Editing Philadelphia Main Line

{{Other uses|Mainline (disambiguation){{!}}Mainline}}
{{Redirect|Pennsylvania Main Line|other uses|Pennsylvania Line (disambiguation)}}
{{For|the Pennsylvania Railroad line|Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
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[[File:Laronda2.jpg|thumb|[[La Ronda (estate)|La Ronda Estate]] (1929–2009) in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]], by architect [[Addison Mizner]])]]
The '''Philadelphia Main Line''', known simply as the '''Main Line''', is an informally delineated historical and [[Social class in the United States|social]] region of suburban [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania.  Lying along the former [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]'s once prestigious [[Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)|Main Line]], it runs northwest from [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City Philadelphia]] parallel to [[Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike]], also known as [[U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 30]].

The railroad first connected the Main Line towns in the 19th century. They became home to sprawling [[Estate (land)#United States|country estate]]s belonging to Philadelphia's wealthiest families, and over the decades became a bastion of "[[old money]]". The Main Line includes some of the wealthiest communities in the country, including [[Gladwyne, Pennsylvania|Gladwyne]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/moneymag/1007/gallery.best_places_top_earning_towns.moneymag/5.html |title=Top-Earning Towns |publisher=Money.cnn.com |date=2010-07-14 |access-date=2012-07-23}}</ref> [[Villanova, Pennsylvania|Villanova]], [[Radnor, Pennsylvania|Radnor]], [[Haverford, Pennsylvania|Haverford]], and [[Merion, Pennsylvania|Merion]].<ref>{{cite web|title=America's Richest Zip Codes 2011|url=http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20111206/america-s-richest-zip-codes-2011#slide23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107100940/http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20111206/america-s-richest-zip-codes-2011/#slide23|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-02-14|title=15 Hottest Towns in Philadelphia's Western Suburbs|url=https://mainlinetoday.com/life-style/home-garden/15-hottest-towns-in-philadelphias-western-suburbs/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=Main Line Today|language=en-US}}</ref> Today, the railroad is [[Amtrak]]'s [[Keystone Corridor]], along which [[SEPTA]]'s [[Paoli/Thorndale Line]] operates.

==History==
{{See also|History of Pennsylvania}}
===17th and 18th centuries===
[[File:Wayne-Station-Pennsylvania-08.27.2010.jpg|thumb|[[Wayne (SEPTA station)|Wayne Station]] on SEPTA's [[Paoli/Thorndale Line]] after renovations in 2010]]
The Main Line region was long part of [[Lenapehoking]], the homeland of the [[Matrilineality|matrilineal]] [[Lenape]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] (the "true people", or "Delaware Indians"). Europeans [[European colonization of the Americas|arrived]] in the 1600s, after [[William Penn]] sold a tract of land, called the [[Welsh Tract]], to a group of [[Welsh people|Welsh]] [[Quakers]] in [[London]] in 1681. This accounts for the many Welsh place names in the area.<ref>{{cite book| title=Overbrook Farms. Its historical background, growth and community life |first=Tello J. |last=D'Apéry| publisher= Magee Press| location=Philadelphia| year=1936| page=4| url=http://www.phillyh2o.org/backpages/PDFs_Misc/OverbrookFarms_Apery_1936.pdf#page=23}}</ref>  However, what might be termed the "Celtification" of many Main Line place and street names occurred long after colonial times. So, for instance, as a marketing device to attract wealthy new residents, the area once awkwardly named Athensville became the more culturally glamorous [[Ardmore, Pennsylvania|Ardmore]] ([[Ardmore (disambiguation)|Ardmore]] is a place name found in Ireland and Scotland) in 1873.

===19th century===
{{Further|Pennsylvania Railroad}}
The [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] built its main line during the early 19th century as part of the [[Main Line of Public Works]] that spanned Pennsylvania. Later in the century, the railroad, which owned much of the land surrounding the tracks, encouraged the development of this picturesque environment by building [[train station|way stations]] along the portion of its track closest to Philadelphia. The benefits of what was touted as "healthy yet cultivated country living" attracted Philadelphia's social [[American upper class|elite]], many of whom had one house in the city and another larger "country home" on the Main Line.

===20th century===
In the 20th century, many wealthy Philadelphia families moved to the Main Line suburbs. Part of the national trend of suburbanization, this drove rapid investment, prosperity, and growth that turned the area into greater Philadelphia's most affluent and fashionable region. Estates with sweeping lawns and towering maples, the [[debutante|débutante]] balls and the [[Merion Cricket Club]], which drew crowds of 25,000 spectators to its matches in the early 1900s, were the setting for the 1940 [[Cary Grant|Grant]]/[[Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn]]/[[James Stewart|Stewart]] motion picture ''[[The Philadelphia Story (film)|The Philadelphia Story]].''<ref>Fodor's Philadelphia & the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, 16th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides), New York, p. 106.</ref>

