


The surrounding communities became known by the railroad station names which started at Broad Street Station in Center City Philadelphia and went on to 32nd Street Station (replaced by 30th Street Station in 1933), the 52nd Street Station (decommissioned), and then the Main Line stations: Overbrook, Merion, Narberth, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Rosemont, Villanova, Radnor, St.

The railroad placed stops about two minutes apart, starting with Overbrook. Estates with sweeping lawns and towering maples, the débutante balls and the Merion Cricket Club, which drew crowds of 25,000 spectators to its matches in the early 1900s, were the setting for the 1940 Grant/ Hepburn/ Stewart motion picture The Philadelphia Story. Part of the national trend of suburbanization, this drove rapid investment, prosperity, and growth that turned the area into greater Philadelphia's most affluent and fashionable region. In the 20th century, many wealthy Philadelphia families moved to the Main Line suburbs. The benefits of what was touted as "healthy yet cultivated country living" attracted Philadelphia's social elite, many of whom had one house in the city and another larger "country home" on the Main Line. Later in the century, the railroad, which owned much of the land surrounding the tracks, encouraged the development of this picturesque environment by building way stations along the portion of its track closest to Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Railroad built its main line during the early 19th century as part of the Main Line of Public Works that spanned Pennsylvania. So, for instance, as a marketing device to attract wealthy new residents, the area once awkwardly named Athensville became the more culturally glamorous Ardmore ( Ardmore is a place name found in Ireland and Scotland) in 1873. However, what might be termed the "Celtification" of many Main Line place and street names occurred long after colonial times. This accounts for the many Welsh place names in the area. Europeans arrived in the 1600s, after William Penn sold a tract of land, called the Welsh Tract, to a group of Welsh Quakers in London in 1681. The Main Line region was long part of Lenapehoking, the homeland of the matrilineal Lenni Lenape Native Americans (the "true people", or "Delaware Indians"). Please send a complete packet including applications, plans and check.Wayne Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale line after renovations in 2010 Permit applications are also being accepted via mail accompanied by a check. They can be reached by their direct dial phone numbers or email. The Building Official name, email and phone are indicated on the bottom of your Issued Permit.įire Suppression – Bill Daywalt or 610.205.8554 or Bill Henderson 610.205.8559 Please contact the Building Official directly to schedule your inspection. Inspections are being conducted by our Building Officials with a requested 24 hour notice prior to the inspection day. Permit Fees are due at the time of permit application submission. We are located on the Lower Level near the Back Entrance. THE PERMITS DESK IS OPEN FROM 8:15AM to 5:00PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. Get Rid of Hazardous Waste and Electronics.Upper Merion Government Access Television.
