Andalusia, Pennsylvania

Andalusia is a historic neighborhood located within Bensalem Township, bordering Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The zip code is 19020. Located at the very southern tip of Bensalem Township, Andalusia marks the southernmost point of Bucks County. Its boundaries are: Woodhaven road (PA Rt 63) to the northeast, the Delaware River to the east and south, and Poquessing Creek to the north and west. Interstate 95, locally known as I-95, runs through the southeastern section of the area near the Delaware River. The neighborhood takes its name from the Andalusia estate of Philadelphia financier Nicholas Biddle.

In 1922, the unincorporated village was named Torresdale Manor, after the neighboring Torresdale section of Philadelphia, and some developments in the area are still affiliated with that name.

Today, Andalusia is a middle class suburb, mainly typical of the area. Its grid-style streets contain small single-family homes that date back to the 1920s. Andalusia is also home to many historic buildings, some dating back to the early Nineteenth Century, owned and inhabited by some of Philadelphia's wealthiest families. Architectural styles include Gothic Revival, Romanesque, and Greek Revival. The neighborhood's main thoroughfare, Bristol Pike (US Rt 13, formerly Kings Highway), reveals various homes and churches that have been preserved, while the most esteemed buildings, including Biddle's estate, the Pen Ryn mansion, and State in Schuylkill, are hidden along the banks of the Delaware. Saint Katharine Drexel is buried at the Katharine Drexel Shrine, which is also in the area on Bristol Pike.

The area contains several shopping areas and abuts the Franklin Mills mall. The neighborhood students attend the Bensalem Township School District.

External links

* [http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Bucks_County/Bensalem_Township/Andalusia.html?lp=4544 Living Places - Andalusia]
* [http://www.andalusiahousemuseum.org/ The Andalusia Foundation - Official site of the Biddle Estate]