The railroad placed stops about two minutes apart, starting with Overbrook. The surrounding communities became known by the railroad station names which started at [[Broad Street Station (Philadelphia)|Broad Street Station]] in Center City Philadelphia and went on to 32nd Street Station, replaced by [[30th Street Station]] in 1933, the [[52nd Street station (SEPTA Regional Rail)|52nd Street Station]] (decommissioned), and then the Main Line stations: [[Overbrook station|Overbrook]], [[Merion station|Merion]], [[Narberth station (SEPTA)|Narberth]], [[Wynnewood Station|Wynnewood]], [[Ardmore, Pennsylvania (Amtrak station)|Ardmore]], [[Haverford station (SEPTA Regional Rail)|Haverford]], [[Bryn Mawr (SEPTA Regional Rail station)|Bryn Mawr]], [[Rosemont station (SEPTA)|Rosemont]], [[Villanova Station|Villanova]], [[Radnor station (SEPTA Regional Rail)|Radnor]], [[St. Davids station|St. Davids]], [[Wayne station|Wayne]], [[Strafford (SEPTA station)|Strafford]], [[Devon station|Devon]], [[Berwyn (SEPTA station)|Berwyn]], [[Daylesford station|Daylesford]],  [[Paoli Station|Paoli]], and [[Malvern station (SEPTA)|Malvern]].  At least five of these station buildings, along with the first Bryn Mawr Hotel, were designed by [[Wilson Brothers & Company]]. 

A branch line of the Main Line (currently known as SEPTA's [[Cynwyd Line]]) extended to the communities now known as [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala]] and [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Cynwyd]] (via Wynnefield Station in Philadelphia), then proceeded to the [[West Laurel Hill Cemetery]], where there was once a station, and crossed back into Philadelphia over the [[Schuylkill River]] via the famous [[Manayunk Bridge]]. Broad Street Station was replaced with [[Suburban Station]] in 1930, and 30th Street Station replaced 32nd Street three years later. Suburban service now extends west of the Main Line to the communities of Exton, Whitford, Downingtown, and Thorndale.<ref name="mainlinetoday">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.mainlinetoday.com/Main-Line-Today/January-2008/COVER-STORY/|title=Where the Tracks Lie|author=Jim Waltzer|date=January 2008|magazine=Main Line Today|access-date=4 December 2018}}</ref>

The railroad line then continued on to [[Chicago]], with major stations at [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]], [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] and [[Pittsburgh]].  The railroad, since taken over by [[Amtrak]], is still in service, although its route is slightly different from the original. It also serves the [[Paoli/Thorndale Line]] of the [[SEPTA]] Regional Rail system.<ref name="mainlinetoday" />

===Gilded Age===
{{Further|Gilded Age}}
It was not only extremely wealthy people on the Main Line in the period 1880–1920. Wealthy households required large numbers of servants in order to maintain their lifestyle. Often these servants were Black migrants from the South and recent immigrants from Europe. For example, in the 1900 census,<ref>1900 census: Tredyffrin, Chester, Pennsylvania</ref> Tredyffrin Township was 13.5% Black; another 15% had been born in Europe. The two largest countries of origin were Italy and Ireland. The corresponding figures for Lower Merion Township<ref>1900 census: Lower Merion, Montgomery, Pennsylvania</ref> were 6% Black and 15% born in Europe; almost 11% were from Ireland.

Another dimension of this story is illustrated by the community of Mount Pleasant, in Tredyffrin Township just north of Wayne. This is a community that became predominantly Black in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tehistory.org/hqda/html/v12/v12n1p002.html|title=TEHS – Quarterly Archives}}</ref>

As of the [[1920 United States census|1920 census]],<ref>US Census, 1920, Enumeration District 78, Tredyffrin, Eastern Precinct, Chester County, Pennsylvania</ref> most of the Black residents in the Mount Pleasant region, or their parents, had come from the [[Southern United States|South]]. Many of the men in this neighborhood, along Henry Avenue and Mount Pleasant Avenue, were employed by the railroad, as quarry workers, or as chauffeurs and gardeners by private families. The occupations often given for women were cooks and laundresses. This remains a predominantly Black community to the present day.

===21st century===
[[File:MilePostRadnor.JPG|thumb|A mile post on [[U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 30]] in front of Anthony Wayne Theater with AT&T tower in background]]
Today, the Main Line is another name for the western suburbs of Philadelphia along [[U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania|Lancaster Avenue (U.S. Route 30)]] and the former main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad and extending from the city limits to, traditionally, Bryn Mawr and ultimately [[Paoli, Pennsylvania|Paoli]],<ref>[http://www.trainweb.org/phillynrhs/prr.html Philly NRHS – PRR History]</ref> an area of about {{convert|200|sqmi|km2}}. The upper- and upper middle-class enclave has historically been one of the bastions of "[[old money]]" in the Northeast, along with places like Long Island's [[North Shore (Long Island)|North Shore]] (AKA: "Gold Coast"); [[Westchester County, New York]]; [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]; and [[Fairfield County, Connecticut]].

