Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Plymouth Meeting is a census-designated place
(CDP) in the Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is the northern terminus of the "Blue Route" and the southern terminus of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (both on I-476). The population was 6,177 at the 2010 census. Plymouth Meeting is considered an affluent suburb of Philadelphia and is home to the Colonial School District
, the recently renovated Plymouth Meeting Mall
, and several large office parks and shopping centers. It is home to Ikea
's U.S. headquarters.
, or Quakers, who worshipped in the Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse
. They sailed from Devon
shire, England, on the ship Desire, arriving in Philadelphia on June 23, 1686. The township takes its name from the settlers' hometown of Plymouth
in Devonshire.
What is now Germantown
Pike was ordered laid out by the Provincial Government in 1687 as a "cart road" from Philadelphia to Plymouth Meeting. The actual road was not finished until 1804, when it was built at a cost of $11,287. A road from Plymouth Meeting to Gwynedd appears to have been built in 1751. What is now Chemical Road, following Plymouth Creek, was opened in 1759 to provide access to a new gristmill
.
In the early 19th century the Hickorytown Hotel, on Germantown Pike opposite Hickory Road, was a prominent road house. Robert Kennedy, an officer in the Revolution
, operated the inn in 1801. In 1806 it was kept by Frederick Dull and in 1825, Jacob Hart. In the beginning of the 19th century it was a training place for the 36th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia and the Second Battalion of Montgomery County. The Friendship Company for the Protection against Horse Stealing was organized there in 1807. Township elections were held there as well, and a post office was established there in May 1857. The Plymouth Meeting Post Office appears to have been established sometime prior to 1827.
In 1754, Benjamin Davis received a license to keep an inn on Ridge Pike at Plymouth Creek. This inn, the Seven Stars, was shown on maps as early as 1759. The inn was demolished in 1975 to make way for the Midcounty Expressway.
Early records indicate that one person was elected as "road supervisor" and tax collector. The roads were mostly dirt, and the repair and maintenance was often auctioned off to the lowest bidder, usually a farmer who had large properties and kept many men and horses, and the smaller farmers worked on the roads for them.
Tax records show that the taxpayers had the privilege of working out their taxes on the roads. From 1846 to 1854 the road supervisor was paid one dollar per day for his work as supervisor and collector of taxes. Men working on the roads received $.80 per day and boys received $.40 per day. For the use of a double team of horses with a wagon or cart, one was paid $1.75 per day. Among the 1850 assessments may be found such familiar present-day names as Corson, Cleaver, Davis, Evans, Williams, Fischer, Gillinger, Hallman, Jones, Marple, Rodenbaugh, Sheppard, Shoemaker, Staley and Wood.
Among early industries in Plymouth Township
was the Hickorytown Forge operated by the Wood family, and a forerunner of the present Alan Wood Steel Company. The name Plymouth Furnace appears in the records about 1847 and was engaged in the manufacture of nails.
In 1863, a company named Plymouth Iron Company was organized with a capital of $30,000.00. The company purchased the property of Colwell Furnace, which is located just west of the present Colwell Road adjoining the development known as Farmview Village.
The Plymouth Railroad was built in 1836 to serve some 20 lime kilns operating along the route between Conshohocken and Cold Point. In 1870, the line was acquired by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and was rebuilt and extended to Oreland
at a junction with the North Penn Railroad
.
Prior to the building of the Plymouth Railroad, the Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown Railroad was built along the Schuylkill River
through Plymouth and commenced operation on 1835. The Schuylkill Valley Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad
, the tracks of which parallel those of the Reading Railroad, was opened in 1884, and the Trenton Cut-off branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was built in 1891.
The first school in the township was established by the Plymouth Meeting Society of Friends in 1780, although some records indicate a school in operation there before that date. A school was established at Cold Point in 1821. Public schools, established under the system authorized by the legislature in 1834, included Cold Point School on Cold Point Hill, Plymouth Valley School on Butler Pike adjacent to the Friends meeting property, the Eight Square school on North Lane (then known as Spring Mill Road), the Sandy Hill school in Black Horse (now the site of L. Frank Markel and Sons factory) and the North Star school on Germantown Pike on property presently housing Plymouth Center Union Mission church.
