Media, Pennsylvania

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Media, Pennsylvania
Borough
Media PA old bank State St.JPG
Bank building on State Street
Seal
Nickname: Everybody's Hometown
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Delaware
Elevation 299 ft (91.1 m)
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Area 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2)
 - land 0.8 sq mi (2 km2)
 - water 0.0 sq mi (0 km2)
Population 5,327 (2010)
Density 7,016.3 / sq mi (2,709 / km2)
Incorporated 1850
Mayor Robert A. McMahon
Timezone EST (UTC-5)
 - summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 19063
Area code 610
FIPS code 42-48480
GNIS feature ID 1180858
Location of Media in Delaware County
Location of Media in Pennsylvania
Website: www.mediaborough.com
Delaware County Courthouse

The borough of Media is the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania[1] and is located 13 miles (21 km) west of Philadelphia. Media was incorporated in 1850 at the same time that it was named the county seat.[2] The population was 5,327 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 5,533 at the 2000 census. Its school district is the Rose Tree Media School District with Penncrest High School and Springton Lake Middle School. In June 2006, it became the first fair trade town in America.[4]

The history of the area goes back to William Penn, but the area remained predominantly rural until the twentieth century.[5] The Delaware County Institute of Science was founded in Media in 1833, while the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, a two-year technical college; Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, a three-year technical college; and Delaware County Community College, a two-year liberal arts college, are located nearby. Media promotes itself as "Everybody's Hometown".

History

Land in the area was sold and settled soon after William Penn was named proprietor of the colony of Pennsylvania in 1681 by King Charles II of England. Peter and Wiliam Taylor bought the land where Media is now located, directly from Penn.[6] At the time, the land was located in Chester County. Providence Township was organized in 1684, and divided into Upper Providence and Nether Providence townships by 1690, even though they only had 40 taxable properties at the time.[7][8] The current borough, formed in 1850, sits between the two townships.

In 1683, the Court of Chester County approved the construction of "Providence Great Road" (now Pennsylvania Route 252). The road, which runs north from Chester to within a few blocks of today's downtown, is shown on a 1687 map along with the names of local landowners.[9] It forms the eastern border of the borough.

Thomas Minshall, a Quaker, was an early Media resident, settling just outside the small village then known as "Providence", along the Providence Great Road. The village then included a tailor shop, blacksmith shop, wheelwright shop, barn and other buildings.[citation needed]

Minshall bought 625 acres (253 ha) from William Penn and arrived in 1682. The Providence Friends Meeting was established at his house in February 1688, and a meetinghouse was later built on land he donated for the purpose. The original meetinghouse was built out of logs in 1699 or 1700, and the current building dates to 1814. A house on Minshall's property, built c. 1750, still stands and was given to the citizens of the borough in 1975.[10]

Chester County was divided in 1789, the eastern portion becoming Delaware County. The area in the center of the new county remained rural through 1850. On March 11, 1850, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by Special Act of Assembly incorporated the Borough of Media, and made the sale of malt and spirituous liquors unlawful within its borders. At the same time, the county seat of Delaware County was moved to Media from Chester. The borough was formed from four farms purchased by the county, totalling only 480 acres (190 ha). The borders of the borough have not changed since that time.[citation needed]

Streets were plotted in a rectangular grid around the location of the new courthouse, lots were sold at public auctions, and the construction of houses began. Sources agree that Minshall Painter, a descendant of Thomas Minshall, suggested the name "Media", but do not agree on the reason. The name most likely comes from the borough's central location in Delaware County.[11]

The John J. Tyler Arboretum occupies part of Thomas Minshall's original 625 acres (253 ha). This farm was used by the Underground Railroad.[12] The land was donated to a public trust in 1944 by an eighth-generation descendant. The arboretum was started as a private collection by brothers Jacob and Minshall Painter. In 1825, they began systematically planting over 1,000 varieties of trees and shrubs. Over 20 of their original trees survive, including a giant sequoia.[13]