Neighborhoods along the Main Line include nineteenth and early twentieth-century [[Streetcar suburb#Railroad suburbs|railroad suburbs]] and post-war subdivisions, as well as a few surviving buildings from before the suburban development era. The area today is known primarily for several educational institutions as well as robust suburban life.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/intelligent-travel/2013/06/10/beyond-philly-the-main-line-afitz/| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190118144616/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/intelligent-travel/2013/06/10/beyond-philly-the-main-line-afitz/| url-status = dead| archive-date = January 18, 2019| title = Beyond Philly: The Main Line| website = [[National Geographic Society]]| date = 10 June 2013}}</ref>

==Geography==
===Core towns===
The original Main Line towns are widely considered to follow the acronym "Old Maids Never Wed And Have Babies."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.e-scholium.org/2017/12/02/discovering-the-entire-hidden-history-of-the-main-line/|title = Discovering the entire hidden history of the Main Line – E-Scholium}}</ref> From [[Philadelphia]], they are:
*[[Overbrook, Philadelphia|Overbrook]]
*[[Merion, Pennsylvania|Merion]]
*[[Narberth, Pennsylvania|Narberth]]
*[[Wynnewood, Pennsylvania|Wynnewood]]
*[[Ardmore, Pennsylvania|Ardmore]]
*[[Haverford, Pennsylvania|Haverford]]
*[[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]]

These seven towns are characterized as one of the primary bastions of old money in Southeastern Pennsylvania.  They are comparably more dense than other suburbs and have lively, walkable downtowns. All of these communities were established along Lancaster Avenue prior to the railroad's construction.

As early as 1887, [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala]] and [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Cynwyd]] were also included in atlases of the Pennsylvania Railroad<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lowermerionhistory.org/?page_id=685|title=1887 Edition}}</ref> in Lower Merion Township and Montgomery County.   By 1908, one of the first atlases<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lowermerionhistory.org/?page_id=766|title=1908 Edition}}</ref> to refer specifically to the "Main Line" as a socio-cultural entity includes:
*[[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala]]
*[[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Cynwyd]]

The following towns are often grouped with the core Main Line:
*[[Wayne, Pennsylvania|Wayne]]
*[[Paoli, Pennsylvania|Paoli]]
*[[Malvern, Pennsylvania|Malvern]]

===Infill communities===
Beyond these nine communities, many others have grown in the 20th century, either in between the core towns or nearby them, including:
*[[Gladwyne, Pennsylvania|Gladwyne]], immediately to the northeast of Bryn Mawr
*[[Villanova, Pennsylvania|Villanova]] and [[Radnor, Pennsylvania|Radnor]], between Bryn Mawr and Wayne
*[[Strafford, Pennsylvania|Strafford]], [[Devon, Pennsylvania|Devon]], and [[Berwyn, Pennsylvania|Berwyn]], between Wayne and Paoli

These communities are primarily residential and consist of larger lot sizes than in the nine core towns. All of them, except Gladwyne, are on the railroad and have their own station stop.

==Demographics==
There is no collective data for the Main Line, so all data is by [[ZIP Code]]. The median family income on the Main Line is $192,630. In comparison, the median family income for the state of Pennsylvania is $87,500. The following ZIP codes are those within the previously mentioned municipalities that make up the Main Line. All data are from the 2022 American Communities Survey. 

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!ZIP code
!Name/Aliases
!Population
!Median family income
!Median home price
|-
|19003
|[[Ardmore, Pennsylvania|Ardmore]]
|14,146
|$168,897
|$416,600
|-
|19004
|[[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala Cynwyd]]
|9,942
|$167,679
|$597,100
|-
|19010
|[[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]], [[Rosemont, Pennsylvania|Rosemont]], [[Garrett Hill, Pennsylvania|Garrett Hill]]
|21,629
|$183,462
|$712,000
|-
|19035
|[[Gladwyne, Pennsylvania|Gladwyne]]
|3,956
|$250,001
|$1,266,700
|-
|19041
|[[Haverford, Pennsylvania|Haverford]]
|6,535
|$238,309
|$911,400
|-
|19066
|[[Merion, Pennsylvania|Merion]]
|5,409
|$250,001
|$825,100
|-
|19072
|[[Narberth, Pennsylvania|Narberth]], [[Penn Valley, Pennsylvania|Penn Valley]]
|10,782
|$230,536
|$743,900
|-
|19085
|[[Villanova, Pennsylvania|Villanova]], [[Radnor, Pennsylvania|Radnor]]
|10,333
|$250,001
|$946,700
|-
|19087
|[[Wayne, Pennsylvania|Wayne]], [[St. Davids, Pennsylvania|St. Davids]], [[Strafford, Pennsylvania|Strafford]], [[Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania|Chesterbrook]]
|33,717
|$195,816
|$674,800
|-
|19096
|[[Wynnewood, Pennsylvania|Wynnewood]], [[Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania|Penn Wynne]]
|15,107
|$239,179
|$673,300
|-
|19301
|[[Paoli, Pennsylvania|Paoli]]
|7,617
|$202,469
|$503,800
|-
|19312
|[[Berwyn, Pennsylvania|Berwyn]]
|11,745
|$229,688
|$773,400
|-
|19333
|[[Devon, Pennsylvania|Devon]]
|7,953
|$213,430
|$687,300
|-
|19355
|[[Malvern, Pennsylvania|Malvern]]
|28,188
|$185,625
|$627,800
|}

