Check Out Montgomery and Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery
County Profile
Click Here to see Montgomery County
Montgomery County is the wealthiest in
the state of Pennsylvania. Yet, its population is diverse enough to include
such residents as middle-income suburbanites, Pennsylvania Dutch farmers and
affluent Main Liners. The eastern portion of the county is a densely populated,
suburban area with large commercial and industrial districts throughout the
region. Moving westward, the natural beauty of the land is allowed to open up
until, in the far western section, a rich, productive farmland totally replaces
the suburban districts.
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Population: 635,000
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Area: 496 square
miles
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Government: Board of County
Commissioners, (3 members)
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County Seat: Norristown (includes
county library housing over 110,000 volumes)
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Medical Facilities: 20 hospitals, over
5,500 beds
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Parks: 7 county parks open to
residents only
Bucks
County Profile
Click here to see Bucks County
Bucks County may be the Delaware Valley's
most popular and widely known area outside the region. Its 610 square miles
of green, open fields, wooded hillsides and river lowlands have made the county
one of the fastest growing in the U.S. since World War II. Industry and
commercial occupations now outnumber the agricultural wbich once dominated the
county's economy. The southeastern sections are the most heavily developed
suburban districts. However, much of the remainder of Bucks County is rural and
the county maintains 8,500 acres of state park land and over 4,000 acres of
game preserves.
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Population: 500,000
approximately
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Area: 610 square
miles
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Government: Board of County
Commissioners, Members elected to 4-year terms
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County Seat:
Doylestown
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Medical Facilities: 10 hospitals
located in the county, totaling over 1,500 beds
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Parks: 18 located throughout the
county
Hatboro
Hatboro is one of Pennsylvania's great
towns. Friendly merchants, a thriving business district, a convenient
suburban Philadelphia location and small town traditions create an attractive
environment for residents and visitors alike. It can best be characterized as a
family-oriented community with a strong sense of civic pride.
Dozens of groups and organizations
are committed to preserving the quality of life that makes Hatboro so special.
Hatboro is a safe community, with a very low crime rate. Unlike malls and strip
centers, we have our own police department that patrols round-the-clock to keep
the streets safe and free from vandalism.
The community takes pride in its two
award-winning Blue Ribbon schools within its postal area. Two elementary
schools are located right in Hatboro.
Hatboro's rich heritage is woven into
the fabric of the community. Historic buildings have been preserved, and a
monument erected in recognition of the Battle of Crooked Billet, fought in
Hatboro during the Revolutionary War. The Old Firehouse in the center of town
now serves as the senior center for Hatboro.
The YMCA, Hatboro Little League,
Scouting, community theater, and the Hatboro Pool play an important role in
Hatboro family life as do the numerous fraternal organizations and service
groups who are active in town. And for the golf enthusiasts, there are close to
a dozen golf courses located within a five mile drive from Hatboro.
Check out these links for more
information:
HORSHAM
Horsham Township is located in scenic
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 13 miles north of Philadelphia between
Warrington and Willow Grove near lovely Tyler State Park. Set along Highway
611, Horsham is part of the Philadelphia metro area and is home to quality
residential neighborhoods, office parks, corporate centers and community
shopping areas. Near Warminster and east of route 476, it is one of the oldest
original municipalities in Montgomery County and now has a population in excess
of 22,000.
Montgomery County is situated in gorgeous
Southeastern Pennsylvania, a land of four distinct yearly seasons that offers a
superlative quality of life. Warm summers and snowy winters mean a year round
playground for residents who enjoy outdoor activities while Horsham's close
proximity to cosmopolitan Philadelphia means first class cultural attractions,
fine dining and chic shopping are easily accessible as well. New York City is
only 88 miles north with even more exciting attractions while the state capital
at Harrisburg is 105 miles east. Totaling 5.5 square miles in area, Horsham
Township is an historic village with the kind of small town atmosphere that
people dream about.