Plymouth became a township of the first class in January 1922. Mr. Isaac J. Sheppard became township secretary at that time and served as secretary until his voluntary retirement in 1952. Under the new form of government the board changed from one of three "road supervisors" to one of five "Township Commissioners". Many gradual changes commenced at that time. Street lights were installed in the built-up sections, fire hydrants were installed at critical locations. By 1924, two fire companies were in operation, the Plymouth Fire Company and the Harmonville Fire Company.
In 1925, the Board of Health was organized. Plumbing
inspection began in 1934. In 1939, Plymouth adopted a "modern" zoning
ordinance. A building code
ordinance was also adopted. In 1947, the first subdivision
ordinance was adopted. In 1952, the Township Planning Commission was created, and a Recreation Committee was established to study the recreation needs of the township. Growth continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s, which saw the advent of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
, the Plymouth Meeting Mall, high rise and garden apartment complexes, and many modern industries and offices.
Plymouth Township adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1972. Government under a Home Rule Charter allows a municipality to take any governmental or administrative actions it requires, unless such actions are prohibited by general laws of the Commonwealth
. With this charter in place, citizens and their elected officials are given more governing power, and there is more of an opportunity for public involvement in governing procedures and decisions.
, with a smaller portion lying within Whitemarsh Township. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), all of it land. Plymouth Township is immediately adjacent to the Schuylkill River
, but all river frontage is occupied by industry. Currently a bike trail is under development for river access.
Interstate 476
and the Pennsylvania Turnpike
pass through the township. The area is easily accessible to Interstate 76 and the "Main Line" points across the river.
of 2000, there were 5,593 people, 2,215 households, and 1,557 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 1,478.8 people per square mile (571.3/km²). There were 2,285 housing units at an average density of 604.2/sq mi (233.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.34% White, 3.40% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.14% from other races
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 2,215 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $57,601, and the median income for a family was $71,585. Males had a median income of $50,813 versus $38,906 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $31,254. About 3.0% of families and 40.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
, built in 1708, is located within the town. Plymouth Meeting is home to the Plymouth Meeting Mall
, which has AMC Movie Theatres adjacent to it, as well as dining and entertainment spots such as Benihana, Redstone American Grill, P.F. Changs, and Dave and Buster's. The largest Whole Foods Market in the Philadelphia area opened on January 12, 2010. Macy's serves as the anchor store to the mall.
. The term Plymouth Meeting generally refers to most of Plymouth Township, as the township's ZIP code is congruent with that of Plymouth Meeting. The Plymouth Meeting post office, however, is actually located just outside Plymouth Township within Whitemarsh Township. The entire area is generally referred to as "Plymouth Whitemarsh", as is the high school.
The small Catholic school Epiphany of Our Lord in Plymouth Meeting was recently awarded the Blue Ribbon School designation.
La Salle University
maintains a satellite campus
in Plymouth Meeting.
Villanova University maintains its baseball
facilities on the grounds of the Greater Plymouth Township Community Center. The park has a walking trail, sand volleyball courts, indoor basketball
and a swimming pool
. Concerts are held in the summer, as well as a bocce
league.
Plymouth Meeting is the home of Odyssey Fastpitch Softball, a competitive girls travel/tournament softball organization.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in the Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the northern terminus of the "Blue Route" and the southern terminus of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (both on I-476). The population was 6,177 at the 2010 census. Plymouth Meeting is considered an affluent suburb of Philadelphia and is home to the Colonial School District
Colonial School District (Pennsylvania)
The Colonial School District covers the Borough of Conshohocken and Plymouth Township and Whitemarsh Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania...
, the recently renovated Plymouth Meeting Mall
Plymouth Meeting Mall
The Plymouth Meeting Mall is an shopping mall located in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, approximately west of Philadelphia. The mall is located on Germantown Pike near the Mid-County Interchange, where the Pennsylvania Turnpike crosses the Northeast Extension/Blue Route .Built in 1966, Plymouth...
, and several large office parks and shopping centers. It is home to Ikea
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
's U.S. headquarters.
History
The township was originally settled by members of the Religious Society of FriendsReligious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
, or Quakers, who worshipped in the Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse is a historic Quaker meeting house at the corner of Germantown and Butler Pikes in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.It was built in 1708 and added to the National Register in 1971....
. They sailed from Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
shire, England, on the ship Desire, arriving in Philadelphia on June 23, 1686. The township takes its name from the settlers' hometown of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in Devonshire.