==Transportation==
[[File:Amtrak Keystone Corridor Rosemont Curve.jpg|thumb|[[SEPTA]] and [[Amtrak]] share a four track rail line between [[Philadelphia]] and [[Thorndale, Pennsylvania|Thorndale]].]]
The Main Line is served by numerous modes of transportation among which are three commuter rail lines operated by [[SEPTA]]. Connecting the region directly with Center City Philadelphia are the [[Paoli/Thorndale Line]] which shares the former [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] four track [[Keystone Corridor]] grade with Amtrak, and the [[Manayunk/Norristown Line]] which operates over the former [[Reading Company|Reading Railroad]] Norristown grade. The light rail [[SEPTA Route 100|Norristown High Speed Line]] runs over the [[Philadelphia and Western Railroad]] line between [[69th Street Transportation Center]] in [[Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania|Upper Darby]] and [[Norristown Transportation Center]] in [[Norristown, Pennsylvania|Norristown]].<ref>[http://www.septa.com/maps/route_100.html SEPTA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113095225/http://www.septa.com/maps/route_100.html |date=2008-11-13 }}</ref> Amtrak's intercity ''[[Keystone Service]]'' (New York City to Harrisburg) and [[Pennsylvanian (train)|''Pennsylvanian'']] (New York City to Pittsburgh) also serve the region with stops at the jointly operated Amtrak/SEPTA stations at [[Ardmore (SEPTA station)|Ardmore]] and [[Paoli (SEPTA station)|Paoli]].

The main thoroughfare through the Main Line is [[U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 30]] which follows Lancaster Avenue (formerly the [[Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike]]) running east to west and serves as the backbone of the region by connecting a large majority of its towns and municipalities. Other highways serving the area are the Schuylkill Expressway ([[Interstate 76 in Pennsylvania|I-76]]) which connects it to Philadelphia, and the Blue Route ([[Interstate 476|I-476]]) which runs north to south connecting the region with the Northeast Extension and the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] to the north, and to [[Philadelphia International Airport]] and [[Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania|I-95]] to the south. Along the northern edge of the Main Line, [[U.S. Route 202 in Pennsylvania|US 202]] runs from I-76 in a southwesterly direction, crossing US 30 in [[Frazer, Pennsylvania|Frazer]].

SEPTA also commissions [[SEPTA Suburban Bus|suburban buses]] on [[SEPTA Route 105|Routes 105]] and [[SEPTA Route 106|106]] to run from the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby to [[Rosemont, Pennsylvania|Rosemont]] (Route 105) and [[Paoli, Pennsylvania|Paoli]] (Route 106).<ref>[http://www.septa.org/schedules/bus/pdf/105.pdf SEPTA Route 105 Schedule]</ref><ref>[http://www.septa.org/schedules/bus/pdf/106.pdf SEPTA Route 106 Schedule]</ref> These buses run almost entirely along Lancaster Avenue.

SEPTA also offers light rail service through the [[Norristown High Speed Line]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.septa.org/service/highspeed/|title=Norristown High Speed Line|website=SEPTA|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> The Norristown High Speed Line runs along the Main Line from Upper Darby to [[Stadium – Ithan Avenue (SEPTA station)|Ithan Avenue Station]] and [[Villanova (SEPTA NHSL station)|Villanova Station]] before making a northward turn at the junction of Lancaster Avenue and the Blue Route toward [[Norristown, Pennsylvania|Norristown]].