Friendly neighbors, unique shops, historic
colonial sites and the natural splendor of the surrounding Pennsylvania
countryside make Horsham a treasured place to call home sweet home.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Horsham Township is set along Highway 611, a
main north-south artery that runs directly to Philadelphia where it connects to
major interstates like the I-676, I-76 and I-95. The roads are laid out in an
easily understandable grid that was designed by William Penn, the founder of
Pennsylvania, more than two hundred years ago. There is a superbly integrated
public transportation system consisting of buses and trains connecting to
nearby towns and downtown Philadelphia operated by SEPTA, the Southeast
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Horsham is served by Philadelphia
International Airport where flights depart and arrive from domestic and
international destinations as well as by a regional airport in Trenton, NJ only
20 miles away. Private aircrafts can take off and land at either Horsham Valley
Airways right in town or Wings Field just South of Philadelphia. Amtrak
connects the major cities of the East Coast like Boston, Washington and New
York on both its Metroliner shuttle trains and its high speed, luxury Acela
Express train that travels up to 150 miles per hour. The area is also well
served by Greyhound, which offers both intra and inter state bus travel at
value prices with 4 fully staffed depots in the Philadelphia area.
BRIEF HISTORY
Horsham Township is named after the town of
Horsham in Sussex County, England, the home of township founder Samuel
Carpenter. In 1684, the entire township area of 17 square miles was made
available to individual purchasers. Carpenter purchased 5,000 acres from
Pennsylvania's founder William Penn, 4,200 of them within the present
boundaries of the township. At the time, the area was endless forest stretching
as far the eye could see. The only pervious settlers were a few Europeans along
the Delaware, as well as the native tribes like the Susquehannock, Shawnee and
Leni-Lenape who lived in relative harmony with their new neighbors. In 1709,
Carpenter began to sell tracts of land to migrating Quakers. Although he died
in 1714, three years after that, in 1717, Horsham Township was established as a
municipality by a vote of the people. It was appropriately named after the
hometown of its founding father. The first significant settlement centered
around the junction of Horsham and Easton Roads and was known as Horshamville.
The eventual extension of Easton Road prompted the establishment of the Horsham
Friends Meeting House. The township's early social and economic life revolved
around this Meeting House. Through most of the nineteenth century, Horsham's
population grew slowly. Its character was not altered in any significant way
until 1872 when the North Pennsylvania Railroad extended a rail line from
Glenside to New Hope and established a station in the nearby community of
Hatboro. The Horsham-Hatboro-Byberry Road provided easy access to Hatboro's
station and as a result, residential development began along the road virtually
linking the two communities together. By 1890, the township's population
reached 1,300 residents. The importance of Philadelphia and Montgomery County
as national and regional centers grew while the 20th century unfolded and
Horsham became more and more entwined with its neighbor Philly. It has grown
into a classic suburban village and is now a town with a population in excess
of 20,000 people and considered a bedroom community of the City of Brotherly
Love.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
Affluent, civilized and pleasant, Horsham was
founded more than 280 years ago. There are many historic buildings in town
including the Friends Meeting House, an 1852 circa one room schoolhouse and the
Penrose Strawbridge House dating back to the Revolutionary War. Horsham
Township residents are fortunate to have one of the largest park systems in
Montgomery County. The Horsham Park System contains more than 814 acres in 46
sites ranging from community parks to neighborhood parks to open space. Golf at
the Horsham Valley Golf Course with its signature number 2 hole shot between
two trees, visit the year round Christmas Past Village with lighted houses, an
ornament collection and unique shops and don't miss touring Graeme House, the
only remaining Colonial Pennsylvania Governor's residence dating back to 1723.
1711 acre Tyler State Park lies right outside of town nestled in a farm and
woodland setting where viewing the glorious colors of the autumn leaves is a
favorite activity for residents and visitors alike.
The surrounding area of Montgomery County includes many Revolutionary
War battle and historic sites, most famously Valley Forge, where General
Washington forged his army into a fighting force able to secure this nation's
independence. Today, the park is a lush, 3,600-acre expanse of rolling
hillsides dotted with flowering dogwood trees and Washington's original stone
headquarters has been restored and furnished with period items. Blessed with a
remarkable array of attractions to please every taste and interest, from scenic
beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities to amazing history to fairs and
festivals throughout the year, Horsham and its environs is a ceaselessly
fascinating corner of the world.
