Page 16 - Delaware County Chamber of Commerce - 2017/2018 Directory
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About the County
COMMUNITIES & TOWNS
DThe Perfect Place for Work and Play
DELAWARE COUNTY IS A DYNAMIC, GROWING REGION strategically located southwest of Philadelphia. The area boasts a highly skilled, educated workforce and is home to 11 institutions for higher learning, including Villanova University, Haverford College and the Penn State Brandywine campus. In addition, Delaware County is known
as a sports mecca where the locals
are passionate about their regional teams — Eagles, Flyers, Phillies, Sixers and Union. Delaware County also boasts world-renowned art museums and hometown festivals, opulent  freedom rang. Five-star restaurants and hometown brew pubs are also a staple of the region.
Because of its rich history, Delaware County has been welcoming visitors from around the globe for hundreds of years. The area offers a window to the past, where visitors to Drexel Hill can still see a cabin built by settlers in the mid-1600s and families can visit the site of the Battle of the Brandywine in 1777 — on a day that would eventually become known as Patriot Day — September 11. Many of Philadelphia’s visitors arrive in Delaware County because two-thirds of the Philadelphia International Airport is within our boundaries.
Delaware County is a diverse region divided into five geographic areas:
First, there is the “The Main Line,” which refers to a group of towns that run along the former Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, northwest from downtown Philadelphia and parallel to US Route 30. Some of America’s wealthiest communities are located here. Highlights include Haverford, Villanova (as in the basketball legend Villanova University) and Wayne. The Main Line embodies elegance with sprawling mansions, rolling hills and a vibrant upscale dining scene.
Next, the Main Streets area includes towns such as Broomall, Springfield and Media. Media’s settlement dates back to the 17th century,
and the town’s trolley line and well-preserved architecture contribute to a charming sense of history and nostalgia. Don’t miss Dining Under The Stars, which each summer turns Media into an outdoor dining destination to rival the great European cities. In Broomall, visitors and locals alike flock to the annual Fourth of July parade, and Springfield bursts with pride for high school football games each Friday night in the fall.
The Crossroads section sits right at the western edge of Philadelphia and is known for
its diversity of cultures, cuisines and languages. Today, Upper Darby’s 69th Street Transportation Center makes it easy to get there and back again. But even in Victorian times, the Crossroads community of Lansdowne was a popular getaway destination for Philadelphians, who came to relax in the borough’s Victorian homes. Much
of Lansdowne’s heritage has been preserved, including the Lansdowne Theater and the
Henry Albertson Subdivision Historic District. Lansdowne’s Memorial Day Parade and Upper Darby’s Sikh Parade are among the dozens of annual events that draw visitors to the area. While you’re in Upper Darby, don’t forget to check out Llanerch Diner — the restaurant where Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence fell in love in Silver Linings Playbook.
Image courtesy of flickr.com/photos/concep007
The Riverside, along the Delaware River, consists of vibrant communities, such as
Ridley Park, Tinicum Township and Chester. These are bustling centers full of successful businesses — such as Scott Paper, Boeing and Sunoco — delectable dining options, and a solid community of shops and nightlife destinations. The Philadelphia Union attracts thousands of soccer fans to Talen Energy Stadium in Chester. Visitors can relive the American Civil War at Fort Mifflin, a living-history encampment that includes soldiers, musket drills, battlefield- medicine demonstrations, artillery exercises, hearth cooking and even a scavenger hunt. Tinicum is also home to The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1972, which serves as a prominent ambassador of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
And, finally, on the western edge of our county
is the Brandywine, where you begin to leave the suburbs behind and head for a bucolic, rural atmosphere. The area’s farmsteads and rolling hills inspired the famed landscape painter N.C. Wyeth, whose home and studio still display many of the props that were essential to his work. The N.C. Wyeth House and Studio is a National Historic Landmark nestled amid the ample greenery of Chadds Ford Township. If your visit there inspires you to relax in the surroundings that inspired the Wyeths, stop by the many local wineries or rent a canoe to paddle down the scenic Brandywine River.
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