==Recreation and attractions==
[[File:Sidesaddle jumping devon pa.jpg|thumb|A rider jumping in a sidesaddle class at the [[Devon Horse Show]]]]
* The Appleford Estate: A 300-year-old {{convert|24|acre|m2|adj=on}} estate located in Villanova. Today it is maintained as an arboretum and a bird sanctuary. Its gardens were designed by renowned landscape architect [[Thomas Warren Sears]] and include woods, meadows, formal gardens, brick walkways, rhododendron tracts, a stream, pond, and waterfall. Admission is free of charge and the house is available as a rental for special events.<ref>[http://www.applefordestate.com/appleford_history Appleford Estate, history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808170442/http://www.applefordestate.com/appleford_history/ |date=2009-08-08 }}</ref>
* [[Arboretum of the Barnes Foundation|The Barnes Arboretum]] in Merion.
*[[Bryn Mawr Film Institute]]: A non-profit community theater founded in 2002 in the old Bryn Mawr Theater building, built in 1926, which is in the process of significant restoration. The institute offers showings of classic movies of the 20th century, opera, film education courses, and film discussions.<ref>[http://www.brynmawrfilm.org/bmfi.htm Bryn Mawr Film Institute] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616182017/http://www.brynmawrfilm.org/bmfi.htm |date=2009-06-16 }}</ref>
*[[Cynwyd Heritage Trail|The Cynwyd Heritage Trail]] is a {{convert|1.8|mi|adj=on}} linear 'rail-to-trail' park which opened in 2011. The trail intersects with roads, bridges, neighborhoods, parks, railway stations, historic mills, and the [[West Laurel Hill Cemetery|West Laurel Hill]] and [[Westminster Cemetery|Westminster Cemeteries]]. The trail also connects to the pedestrian-only [[Manayunk Bridge]] on the [[Schuylkill River]], which opened in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/07/12/staycation-cynwyd-heritage-trail|title=Staycation: Cynwyd Heritage Trail|last=FISHER|first=CHRISTINE|date=July 12, 2013|website=www.planphilly.com|access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Chanticleer Garden]]: An estate and [[botanical garden]] located in [[Wayne, Pennsylvania|Wayne]], which is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].
*[[Devon Horse Show|The Devon Horse Show]]: The oldest and largest multi-breed horse show in the U.S.
*[[Harriton House]]: Located in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]], was built in 1704 by a Welsh Quaker named Rowland Ellis. He named the estate "Bryn Mawr", meaning "high hill" in Welsh, which is where the community gained its name. The house's best known occupant was Charles Thomson, the first and only secretary of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.<ref>[http://www.harritonhouse.org/history.htm Harriton House history]</ref>
*[https://historicwaynesborough.org/ Historic Waynesborough]: Revolutionary war hero Anthony Wayne's historic estate. Alternatively known as Waynesborough, this is where Anthony Wayne was born. It is registered as a National Historic Landmark and is a historic house museum.
*[[Jenkins Arboretum]]: A nonprofit botanical garden located in [[Devon, Pennsylvania|Devon]].
*[[King of Prussia Mall]] located in [[King of Prussia, Pennsylvania|King of Prussia]] is the third-largest mall in terms of retail space in America and is only a short distance away from the Main Line.
*The [[Lower Merion Academy]] was built in 1812, and is a {{frac|3|1|2}}-story, five-bay, [[stucco]]ed stone building with [[cupola]] in the [[Federal architecture|Federal]] style. It was renovated in 1938, in the [[Colonial Revival architecture|Colonial Revival]] style.  Located in [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala Cynwyd]], it is still used for educational purposes and now also houses [http://lowermerionhistory.org/?page_id=480 The Lower Merion Historical Society].  It was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2002.  [http://lowermerionhistory.org/?page_id=480 The free education provided to local children in the Academy] predated Pennsylvania's state laws mandating free public schooling (1834–1836).
*The [[Merion Friends Meeting House]], in [[Merion, Pennsylvania|Merion Station]], completed in 1715, is the third oldest Quaker Meeting House in the United States.  It is still in active use by the Society of Friends. The property also includes stables and a cemetery, with an estimated 2,000 burials (many of which are unmarked in accordance with early Quaker custom). Construction began in 1695, and the meeting house exhibits distinctively Welsh architectural features, including a cross- or T-shape building plan, that distinguish it from later Quaker meeting houses. It was declared a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1999.
*[[Woodmont (Gladwyne, Pennsylvania)|The Woodmont Estate]]

==Sporting and social clubs==
[[File:Merion 1.jpg|thumb|The first fairway at [[Merion Golf Club]]]]
Private clubs played an important role in the development of the Main Line, offering social gathering places and facilities for cricket, golf, tennis, squash, and horseback riding to wealthy or socially connected families. Among them are:
* [[Aronimink Golf Club]]
* [[Merion Cricket Club]]
* [[Merion Golf Club]]: Ranked America's 7th best golf course in 2008. Hosted the U.S. Open in 2013.
* [[Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Overbrook]] Golf Club
* [[Philadelphia Country Club]]: One of the first 100 golf courses established in the United States. Hosted the 1939 U.S. Open.
* [[Radnor Hunt]]: the oldest active foxhunting group in the United States<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radnorhunt.org/About-Us|title=Radnor Hunt - About Us|website=www.radnorhunt.org|access-date=2019-01-14}}</ref>
* [https://www.wcc1965.org Waynesborough Country Club]

Other recent social clubs have become an important part of the Main Line Community such as:

* [https://www.meetup.com/philadelphia-main-line-20s-and-30s-suburban-social-group/ Philadelphia Main Line 20's and 30's Suburban Social Group]: The largest young adult social club in the area founded in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mainlinetonight.com/the-main-lines-hottest-social-network/|title=The Main Line’s Hottest Social Network|website=mainlinetonight.com|access-date=2023-08-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://montco.today/2023/04/suburban-social-group-main-line/|title=Main Line Social Media Group Connects Millennials for Conversation, Bonding, and Things to Do|website=montco.today|access-date=2023-08-07}}</ref>