EDUCATION
The Hatboro/Horsham school district is highly
ranked within the state and has 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1
high school. 81% of graduates go on to attend higher learning institutions plus
the choice is made easier with 20 colleges and universities populating the
Philadelphia area. Beaver Community College is just six miles away in Blue Bell
and Montgomery County Community College is eleven miles away in Glenside.
Nearby four-year colleges include the Penn State Campus at Addington and the
acclaimed universities of Philadelphia like Temple, LaSalle and UOP. In
addition, there are many vocational and trade schools as well as private
religious and secular elementary and secondary schools.
HATBORO
Hatboro is located in southeastern
Pennsylvania, approximately 25 miles north of center city Philadelphia. It is
in eastern Montgomery County and is bordered by Warminster to the north and by
Upper Moreland Township on the south, east and west. Just two miles off Exit 27
on the Pennsylvania Turnpike along Route 263, it is a short drive from nearby
Doylestown, New Hope and Jenkintown. Hatboro is a family-oriented community
with a strong sense of civic pride and a rich heritage is woven into the fabric
of the town. It is a community that has made a commitment to the vitality of
its central business district and it is a safe community with a very low crime
rate.
Hatboro is surrounded by historic sites and
attractions related to the Revolutionary War including Washington's Crossing
from where General Washington set off on his famed crossing of the Delaware
River and Valley Forge, where colonial troops were trained into an army that
secured the nation's independence from the British. The surrounding scenic
countryside is dotted with farmland, country inns, parks and recreation
facilities plus the cultural, dining and shopping destinations of Philadelphia
are just a short drive or train ride away. Hatboro is 90 miles south of New
York City, 150 miles north of Washington, DC and 300 miles south of Boston.
TRANSPORTATION Hatboro is 2 miles down
State Route 263, also know as Historic York Road, off Exit 27 on the
Pennsylvania Turnpike, the I-276. The Turnpike is the main east-west artery
through the state, connecting directly with Philadelphia, only a thirty-minute
drive north while the I-476, the main north-south highway is only ten miles
west. The surrounding infrastructure of roads and bridges that connect the
cities and towns of Montgomery County are modern and well maintained and
Hatboro benefits from the clean grid of streets laid out by William Penn, the
state's founder, more than 200 years ago. Hatboro can also be reached by train
or bus on the SEPTA public transportation system, which connects the town to
all the nearby municipalities. Hatboro Train Station, with a direct line to
Center City Philadelphia, is conveniently located in the center of town, just
off York Road. Amtrak offers rail service from Philadelphia including the
Keystone Line connecting to the state capital at Harrisburg, offering a scenic
route through the center of Pennsylvania, the Metroliner which shuttles
passengers between New York City and Washington, DC and the ultra-modern Acela
Express high speed trains connecting major East Coast cities at speeds of up to
150 miles per hour. For more leisurely travel try Greyhound, which has four
fully staffed depots in Philadelphia and operates buses on routes throughout
the state and region.
HATBORO HISTORY
Like many small communities in Pennsylvania,
Hatboro traces its history well back into the 1700's. In 1715, John Dawson, a
hatter from England, came to Hatboro and built a house that later became the
Crooked Billet Inn and the small village that surrounded it came to be called
the Billet. The Billet became officially known as Hatboro in 1740 and by the
1750s Hatboro was a farming village of fifteen houses on Old York Road. York
Road, a former Indian trail, was the stagecoach route between Philadelphia and
New York and a mill, a tavern, a tannery, a saddle shop and furniture maker set
up shop in Hatboro to service travelers. Despite the small size of the
community, education of its occupants was deemed to be of primary importance
and the Union Library Company was formed in 1755. The Union Library of Hatboro
is the third oldest in Pennsylvania, and the second oldest library to be
operating under its original charter. The library was moved from house to house
until the present building was constructed in 1849 and the library building is
now on the national register of historic buildings.
By 1756, the first schoolhouse was in operation in Joshua Pott's log cabin
school on West Monument Avenue. Hatboro played a role in the Revolutionary War
when in the summer of 1777, on the way to his Moland house headquarters, George
Washington and his officers stopped for dinner at the Crooked Billet Tavern.
