Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania
and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania
, United States
. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne
, William Penn's
physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
. Wynnewood is one of the many neighborhoods on the Pennsylvania Main Line
, and encompasses suburban residential neighborhoods as well as institutions such as Lankenau Hospital
, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
, Palmer Theological Seminary
, and Friends' Central School
. Library Video Company
, a major educational video distributor, is also based there.
; all data is for its ZIP code
19096. As of the census of 2000, there were 13,299 people and 3,490 households residing in the community. The population density was 3,882 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the community was 92.9% White, 3.2% Asian, 2.5% African American, 0.40% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median income for a household in the community was $86,861, and the median income for a family was $111,683. The per capita income for the community was $51,543. About 0.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Residents of Wynnewood cooperate with those of adjacent Ardmore
in many ways, one of which is the ArdWood Civic Association. South Ardmore Park is partly in Wynnewood, and partly in Ardmore. This park is the site of a free or low-cost summer camp, sporting activities, walking paths, and a verdant setting.
or Narberth
, for shopping.
Along with its tree-shaded streets and mature old stone homes, Wynnewood has also been known historically for its car dealerships, which line Lancaster Avenue from South Wynnewood to Argyle Road. Gracious, old-fashioned restaurants, Stouffer's and the Viking Inn, both on Lancaster Avenue, have disappeared and not been replaced, although less expensive fare is widely available. The town's only movie theater, the Eric Wynnewood, became Vinny T's in 2000 and will become a Buca di Beppo
in late 2010. Yeats Pub thrives near the corner of Church and Route 30.
Wynnewood is served by Route 1, City Avenue, traveling north and south, and is also easily accessible to Routes 76, the Schuylkill Expressway east and west, and 476, the Philadelphia bypass nicknamed the "Blue Route", traveling south and north between Chester and Interstate 95 in the south and Plymouth Meeting, Germantown, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike traveling east and west.
headquartered in nearby Ardmore, Pennsylvania
; Bala Cynwyd Middle School; and have a choice between Lower Merion High School (Ardmore) and Harriton High School (Rosemont); Lower Merion HS moved into new building in the fall of 2010. Other schools, private and parochial, abound in this old and affluent residential district, including all-boys Haverford School, all-girls Baldwin and Agnes Irwin schools, coeducational Friends Central School--actually within the Wynnewood postal district—and private, Catholic Waldron Mercy and Merion Mercy academies in nearby Merion, Pennsylvania. Saint Margaret's Elementary School in nearby Narberth also serves Wynnewood's Catholic elementary school community. There are other private schools such as Episcopal Academy (Merion), as well as Akiba / Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy (previously of Bala Cynwyd, now located in Radnor
, Pennsylvania
) and the Solomon Schechter School (Wynnewood), which are both Jewish-affiliated schools. Finally, there is a French International School which has two locations—the lower school near the Bala Cynwyd Library and the upper school on City Avenue, still in Bala Cynwyd.
Saint Joseph's University
is close by with parts of its campus in Merion, Bala Cynwyd and West Philadelphia, Villanova University
, straddling Lancaster Avenue, and Rosemont College
, on Montgomery, are also nearby, as are Cabrini College
and Eastern University
, both in nearby Saint David's. Haverford College
is a non-denominational college on Lancaster Ave in Haverford.
Also located in the community is Shortridge Memorial Park, a small park in a creek valley with stone bridges under which Indian Creek
flows. Recently, the Indian Creek district has been ecologically revitalized and restored. Wynnewood residents are also active in the Wynnewood Civic Association and the Shortridge Association of Wynnewood.
Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania
Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and part of the Pennsylvania Main Line. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 57,825...
and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania
Haverford Township, Pennsylvania
Haverford Township is a home rule township in Delaware County, near Philadelphia, in southeastern Pennsylvania, United States. It maintains its legal name as the Township of Haverford, presumably for historic reasons...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne
Thomas Wynne
Dr. Thomas Wynne was personal physician of William Penn and one of the original settlers of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania. Born in Ysceifiog, Wales, where his family dated back seventeen generations to Owain Gwynedd,...