==Education==
The school districts that serve the Main Line are [[Lower Merion School District]] in Montgomery County, [[Radnor Township School District]] and [[School District of Haverford Township]] in Delaware County, and [[Tredyffrin/Easttown School District]] and [[Great Valley School District]] in Chester County. The region has numerous nationally ranked public and private schools.  Among them are:

{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-4}}
'''Public high schools'''
* [[Great Valley High School]]
* [[Conestoga High School]] (Tredyffrin/Easttown SD)
* [[Harriton High School]] (Lower Merion SD)
* [[Lower Merion High School]]
* [[Radnor High School]]
*[[Haverford High School]]
{{Col-break}}
'''Private schools'''
* [[Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Villanova, Pennsylvania)|Academy of Notre Dame de Namur]] (girls)
* [[Agnes Irwin School]] (girls)
* [[The Baldwin School]] (girls)
* [[Delaware Valley Friends School]]
* [[Devon Preparatory School]] (boys)
* Holy Child School at Rosemont (preschool – grade 8)
* [[Malvern Preparatory School]] (boys)
* [[Merion Mercy Academy]] (girls)
* [[Episcopal Academy]]
* [[Friends' Central School]]
* [[The Haverford School]] (boys)
* [[The Mesivta High School]] (boys)
* [[Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy (Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania)|Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy]] (co-ed)
* [[Kohelet Yeshiva High School]] (co-ed)
* [[The Phelps School]] (boys)
* [[Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr]] (girls)
* [[The Shipley School]]
* [[Valley Forge Military Academy and College|Valley Forge Military Academy]]
* [[Villa Maria Academy (Malvern, Pennsylvania)|Villa Maria Academy]] (girls)
* [[Woodlynde School]] (co-ed)
{{Col-break}}
'''Parochial schools'''
* [[Archbishop Carroll High School (Radnor, Pennsylvania)|Archbishop John Carroll High School]]
* SS Colman-John Neumann School (Pre-K–8)
* St. Aloysius Academy (Boys, Pre-K–8)
* St. Katharine of Siena School (Pre-K–8)
* St. Margaret's School (Pre-K–8)
* St. Monica's School (Pre-K–8)
* St. Norbert's School (Pre-K–8)
* St. Patrick's School (Pre-K–8)
{{Col-end}}

==Higher education==
[[File:AKSM EM 2005.jpg|alt=|thumb|Saint Thomas of Villanova Church on the campus of [[Villanova University]]]]
* [[Bryn Mawr College]]
* [[Eastern University (United States)|Eastern University]]
* [[Harcum College]]
* [[Haverford College]]
* [[Immaculata University]]
* [[Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies]]
* [[Rosemont College]]
* [[Saint Joseph's University]]
* [[St. Charles Borromeo Seminary]]
* [[Valley Forge Military Academy and College]]
* [[Villanova University]]

==In popular culture==
=== Film ===
[[File:Philadelphiastorydvdcover.jpg|thumb|A promotional poster for ''[[The Philadelphia Story (film)|The Philadelphia Story]]'']]
==== 1940–1989 ====
*''[[The Philadelphia Story (film)|The Philadelphia Story (1940)]]''
*''[[Kitty Foyle (film)|Kitty Foyle (1940)]]''
*''[[South Pacific (1958 film)|South Pacific (1958)]]'': Character "Lt. Joe Cable, USMC" is from [[Ardmore, Pennsylvania|Ardmore]]
*''[[The Young Philadelphians|The Young Philadelphians (1959)]]''
*''[[The Happiest Millionaire|The Happiest Millionaire (1967)]]''
*''[[Obsession (1976 film)|Obsession (1976)]]''
*''[[Grease (film)|Grease (1978)]]'': Loosely based on [[Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania|Radnor, PA]]
*''[[Taps (film)|Taps (1981)]]'': Filmed at VFMA, featuring scenes in Wayne (at Farmers Market and North Wayne Avenue)
*''[[Trading Places|Trading Places (1983)]]'' 
*''[[Mannequin (1987 film)|Mannequin (1987)]]''

==== 1990–present ====
*[[Downtown (film)|''Downtown (1990)'']]: Set in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]] and filmed in Philadelphia
*''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia (1993)]]:'' [[Tom Hanks]]'s character celebrates Thanksgiving at his family home in [[Lower Merion Township|Lower Merion]]
*''[[To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar|To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)]]'': The setting for [[Patrick Swayze]]'s character's family home is [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala Cynwyd]], with those scenes filmed in [[Montclair, New Jersey]].
*''[[Wide Awake (1998 film)|Wide Awake (1998)]]:'' [[M. Night Shyamalan]] movie, filmed at his alma mater, [[Waldron Mercy Academy]]
*''[[The Sixth Sense|The Sixth Sense (1999)]]'': The wake scene was set in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]].
*''[[In Her Shoes (film)|In Her Shoes (2005)]]'': [[Toni Collette]]'s character attends a Main Line wedding and jokes about what she should wear.
*''[[Pride (2007 film)|Pride (2007)]]''
*''[[Dare (film)|Dare (2009)]]''
*''[[Happy Tears (film)|Happy Tears (2009)]]''
*''[[Tenure (film)|Tenure (2009)]]''
*''[[The Art of the Steal (2009 film)|The Art of the Steal (2009):]]'' Documentary chronicling the acquisition and emigration of the [[Barnes Foundation|Barnes art collection]] from Merion to Philadelphia.
*''[[The Lovely Bones (film)]]''
*''[[Foxcatcher|Foxcatcher (2014)]]''
*[[Split (2016 American film)|''Split (2016)'']]