Washington bought his grain from the old gristmill that is now the Old Mill Inn
and hats were made in Hatboro for the Revolutionary War soldiers. Hatboro was
also the scene of a Revolutionary War skirmish known as the Battle of Crooked
Billet. The clash occurred on May 1, 1778, during the British occupation of
Philadelphia when a colonial militia was assigned to cut off British supplies.
Surprised by British troops, they were defeated and driven off with heavy
losses. Today there is a monument to this battle outside the Crooked Billet
Elementary School.
Following the Revolutionary War,
Hatboro reverted to its rural character and was the site of farms, dairies and
mills until the railroads arrived in the mid nineteenth century. Because of its
close proximity to Philadelphia, the area became a manufacturing and industrial
center as well as place where titans of industry built fabulous estates.
Following the Great Depression of the 1930s, industry was replaced with housing
and office park development. Hatboro became and has remained a traditional
suburban community with well-integrated shops and services, a responsive city
government, friendly residents and wonderful place to call home.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
Hatboro has dedicated itself as a community to
preserving its historic buildings and celebrating its past as a Revolutionary
War historic site. A monument has been erected in recognition of the Battle of
Crooked Billet, fought in Hatboro during the war for independence. Structures
such as the old firehouse, the post office, town library, municipal building
and train station, some dating back more than 200 years have all been restored
and are located in or near the center of town. There are 5 public golf courses
and 5 public parks including Miller Meadow on the west side of South York Road
along the banks of the Pennypack Creek. This 8-acre area is designated as a
natural habitat and the land remains in an untouched state with open fields and
a meandering stream.
Hatboro's charming main street
shopping district is not to be missed. Offering quaint shops, many specializing
in antiques and collectables, there are also dining and entertainment options.
Enjoy year-round performances at Hatboro's own community theater, the Village
Players, now in their 55th season. The surrounding Southeast Pennsylvania
region includes famed Valley Forge, cozy inns, wineries and rural farmland
offering fresh produce and farmer's markets. The unique and fascinating Amish
Country of the Lancaster Region is a 2-hour drive west and skiing in the
Poconos is two-hour drive north.
EDUCATION The Hatboro-Horsham School
District has 4 elementary schools, one middle school and one senior high
school. All of the public schools have over 90% attendance records and score
over 70% in advanced reading and mathematics. There is one private pre-school,
one private religious middle school and one private Christian high school. The
area is served by two community colleges, Bucks County Community College and
Montgomery County Community College that also has a continuing education
program serving adults wishing to enhance their education while working or
moving into retirement. Other colleges and universities in the area include
Pennsylvania State University - Abington Campus, Beaver College, Philadelphia
University and La Salle University. La Salle University has a very low 16-1
student ratio and has been ranked among the country's top schools by US News
& World Report, Barron's and Money magazines as well as by the New York
Times. Degree programs offered at La Salle include several new and distinctive
high-tech majors like Integrated Science, Business and Technology (ISBT) and
Digital Arts and Multimedia Design.
AMBLER
Ambler is a borough of
lovely and historic Montgomery County, located 15 miles north of culturally
rich Philadelphia, in Southeastern Pennsylvania. A comfortable and charming
small town of approximately one square mile with an old fashioned main street,
Ambler has a population of about 6400 residents. Ambler Borough is surrounded
by the townships of Lower Gwynedd, Whitpain and Upper Dublin and is part of the
Philadelphia Metro Area. Ambler and its surrounding townships make up a
desirable community in which to live and work with great schools, excellent
transportation and safe neighborhoods creating the ideal location for suburban
living. Ambler is a walkable community with distinctive buildings, attractive
streetscapes and a balance of residential and commercial properties.
Conveniently located just off State Route 309, it is just north of the
Pennsylvania Turnpike, the I-276, and just east of the I-476, the Blue Route.
Ambler is the social, cultural and economic hub of the area with more than 100
local businesses yet it retains its classic and friendly small town feeling.