What is now Germantown
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
Pike was ordered laid out by the Provincial Government in 1687 as a "cart road" from Philadelphia to Plymouth Meeting. The actual road was not finished until 1804, when it was built at a cost of $11,287. A road from Plymouth Meeting to Gwynedd appears to have been built in 1751. What is now Chemical Road, following Plymouth Creek, was opened in 1759 to provide access to a new gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
.
In the early 19th century the Hickorytown Hotel, on Germantown Pike opposite Hickory Road, was a prominent road house. Robert Kennedy, an officer in the Revolution
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, operated the inn in 1801. In 1806 it was kept by Frederick Dull and in 1825, Jacob Hart. In the beginning of the 19th century it was a training place for the 36th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia and the Second Battalion of Montgomery County. The Friendship Company for the Protection against Horse Stealing was organized there in 1807. Township elections were held there as well, and a post office was established there in May 1857. The Plymouth Meeting Post Office appears to have been established sometime prior to 1827.
In 1754, Benjamin Davis received a license to keep an inn on Ridge Pike at Plymouth Creek. This inn, the Seven Stars, was shown on maps as early as 1759. The inn was demolished in 1975 to make way for the Midcounty Expressway.
Early records indicate that one person was elected as "road supervisor" and tax collector. The roads were mostly dirt, and the repair and maintenance was often auctioned off to the lowest bidder, usually a farmer who had large properties and kept many men and horses, and the smaller farmers worked on the roads for them.
Tax records show that the taxpayers had the privilege of working out their taxes on the roads. From 1846 to 1854 the road supervisor was paid one dollar per day for his work as supervisor and collector of taxes. Men working on the roads received $.80 per day and boys received $.40 per day. For the use of a double team of horses with a wagon or cart, one was paid $1.75 per day. Among the 1850 assessments may be found such familiar present-day names as Corson, Cleaver, Davis, Evans, Williams, Fischer, Gillinger, Hallman, Jones, Marple, Rodenbaugh, Sheppard, Shoemaker, Staley and Wood.
Among early industries in Plymouth Township
Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Plymouth Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1976 and is no longer subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
was the Hickorytown Forge operated by the Wood family, and a forerunner of the present Alan Wood Steel Company. The name Plymouth Furnace appears in the records about 1847 and was engaged in the manufacture of nails.
In 1863, a company named Plymouth Iron Company was organized with a capital of $30,000.00. The company purchased the property of Colwell Furnace, which is located just west of the present Colwell Road adjoining the development known as Farmview Village.
The Plymouth Railroad was built in 1836 to serve some 20 lime kilns operating along the route between Conshohocken and Cold Point. In 1870, the line was acquired by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and was rebuilt and extended to Oreland
Oreland, Pennsylvania
Oreland is a United States census-designated place in Springfield and Upper Dublin townships, just outside of the Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy areas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
at a junction with the North Penn Railroad
North Pennsylvania Railroad
North Pennsylvania Railroad was a railroad company formed in 1855, and served Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Bucks County and Northampton County, Pennsylvania.-History:...
.
Prior to the building of the Plymouth Railroad, the Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown Railroad was built along the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
through Plymouth and commenced operation on 1835. The Schuylkill Valley Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, the tracks of which parallel those of the Reading Railroad, was opened in 1884, and the Trenton Cut-off branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was built in 1891.
The first school in the township was established by the Plymouth Meeting Society of Friends in 1780, although some records indicate a school in operation there before that date. A school was established at Cold Point in 1821. Public schools, established under the system authorized by the legislature in 1834, included Cold Point School on Cold Point Hill, Plymouth Valley School on Butler Pike adjacent to the Friends meeting property, the Eight Square school on North Lane (then known as Spring Mill Road), the Sandy Hill school in Black Horse (now the site of L. Frank Markel and Sons factory) and the North Star school on Germantown Pike on property presently housing Plymouth Center Union Mission church.
Plymouth became a township of the first class in January 1922. Mr. Isaac J. Sheppard became township secretary at that time and served as secretary until his voluntary retirement in 1952. Under the new form of government the board changed from one of three "road supervisors" to one of five "Township Commissioners". Many gradual changes commenced at that time. Street lights were installed in the built-up sections, fire hydrants were installed at critical locations. By 1924, two fire companies were in operation, the Plymouth Fire Company and the Harmonville Fire Company.