===Literature===
*''[[A Stranger Is Watching (novel)|A Stranger Is Watching]]'': The main character's murdered wife Nina grew up in a wealthy Philadelphia Main Line Family. In the book, it mentions that Nina went to Bryn Mawr College.
*''Blackbird Sisters'', mystery novels by Nancy Martin
*''[[Bobos in Paradise]]'', by [[David Brooks (journalist)|David Brooks]]
*''[[Official Preppy Handbook]]'', by Lisa Birnbach
*The ''[[Pretty Little Liars (book series)|Pretty Little Liars]]'' series, by [[Sara Shepard]], which uses the fictional Main Line suburb of Rosewood as its setting.
*''Pterodactyls'', by [[Nicky Silver]]. The play is set in a Main Line house.
*''[[Song of Solomon (novel)|Song of Solomon]]'', by [[Toni Morrison]]. The character First Corinthians is educated at Bryn Mawr College.
*''[[The Catcher in the Rye]]'', by [[J.D. Salinger]]. Valley Forge Military Academy (where Salinger attended for two years) is the basis for Pencey Prep.  Additionally, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, believes Jane Gallagher to have gone to [[The Shipley School|Shipley]], a Main Line private school.
*''[[The It Girl (novel series)|The It Girl]]'', by [[Cecily von Ziegesar]]
*''[[The Lovely Bones]]'', by [[Alice Sebold]]
*''[[Curtis Sittenfeld#The Man of My Dreams|The Man of My Dreams]]'', by [[Curtis Sittenfeld]]
*''[[The Badge of Honor Series]]'', by [[W.E.B. Griffin]]. The main character, Matt Payne, is from Merion.
*''[[Americanah]]'', by [[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie]]. The main character gets assaulted by a tennis coach in Ardmore and subsequently works as a nanny on the Main Line (possibly Merion)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.booksie.com/posting/iranwo-ewejobi/book-review-of-chimamanda-adichies-americanah-334757|title=Book Review of Chimamanda Adichie's Americanah}}</ref>
*''[[Luckiest Girl Alive]]'', by Jessica Knoll, which uses the Main Line and the fictional Bradley School, based on [[Shipley School|The Shipley School]], as its setting<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/books/luckiest-girl-alive-author-jessica-knoll-makes-a-revelation.html|title=Jessica Knoll Reveals the Rape Behind Her Novel, 'Luckiest Girl Alive'|last=Alter|first=Alexandra|date=2016-03-29|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-07-01}}</ref>
*''[[The Ginger Barnes Main Line Mysteries]]'', by Donna Huston Murray, take place in the Philadelphia Main Line.
* ''That Summer'' by Jennifer Weiner

===Television===
*''[[All My Children]],'' [[Soap opera]] which aired from 1970 to 2011, set in a fictional suburb of Philadelphia, named Pine Valley and modeled after the town of [[Rosemont, PA|Rosemont]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2011-sep-23-la-oe-hoffman-all-my-children-20110923-story.html|title='All My Children': Farewell to Pine Valley|last=Hoffman|first=Alice|date=September 23, 2011|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=January 26, 2017}}</ref>
*''[[Broad City]]'': Co-creator and co-star [[Abbi Jacobson]] is from [[Wayne, Pennsylvania|Wayne]].
*''[[Made (TV series)|Made]]''
*''[[My Super Sweet 16]]''
*''[[One Life to Live]]''
*''[[Thirtysomething (TV series)|Thirtysomething]]''
*''[[Pretty Little Liars (TV series)|Pretty Little Liars]]'', as with the book, set in fictional Rosewood based on the city [[Rosemont, Pennsylvania]] and modeled after the town of [[Wayne, Pennsylvania]].
*''[[How to Get Away with Murder]]''
*''[[Mad Men]]'': [[Betty Draper]], [[Don Draper]]'s wife in seasons [[Mad Men (season 1)|one]] through [[Mad Men (season 3)|three]], is said to be from [[Lower Merion Township]] and to have attended [[Bryn Mawr College|Bryn Mawr]].