A great community to call home, Ambler boasts
buildings dating back 200 years plus affordable housing. The surrounding
historic sites of Montgomery and Bucks Counties, including famed Revolutionary
War areas like Valley Forge make the Southeast Pennsylvania region a
fascinating place to settle down. It is a place with a four seasons climate
where history and fun come to life. Lancaster County with its unique
Pennsylvania Dutch Amish communities is just adjacent and the ski areas of the
Pocono Mountains are a two-hour drive north. Ambler is approximately 90 miles
south of New York City, 150 miles north of Washington, DC and 100 miles west of
the state capital at Harrisburg. History, tradition, culture and scenic beauty
await you when you call Ambler and the Southeastern Pennsylvania region your
home.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS Ambler is
centrally located at the heart of a modern and convenient transportation
infrastructure. It is a few miles west of State Route 309, north of the I-276,
the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the main east-west transportation artery in the
state as well as the I-476, the Blue Route, the main north-south transportation
artery in the state. Philadelphia International Airport is just a thirty minute
drive offering direct flights to most domestic and international destinations
while Wings Field, located 3 miles outside of Ambler is a public use airport
for private planes and helicopters. Ambler has excellent public transportation
facilities including both bus and rail lines operated by the Southeast
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) that travel through town making
access to Philadelphia and adjacent suburban communities convenient. Amtrak
offers several rail options from nearby Philadelphia including the Keystone
Line connecting to the state capital at Harrisburg, offering a scenic route
through the center of Pennsylvania, the Metroliner which shuttles passengers
between New York City and Washington, DC and the ultra-modern Acela Express
high speed trains connecting major East Coast cities at speeds of up to 150
miles per hour. For more leisurely travel try Greyhound buses which criss-cross
the state as well as offering access to out of state destinations around the
country. When you make Ambler your home, you can get to just about
anywhere.
BRIEF
HISTORY The Ambler area is rich in history going
back to its earliest settlers. The 1600's brought farmers; the 1700's brought
millers and blacksmiths; the 1800's brought the railroad and the rise of heavy
industry; the 1900's brought a dynamic increase in population and growth in the
school district while the 21st century has brought technology and
revitalization. George and William Harmer purchased the area now identified as
the Borough of Ambler together with several other tracts from William Penn in
1682. Unlike most other first purchasers from Penn, the Harmer brothers
appeared to be interested in settling on, rather than speculating, in land.
They built a home and William Harmer erected a mill in the southwestern corner
of present day Ambler. Roads did not come to the area until the second decade
of the 18th century. These roads would later become passageways to battle and
retreat.
During 1777, the America Revolution would
come to the area as Washington launched his attack upon General Howe's forces
and camped at Valley Forge. The development of the Wissahickon Valley as an
agricultural community continued after the war without interruption. The 1840s
brought on the commercial development of rail transportation and the North Penn
Railway pushed westward towards New York through the Lehigh Valley with a
single track. That railway line was opened in July 1855 but would soon produce
tragedy. Since there was only one track, the line had various spurs where a
train would park while awaiting the passage of an oncoming train. In 1856,
signals concerning right of way were garbled and two trains collided head on
the track. The outbound train was transporting nearly 1000 parents and children
for a church picnic. Fifty-nine passengers were killed and another 100 injured.
Upon learning of the accident, a frail widow named Mary Ambler converted her
home into a hospital and led efforts to care for the injured. Her heroism was
memorialized in 1869 by the railroad, which changed the name of its train
station and the community growing around it to Ambler.
In 1881 new life came to the community when two Philadelphia
manufacturers, Henry Keasbey and RV Mattison decided to move their
pharmaceutical business from Philadelphia to Ambler. Mattison also set about
building a magnificent chateau modeled after Windsor Castle. By 1891 Mattison
added a beautiful gothic style church near his home and built an office
building and opera house. In 1897 the company moved away from making digestive
aids and started to produce asbestos insulating papers and board. Ambler became
the quintessential company town, and by World War I, Keasbey-Mattison was the
world's largest manufacturer of asbestos products and Ambler was its home. The
business would continue to expand as asbestos roofing became popular but the
company would not survive the Great Depression.