, William Penn's
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
. Wynnewood is one of the many neighborhoods on the Pennsylvania Main Line
Pennsylvania Main Line
The Main Line is an unofficial historical and socio-cultural region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising a collection of affluent towns built along the old Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad which ran northwest from downtown Philadelphia parallel to Lancaster Avenue , a road...
, and encompasses suburban residential neighborhoods as well as institutions such as Lankenau Hospital
Lankenau Hospital
Lankenau Hospital is a 351-bed tertiary care, community based teaching hospital located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. It is a founding member of Main Line Health, a community-based not-for-profit health system, comprising Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital...
, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Named for Charles Borromeo, it is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,...
, Palmer Theological Seminary
Palmer Theological Seminary
Palmer Theological Seminary was founded in 1925 as Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Originally located on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, it moved in 1940 to its present location in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, just across the street from the city boundary...
, and Friends' Central School
Friends' Central School
Friends' Central School is a college-preparatory, Quaker, coeducational day school for nursery through grade 12 located in Wynnewood, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. Library Video Company
Library Video Company
Library Video Company is an educational video distributor founded in 1975 by Andrew Schlessinger and based in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. A subsidiary of the company, Schlessinger Media, was founded in 1980 and distributes such series as Reading Rainbow, The Way Things Work, and Cosmic Odyssey.In...
, a major educational video distributor, is also based there.
Demographics
Wynnewood is neither an incorporated area nor a census-designated placeCensus-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...
; all data is for its ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
19096. As of the census of 2000, there were 13,299 people and 3,490 households residing in the community. The population density was 3,882 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the community was 92.9% White, 3.2% Asian, 2.5% African American, 0.40% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median income for a household in the community was $86,861, and the median income for a family was $111,683. The per capita income for the community was $51,543. About 0.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Residents of Wynnewood cooperate with those of adjacent Ardmore
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
in many ways, one of which is the ArdWood Civic Association. South Ardmore Park is partly in Wynnewood, and partly in Ardmore. This park is the site of a free or low-cost summer camp, sporting activities, walking paths, and a verdant setting.
Shopping
Wynnewood itself is mostly residential, with its shopping in various clusters. The largest shopping center in Wynnewood is the Wynnewood Shopping Center (housing a Old Navy, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Genuardi's, along with several eateries and smaller stores). Other shopping venues in the suburb include Wynnewood Square and The Whole Foods Shopping Center (named for a market there), both on East Lancaster Avenue. As Wynnewood is primarily a residential community, its residents visit other districts of the Main Line, such as ArdmoreArdmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
or Narberth
Narberth, Pennsylvania
Narberth is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,282 at the 2010 census.-History:Narberth is located on a parcel of land originally deeded to Edward Rees , who arrived from Wales in 1682. A portion of this original tract became the farm of Edward R...
, for shopping.
Along with its tree-shaded streets and mature old stone homes, Wynnewood has also been known historically for its car dealerships, which line Lancaster Avenue from South Wynnewood to Argyle Road. Gracious, old-fashioned restaurants, Stouffer's and the Viking Inn, both on Lancaster Avenue, have disappeared and not been replaced, although less expensive fare is widely available. The town's only movie theater, the Eric Wynnewood, became Vinny T's in 2000 and will become a Buca di Beppo
Buca di Beppo
Buca di Beppo is a restaurant specializing in immigrant Southern Italian food. The name roughly translates as "Joe's Basement"...
in late 2010. Yeats Pub thrives near the corner of Church and Route 30.