==Notable residents==
=== Arts ===
*[[Tory Burch]], fashion designer and New York City socialite
*[[Albert C. Barnes]], physician, chemist, businessman, art collector, writer, educator, and founder of the [[Barnes Foundation]]
*[[Walter Annenberg]], newspaper and magazine publisher ([[Triangle Publications]]), ambassador, billionaire, philanthropist
*[[Gloria Braggiotti Etting]], author, photographer, hostess, and wife of artist [[Emlen Etting]]

=== Business ===
*[[Ronald Perelman]], billionaire, controlling owner of [[MacAndrews & Forbes]] and [[Revlon]]
*[[J. Howard Pew]], son of [[Joseph N. Pew]], founder of [[Sun Oil Company]], and co-founder of [[The Pew Charitable Trusts]]
*[[John B. Thayer]], cricketer, Pennsylvania Railroad VP (lost on the {{RMS|Titanic||2}})
*[[Edward T. Welburn]], Vice President of Global Design, [[General Motors]]
*[[John C. Bogle]], founder and CEO of the [[Vanguard Group]]
*[[Alexander Cassatt]], former president of the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]
*[[Clement Acton Griscom]], prominent 19th-century American shipping magnate, businessman, whose home, [[Dolobran]] in Haverford is noted for its architecture

===Entertainment===
*[[David Boreanaz]], actor 
*The family of [[Georg Ludwig von Trapp]], the family depicted in ''[[The Sound of Music]]''
*[[Chubby Checker]], musician
*[[Gideon Glick]], actor
*[[Patti LaBelle]], musician
*[[Teddy Pendergrass]], musician
*[[M. Night Shyamalan]], film director
*[[Abbi Jacobson]], co-star and co-creator of [[Comedy Central]] television series ''[[Broad City]]''
*[[Kate DiCamillo]], children's book author
*[[Anne Francine]], actress and singer

=== Military and government ===
*[[Henry H. Arnold|Henry H. "Hap" Arnold]], Commanding General of the [[U.S. Army Air Forces]] during World War II; [[General of the Army (United States)|General of the Army]], [[General of the Air Force]]
*[[John Hickenlooper]], governor of Colorado
*[[Alexander Haig]], [[United States Secretary of State|U.S. Secretary of State]], [[White House Chief of Staff]], [[Supreme Allied Commander Europe]]
*[[Charles Thomson]], secretary of the [[Continental Congress]] from 1774 to 1789
*[[Harris Wofford]], former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania
*[[David Eisenhower]] and [[Julie Nixon Eisenhower]]<ref>Bennett, Kitty. [http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-12-2010/where_are_they_now_julie_and_david_eisenhower.html "Where Are They Now? Julie and David Eisenhower"], ''AARP Bulletin'', December 22, 2010. p. 1.</ref>
*[[Oscar Goodman]], mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada
*[[Anthony Wayne]], US Army officer and statesman

===Science===
*[[Bill Folger]], Founder, American Society for the Adoption of the Metric System
*[[Pete Conrad]], [[NASA]] [[astronaut]]; third man to walk on the Moon
*[[Andy Hertzfeld]], computer scientist ([[Apple Inc.|Apple]])
*[[Hilary Koprowski]], [[polio]] vaccine pioneer

=== Sports ===
* [[Mark Herzlich]], [[NFL]] football player
* [[Kyle Eckel]], NFL football player
* [[Julius Erving]], [[List of players in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] basketball player
* [[Kobe Bryant]], Hall of Fame NBA basketball player
* [[Richie Ashburn]], [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]] baseball player with the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] and Phillies broadcaster
* [[Hobey Baker|Hobart "Hobey" Baker]], amateur hockey and football player, member of the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]]
* [[Kyle Korver]], NBA basketball player
* [[Allen Iverson]], Hall of Fame NBA basketball player
* [[Jeffrey Lurie]], owner of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] football team
* [[Emlen Tunnell]], member of the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] as a player, born in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]]
* [[John Spagnola]], former NFL football player
* [[Andy Reid]], head coach of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs
* [[Ed Snider|Edward M. Snider]], chairman of [[Comcast Spectacor]], [[Philadelphia Flyers]]
* [[Jay Wright (basketball)|Jay Wright]], head coach of the [[Villanova Wildcats men's basketball]] team

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Further reading '''
*{{cite book| url=https://archive.org/stream/welshsettlemento00brow/welshsettlemento00brow_djvu.txt| title=Welsh Settlement of Pennsylvania|first= Charles H.| last=Browning| location=Philadelphia| publisher=William J. Campell| year=1912}}
*{{cite book| url=http://www.mainlinebyrail.com/index.html| title=Main Line by Rail: Its History and Transformation| first=George| last=Harding| year=2011| access-date=2011-08-31| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812023850/http://www.mainlinebyrail.com/index.html| archive-date=2011-08-12| url-status=dead}}
*{{cite book| url=http://www.lowermerionhistory.org/texts/first300/index.html| editor=Jones, Dick| title=The First 300: The Amazing and Rich History of Lower Merion|location= Ardmore, PA| publisher= The Lower Merion Historical Society| year= 2000}}

{{Portal bar|Philadelphia}}
{{Pennsylvania|state=collapsed}}
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[[Category:American upper class]]
[[Category:Geography of Philadelphia]]
[[Category:History of Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Main Line| ]]
[[Category:Regions of Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Transportation in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Upper class culture in Pennsylvania]]