Since the 1930s, Ambler has remade itself as a classic bedroom
community of nearby Philadelphia. Wealthy industrialists constructed legendary
estates while less grand but no less desirable and comfortable family
neighborhoods sprang up without destroying the historic character of the town.
Ambler's Main Street became the commercial hub of the region, and the borough
prospered as a suburban small town. Today's Ambler preserves the distinctive
characteristics of its historic past while looking toward the future.
Development is well balanced with preservation, modern high tech businesses
prospers side by side with traditional commercial ventures like shops and
restaurants creating a vibrant economic environment while maintaining the small
town charm that makes Ambler such a coveted place to call home.
SPECIAL
ATTRACTIONS Ambler's most special and prized
attraction is its old fashioned, walkable downtown. Set along a classic small
town main street, it is the cultural, social and business center of the area
offering unique shops with personal service, great restaurants and
entertainment options. Enjoy live theater productions at the Act II Playhouse
presenting classic and contemporary works in a 130-seat theater and view
contemporary art exhibition at the Artisans Three Gallery. There are 4 city
parks including Ambler Borough Park which is a uniquely untouched natural
ecosystem in this urban area and Knight Park boasting basketball and bocce ball
courts, roller skating and skate boarding areas, a little league field and a
picnic pavilion. As one of the centers of Revolutionary War activity,
surrounding Montgomery, Bucks and Adams Counties are rich with historic battle
sites including famed Valley Forge and Gettysburg, the site of the largest
battle fought during the war for independence.
The
cultural and historic attractions of Philadelphia are just minutes away when
you live in Ambler. Enjoy museums like the Philadelphia Museum of Art with its
renowned collection, view the Liberty Bell and visit Independence Hall, the
birthplace of the United States, where the Declaration of Independence was
adopted and the Constitution debated, drafted and signed. Recreational
opportunities abound including golfing at the Horsham Valley Golf Course with
its signature number 2 hole requiring a shot between two trees and hiking on 51
scenic acres at the Four Mills Nature Reserve where there's also a children's
nature museum.
The Southeast region of the Keystone
State is a place of incredible beauty, friendly charm and rich history. A place
where people first dared to dream of a self-governing nation and men took the
fight for freedom to the surrounding countryside. From bustling downtown
Philadelphia avenues where people dine at four-star restaurants to the winding
roads of the countryside and Lehigh Valley that roll past wineries, inviting
towns, cozy inns and quaint bed and breakfasts, Southeast Pennsylvania is a
land of endless possibilities for visitors and residents alike.
EDUCATION Ambler Borough is part of
the well-regarded Wissahickon School District where the overall student to
teacher ratio is 14 to 1. There are four public elementary schools, one middle
school and one high school with a total student population of approximately
4,500. There is also one private, non-religious day school for elementary and
middle school age students and a private beauty academy. There are several
community colleges in the area including Montgomery County College in nearby
Bluebell, just five miles away and Beaver College in Glenside, only six miles
away. There are more than 20 four-year universities in the surrounding
Philadelphia Metro Area including renowned Temple University, La Salle, the
University of Pennsylvania and the Penn State Campus at Addington.
NORTH
WALES
North Wales is a suburban community
located about 30 miles north of Philadelphia just off State Route 611, in
between I-476 and State Route 309, the Pennsylvania Toll Road. It is nestled in
the scenic Delaware Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania where recreational
opportunities and cultural attractions exist in perfect harmony. A bedroom
community of Philadelphia, it is a small town of just under 1 square mile with
a population of 3300. Famous Revolutionary War sites dot the area including
Valley Forge and Gettysburg while Philadelphia is the site of Independence Hall
where the Declaration of Independence was read aloud for the first time.
The surrounding area includes rural farmland
offering fresh produce from farmer's markets and great inns and restaurants
serving memorable meals. New York City is 100 miles north, about a two hour
drive while Washington DC is 150 miles south, about a 3 hour drive.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS North Wales is
superbly situated at the center of a modern and well-maintained grid of roads,
highways and bridges. It sits just off State Route 611, nearby both the I-476
and the I-276, Pennsylvania's main interstate highways. This area, north of
Philadelphia, is extremely well served by the local transportation system of
buses and trains called SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority)
which offers easy access to Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs and
adjacent office parks. Nearby Philadelphia International Airport offers flights
to domestic and international destinations around the globe while Trenton
Mercer Airport and Lehigh Valley International Airport serve the region with
intra and interstate flights. The Amtrak train station in Paoli, just to the
south west as well as those in Philadelphia offer rail travel on several
renowned lines including the Metroliner connecting DC and New York and the high
speed Acela Express that travels up to 150 miles per hour between major East
Coast Cities.