Transportation
Opposite the Wynnewood Shopping Center is the Wynnewood Train Station. These railroad tracks run through the Main Line, the collective western suburbs of Philadelphia where the railroad westward was originally established. Towns on the lower Main Line adjacent to Wynnewood include Overbrook, Merion, Wynnewood, Narberth, Ardmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr. The SEPTA Route 105 bus runs along the length of Lancaster Avenue on the Main Line, and the SEPTA Route 44 bus supplements the trains for service between nearby Narberth and Center City Philadelphia. South Wynnewood is served by the SEPTA Route 100 Trolley that connects the southern Main Line suburbs with Norristown to the north and west and SEPTA's 69th Street/Market-Frankford (Blue Line) rapid transit train service into Center City and beyond into Frankford north of Center City along the Delaware River.Wynnewood is served by Route 1, City Avenue, traveling north and south, and is also easily accessible to Routes 76, the Schuylkill Expressway east and west, and 476, the Philadelphia bypass nicknamed the "Blue Route", traveling south and north between Chester and Interstate 95 in the south and Plymouth Meeting, Germantown, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike traveling east and west.
Hospitals
Wynnewood is also home to one the principal three teaching hospitals that serve Philadelphia's Main Line. Along with the eponymous Bryn Mawr and Paoli Memorial hospitals, Lankenau Hospital, on Lancaster Avenue (Route 30) in Wynnewood near the Overbrook border, has traditionally been affiliated with either Jefferson or Hahnemann (now Drexel) colleges of medicine and is always (with Bryn Mawr and Paoli) on the list of the nation's top community hospitals. Saunders House, a rehabilitation facility, can be found on Lankenau's premises, as is a large and busy medical office building that is home to many of the private practices of the hospital's attending physicians.Schools and Colleges
Wynnewood's public school children attend the Merion, Penn Wynne or Penn Valley elementary schools, part of Lower Merion School DistrictLower Merion School District
Lower Merion School District, or LMSD, is a public school district located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The school district includes residents of both Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth. Established in 1836, LMSD is one of the oldest districts in Pennsylvania...
headquartered in nearby Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
; Bala Cynwyd Middle School; and have a choice between Lower Merion High School (Ardmore) and Harriton High School (Rosemont); Lower Merion HS moved into new building in the fall of 2010. Other schools, private and parochial, abound in this old and affluent residential district, including all-boys Haverford School, all-girls Baldwin and Agnes Irwin schools, coeducational Friends Central School--actually within the Wynnewood postal district—and private, Catholic Waldron Mercy and Merion Mercy academies in nearby Merion, Pennsylvania. Saint Margaret's Elementary School in nearby Narberth also serves Wynnewood's Catholic elementary school community. There are other private schools such as Episcopal Academy (Merion), as well as Akiba / Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy (previously of Bala Cynwyd, now located in Radnor
Radnor, Pennsylvania
Radnor is a wealthy Main Line township. It is an unincorporated community in Radnor Township of Delaware County and Tredyffrin Township of Chester County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It lies near the communities of Villanova and St...
, 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...
) and the Solomon Schechter School (Wynnewood), which are both Jewish-affiliated schools. Finally, there is a French International School which has two locations—the lower school near the Bala Cynwyd Library and the upper school on City Avenue, still in Bala Cynwyd.
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
is close by with parts of its campus in Merion, Bala Cynwyd and West Philadelphia, Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, straddling Lancaster Avenue, and Rosemont College
Rosemont College
Rosemont College is a coeducational college located in Rosemont in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. It was originally founded as a women's college. A Catholic college, it is operated by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus...
, on Montgomery, are also nearby, as are Cabrini College
Cabrini College
Cabrini College is a coeducational Roman Catholic residential college in the Philadelphia metropolitan area of Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, founded by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1957. It was one of the first colleges in the United States to make community service a...
and Eastern University
Eastern University
Eastern University is a private university in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, United States affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA, with an interdenominational student body...
, both in nearby Saint David's. Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
is a non-denominational college on Lancaster Ave in Haverford.
