes from the movie Silver Linings Playbook were shot in Llanerch, such as The Llanerch Diner, located on U.S. Route 1, where the diner scene was shot.[16][17][18]
References
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