Radnor Township, Pennsylvania

Geobox Township
name = Radnor Township
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = Township

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image_size =
image_caption = The main house at Chanticleer Garden in Radnor Township


flag_size =
symbol =
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nickname =
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country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region = Delaware
region_type = County
district =
area_imperial = 13.8
area_land_imperial = 13.8
area_water_imperial = 0.0
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
location =
lat_d = 39
lat_m = 59
lat_s = 00
lat_NS = N
long_d = 75
long_m = 21
long_s = 59
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 381
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of = 2000
population = 30878
population_density_imperial = 2244.3
population_density_round = 1
established_type =
established =
mayor =
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
postal_code =
postal_code_type =
area_code = 610
area_code_type =
code2_type =
code2 =
free_type =
free =
free1_type =
free1 =


map_caption = Location of Radnor Township in Delaware County
map1 = Pennsylvania Locator Map.png map1_caption = Location of Radnor Township in Pennsylvania
map1_locator = Pennsylvania
map2 = Map of USA PA.svg
map2_caption = Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
website = http://www.radnor.com

Radnor Township is a municipality in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 30,878. Radnor Township lies along the Main Line, a collection of highly affluent Philadelphia suburbs.

Villanova University, Cabrini College, the Valley Forge Military Academy and College and Eastern University are all located within Radnor Township.

The headquarters of TV Guide magazine and Airgas are located here.

History

Radnor Township was founded 1682 as a land grant from William Penn. The township was part of the Welsh Tract and was named for Radnorshire in Wales. In 1717, the Welsh Friends erected a Quaker meetinghouse near what is now the intersection of Conestoga Road and Sproul Road at the geographic center of the township. The new town, "Radnorville", later known as the community of "Ithan" after nearby Ithan Creek, grew around the meetinghouse. The Welsh influence waned in the late 1700s as many left the area due to high taxation. Stone monuments were erected in various locations throughout the township in the late twentieth century to commemorate the township's Welsh heritage.

Other historic structures in Radnor Township include the Sorrel House, a former tavern located on Conestoga Road that sheltered George Washington and Lafayette during the Continental Army's retreat back to Philadelphia from the Battle of Brandywine. The inn is now part of the facility of the Agnes Irwin School.

Lancaster Pike, the first toll road in the United States, connected the cities of Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, passing through Radnor Township, opened in 1794. That road is now part of the Lincoln Highway (U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania). The Columbia Railroad, later part of the Pennsylvania Railroad also passed through in 1832. Thus, Radnor is one of the towns associated with the local moniker "Main Line." A separate railroad passing through Radnor Township, the Philadelphia and Western Railroad, was opened in the early twentieth century. The "Main Line" railroad facilities and a portion of the P&W facilities are still used by SEPTA (the Philadelphia area's transit authority), and the "Main Line" railroad tracks are also used by AMTRAK.

In the 1880s, George W. Childs bought property in the community of Louella in the western part of Radnor Township, renamed the area Wayne, Pennsylvania (after American Revolutionary War hero Anthony Wayne) and organized one of the United States's first suburban developments.

Geography

Radnor Township is located at coor dms|40|2|0|N|75|22|18|W|city (40.033433, -75.371843)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.7 km² (13.8 mi²). 35.6 km² (13.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.07% is water.

Some or all of the communities of Bryn Mawr, Garrett Hill, Rosemont, St. Davids, Villanova, Radnor and Wayne are located in Radnor Township.

Adjacent Municipalities

*Tredyffrin Township, Chester County - north
*Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County - north
*Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County - east
*Haverford Township, Delaware County - southeast
*Marple Township, Delaware County - south
*Newtown Township, Delaware County - southwest
*Easttown Township, Chester County - west

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 30,878 people, 10,347 households, and 6,373 families residing in the township. The population density was 866.4/km² (2,244.3/mi²). There were 10,731 housing units at an average density of 301.1/km² (779.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 89.55% White, 5.67% Asian, 3.09% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,347 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 31.1% 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 2.39 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the township the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 24.0% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $74,272, and the median income for a family was $107,771. Males had a median income of $71,308 versus $42,652 for females. The per capita income for the township was $39,813. About 2.4% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Places of worship include St. David's Episcopal Church, whose graveyard, and buildings begun in 1715, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [ [http://www.stdavidschurch.org/whoweare/index.php?arr1=0,11&itemid=11 St. David’s Church: Who We Are: History.] ] [Cite web
url=http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natregsearchresult.do?fullresult=true&recordid=5
title=Item No.:78002394 NRIS (National Register Information System)
publisher=National Park Service
accessdate=2008-09-26]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Pupils in Radnor Township attend Radnor Township School District. Radnor High School is the sole high school of the district.

Private schools

Valley Forge Military Academy and College contains a boarding school program for grades 7 through 12.The Agnes Irwin School is an all-girls school for prekindergarten through twelfth grade.St. Katherine of Sienna is a Catholic school in Wayne for students grades K-8.The Hill Top Preparatory School is a very small school located on top of a hill in Ithan.

Colleges and universities

Villanova University , Eastern University, and Cabrini College are located within Radnor Township. Valley Forge Military Academy and College operates a two-year junior college.

Notable Residents, past and present

*Emlen Tunnell
*Gary Papa
*Thomas F. Wilson
*Randal Kleiser
*Bradley Whitford
*Ed McMahon
*Anna Moffo
*Charles Conrad
*Eddie Sawyer
*Al Hunt
*Ted Dean

References

External links

* [http://www.radnor.com/ Radnor Township]
* [http://www.radnorfire.com/ Radnor Fire Company]
* [http://www.rtsd.org/ Radnor Township School District website]