Local Media
The area is covered by the print and online publication, The Main Line Times, as well as online by the Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood Patch, a Patch Media site.Other Facts and Features
The well-regarded 1960 dramatic film, "David and Lisa," is said to have been filmed in part at and around the Wynnewood train station.Also located in the community is Shortridge Memorial Park, a small park in a creek valley with stone bridges under which Indian Creek
Indian Creek (Cobbs Creek)
Indian Creek is a tributary of Cobbs Creek in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania in the United States.Indian Creek has two branches that have their sources in Wynnewood, Montgomery County. The West Branch flows through the neighborhood of Penn Wynne and the East Branch flows through the Green...
flows. Recently, the Indian Creek district has been ecologically revitalized and restored. Wynnewood residents are also active in the Wynnewood Civic Association and the Shortridge Association of Wynnewood.
Notable natives and residents
- Billionaire Walter H. Annenberg, media mogul, philanthropist, arts patron, and United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James'sCourt of St. James'sThe Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
(United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) died at his home in Wynnewood in 2002; his wife Leonore AnnenbergLeonore AnnenbergLeonore Cohn Annenberg , also known as Lee Annenberg, was an American businesswoman, government official, and philanthropist. She is former Chief of Protocol of the United States . Annenberg was married to Walter Annenberg, who was an Ambassador to the United Kingdom and a prominent businessman...
continued to maintain a residence in Wynnewood until her death in 2009. - Dr. Fordham G. Anton, the first person to identify the Herpes SimplexHerpes simplexHerpes simplex is a viral disease caused by both Herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 . Infection with the herpes virus is categorized into one of several distinct disorders based on the site of infection. Oral herpes, the visible symptoms of which are colloquially called cold sores or fever...
II virus. - Kobe BryantKobe BryantKobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
of the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
lived in Wynnewood while attending Lower Merion High SchoolLower Merion High SchoolLower Merion High School, is an American public high school in Ardmore, a community on the Pennsylvania Main Line.It is the larger of the two high schools in Lower Merion School District, which serves both Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth. It was ranked among the top 60 U.S. high...
, located in nearby Ardmore, Pennsylvania. - Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
shooting guard Wayne EllingtonWayne EllingtonWayne Robert Ellington Jr. , is an American basketball player who was drafted 28th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association...
was born in Wynnewood. - Musician Patti LabellePatti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
resides in Wynnewood, PA. - Henry ScattergoodHenry ScattergoodJoseph Henry Scattergood was an American cricketer, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Scattergood was one of the Philadelphian cricketers that played from the end of the 19th century through the early years of the next. Scattergood was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a...
lived in Wynnewood until his death in 2008. - Musician Joan JettJoan JettJoan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
was born here on September 22, 1958. - Jamie GrossJamie GrossJamie Gross is an American film editor. Gross started her career as an assistant editor on the Oscar-nominated documentary Murderball. She worked as an editor on the Comedy Central show Michael & Michael Have Issues and the IFC sketch comedy show The Whitest Kids U'Know...
, film editor, was born and raised in Wynnewood. - Alex ScottAlex ScottThe Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, or ALSF, is a US pediatric cancer charity founded by Alexandra "Alex" Scott.In 2000, Alex Scott wished to set up a lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer research. Her first lemonade stand was a success, raising over $2,000 and turned into an annual...
, founder of Alex's Lemonade Stand, a non-profit raising money for pediatric cancer research. - Jeffrey LurieJeffrey LurieJeffrey Lurie is a former Hollywood producer-turned National Football League team owner. Lurie bought the Philadelphia Eagles on May 6, 1994 from then-owner Norman Braman for $195 million...
owner of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
professional football team. Purchased Inwood, the 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) Annenberg Estate. - Aaron Beck professor emeritus, the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and father of Cognitive TherapyCognitive therapyCognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach: a talking therapy. CBT aims to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure in the present...
is a resident of Wynnewood.
External links
- http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/shopping-center-landmark-building-museum/wholefoodsshoppingcenter.html
- http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/main_line_times/
- http://ardmore.patch.com/