In 1925, the Board of Health was organized. Plumbing
Plumbing
Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
inspection began in 1934. In 1939, Plymouth adopted a "modern" zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
ordinance. A building code
Building code
A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures. The main purpose of building codes are to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the...
ordinance was also adopted. In 1947, the first subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
ordinance was adopted. In 1952, the Township Planning Commission was created, and a Recreation Committee was established to study the recreation needs of the township. Growth continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s, which saw the advent of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
, the Plymouth Meeting Mall, high rise and garden apartment complexes, and many modern industries and offices.
Plymouth Township adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1972. Government under a Home Rule Charter allows a municipality to take any governmental or administrative actions it requires, unless such actions are prohibited by general laws of the Commonwealth
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. With this charter in place, citizens and their elected officials are given more governing power, and there is more of an opportunity for public involvement in governing procedures and decisions.
Geography
Plymouth Meeting is located at 40°6′31"N 75°16′57"W (40.108545, -75.282378). It lies primarily within Plymouth TownshipPlymouth Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Plymouth Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1976 and is no longer subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
, with a smaller portion lying within Whitemarsh Township. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), all of it land. Plymouth Township is immediately adjacent to the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
, but all river frontage is occupied by industry. Currently a bike trail is under development for river access.
Interstate 476
Interstate 476
Interstate 476 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania designated between Interstate 95 near Chester and Interstate 81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through eastern Pennsylvania....
and the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
pass through the township. The area is easily accessible to Interstate 76 and the "Main Line" points across the river.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,593 people, 2,215 households, and 1,557 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,478.8 people per square mile (571.3/km²). There were 2,285 housing units at an average density of 604.2/sq mi (233.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.34% White, 3.40% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.14% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 2,215 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $57,601, and the median income for a family was $71,585. Males had a median income of $50,813 versus $38,906 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $31,254. About 3.0% of families and 40.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Attractions
The historic Plymouth Friends MeetinghousePlymouth Friends Meetinghouse
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse is a historic Quaker meeting house at the corner of Germantown and Butler Pikes in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.It was built in 1708 and added to the National Register in 1971....
, built in 1708, is located within the town. Plymouth Meeting is home to the Plymouth Meeting Mall
Plymouth Meeting Mall
The Plymouth Meeting Mall is an shopping mall located in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, approximately west of Philadelphia. The mall is located on Germantown Pike near the Mid-County Interchange, where the Pennsylvania Turnpike crosses the Northeast Extension/Blue Route .Built in 1966, Plymouth...
, which has AMC Movie Theatres adjacent to it, as well as dining and entertainment spots such as Benihana, Redstone American Grill, P.F. Changs, and Dave and Buster's. The largest Whole Foods Market in the Philadelphia area opened on January 12, 2010. Macy's serves as the anchor store to the mall.
Institutions
Plymouth Meeting lies in both Plymouth and Whitemarsh townships. The two townships share a high school with the borough of ConshohockenConshohocken, Pennsylvania
Conshohocken is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in recent years Conshohocken has developed into a center of riverfront commercial and...
. The term Plymouth Meeting generally refers to most of Plymouth Township, as the township's ZIP code is congruent with that of Plymouth Meeting. The Plymouth Meeting post office, however, is actually located just outside Plymouth Township within Whitemarsh Township. The entire area is generally referred to as "Plymouth Whitemarsh", as is the high school.
The small Catholic school Epiphany of Our Lord in Plymouth Meeting was recently awarded the Blue Ribbon School designation.
La Salle University
La Salle University
La Salle University is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the school was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. As of 2008 the school has approximately 7,554...
maintains a satellite campus
Satellite campus
A satellite campus or branch campus is a campus of a college or university that is physically detached from the main university or college area, and is often smaller than the main campus of an institution....
in Plymouth Meeting.
Villanova University maintains its baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
facilities on the grounds of the Greater Plymouth Township Community Center. The park has a walking trail, sand volleyball courts, indoor basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and a swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
. Concerts are held in the summer, as well as a bocce
Bocce
Bocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
league.
Plymouth Meeting is the home of Odyssey Fastpitch Softball, a competitive girls travel/tournament softball organization.