BRIEF
HISTORY North Wales is set in Montgomery County
which was created in 1784 and named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American
Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec
City. Quakers from Merioneth County in northern Wales were among the first
purchasers of the land that the King of England had deeded William Penn, which
is now the state of Pennsylvania. Welsh Quakers had established meetings at
Merion, Haverford and Radnor in the 1680s and one of the émigrés,
Hugh Roberts, returned to Wales in 1697 and encouraged others to immigrate to
the Pennsylvania Colony. In the spring of 1698, William Jonex and Thomas Evans
were dispatched to find land in Pennsylvania, which would resemble the land
they were leaving in Wales. They ended up buying 17 square miles of timberland
and twelve families left for America from Dublin on May 1, 1698. They
established themselves that summer and fall naming the area Gwynedd, Welsh for
white or fair land. By 1700, this group applied to the Quaker Meeting in
Philadelphia for recognition and had built a log meetinghouse in the vicinity
of Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike.
It is also claimed
that in that year William Penn actually came to this meeting to worship with
his daughter Letitia. By 1857 North Wales consisted of twelve homes and a
distillery. Eleven years later, North Wales asked to be made a borough based
upon its population of 380 persons together with a lumber and coal yard, two
hotels and three general stores. North Wales Borough was incorporated on August
20, 1869 and was the first borough created by the Montgomery County Courts. The
borough's seven tenths of a square mile, its total land area, were taken from
Gwynedd Township against its wishes and the two towns have shared a friendly
rivalry ever since.
The business community of
professional offices and small stores thrived and manufacturing industries
heavily supported the borough until the Great Depression. Transforming itself
into the quintessential bedroom community after WWII, it became a desirable
suburban address for Philadelphia commuters. North Wales has continued to
zealously preserve and protect its historic, small town character and its
coveted quality of life.
SPECIAL
ATTRACTIONS North Wales is the location of the
Montgomery Mall, one of the regions largest shopping centers and destination in
itself with department stores, boutiques, restaurants and movie theaters. Visit
the Roth Farm Living Museum, which provides historical farming information and
promotes a sense of appreciation for American agriculture. There are hands-on
exhibits for the kids and plenty of resident farm animals. Enjoy fine dining in
an 18th century farmhouse at the Joseph Ambler Inn set on 12 acres of rolling
countryside just outside of town. Practice your golf swings at the Lower State
Driving Range and search for collectables at the Montgomeryville Flea Market
featuring more than 200 dealers. The Drafty Barn is a flea market for antiques
that's held the first Saturday of every month with 30 vendors specializing in
early American furniture and colonial collectables. Don't miss a tour of the
Jenkins Homestead, an 18th century house and museum with a collection of
historic books.
EDUCATION North Wales Borough is part
of the North Penn School District and has one local elementary school, one
middle school and high school. At North Wales Elementary School, over 80% of
the students scored proficient or advanced in reading, writing and mathematics
on standardized tests. North Penn Senior High has equally high scores in the
major disciplines and both schools have attendance rates of over 90% plus
strong parental involvement. The area's higher education needs are served by
Gwynedd-Mercy College and Montgomery County Community College, with two
campuses, one in Blue Bell and the other in Pottstown. Gwynedd-Mercy College
was recently ranked among the top schools in the Northeast by US News and World
Report and the Philadelphia Business Journal named it among the top ten
business schools in the region.
The area also has a
number of internationally known and respected public and private universities
including Ivy League schools such as Pennsylvania State University, Temple
University, Haverford College and Bryn Mar College. There are also three local
seminary schools including the Biblical Theological Seminary, the Calvary
Baptist Theological Seminary and the Westminster Theological Seminary.
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