Thomas Minshall house

Minshall Painter was also a leader of the Delaware County Institute of Science, which was formed on September 21, 1833, with just four other members: George Miller, John Miller, George Smith, M.D., and John Cassin. The institute was incorporated in 1836. About 1850, Painter gave the institute the land where its building currently stands at 11 Veterans Square, and the building was constructed in 1867.[citation needed]

In the second half of the 19th century, Media was a summer resort for well-to-do Philadelphians. The borough's large vacation hotels included the Idlewild Hotel (1871) on Lincoln Street at Gayley Terrace, Chestnut Grove House or "The Colonial" (1860) on Orange Street, and Brooke Hall on Lemon Street and Washington Avenue (now Baltimore Avenue). The Chestnut Grove was used for a year by nearby Swarthmore College due to a fire on their campus.[citation needed]

The West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad was built through Media on October 19, 1854. Electrified service was opened on December 2, 1928. Up to 50 trains passed through each day. The railroad became part of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad and eventually the Penn Central. SEPTA took over operations in 1983. Woodrow Wilson spoke at the Media Station in 1912 during his first election campaign. Trolley transportation lines spread to and through Media in the 1890s and early 1900s.[citation needed]

The Media Theatre for the Performing Arts

The Media Theatre opened as a vaudeville house in 1927.[14] The first talkie film, The Jazz Singer, was shown there. It remained a popular cinema through the 1970s. In 1994, the theater was refurbished by Walter Strine, Sr. and reopened as a professional live music theater. Shows produced there have included The Full Monty, Carousel and Miss Saigon. Tony Award winners Judy Kaye and David Miller have performed there.[citation needed]

In June 2006, Media became the first town in the United States to follow over 300 towns in Europe in attaining fair trade certification. To meet the criteria for certification, Media passed a council resolution in support of fair trade, served fair-trade coffee and tea in local government meetings and offices, ensured that a range of fair-trade products were available in local restaurants and businesses, raised popular support and provided media coverage for the fair-trade campaign, and convened a fair-trade steering committee to ensure continued commitment.[citation needed]

External video
State St Media PA.JPG
video icon Media, PA - Walking Tour, by Wanda Kaluza
video icon Media, PA CoyopaFilms

Media and the FBI

Media may be best known for secret government documents that were illegally seized there by activists in 1971 and distributed nationwide. On March 8 of that year, the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI raided an FBI "resident agency" in Media. They later released thousands of documents to major newspapers around the country. These documents revealed controversial and illegal FBI tactics, like the recruitment of Boy Scouts as informants, and confirmed for the first time the existence of COINTELPRO, an FBI program to "expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize" dissident groups in the United States.[15]

Landmarks

Risley House
Media Friends Meeting

Surrounding area

Since the borough of Media is only 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) and the Media ZIP code 19063 covers a much larger area,[19] the geographic term "Media" is often used in a sense that includes not only the borough of Media, but other contiguous areas that are part of other municipalities but that share the ZIP code. These include the entire Upper Providence Township; in Nether Providence Township, the neighborhoods of South Media, Bowling Green, Pine Ridge and Ridgewood; and most of Middletown Township, including the entire Elwyn, Bortondale, Riddlewood, Lima, Glen Riddle, and Lenni neighborhoods. Some parts of Marple Township to the northeast also have the ZIP code 19063.

Geography and climate

Media, Pennsylvania
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
2.9
 
 
39
28
 
 
2.8
 
 
43
30
 
 
3.6
 
 
52
37
 
 
3.3
 
 
63
46
 
 
4.2
 
 
74
56
 
 
3.2
 
 
83
65
 
 
4
 
 
88
70
 
 
3.3
 
 
85
68
 
 
4.2
 
 
77
61
 
 
2.8
 
 
65
50
 
 
3.2
 
 
54
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3.1
 
 
44
33
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[20]

Media is located in central Delaware County at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (39.918761, -75.388127).[21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.77 square miles (2.0 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.42%, is water.[3] Media is situated on high ground (250 to 350 feet (76 to 107 m) above sea level) draining west to Ridley Creek, a south-flowing tributary of the Delaware River.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 285
1860 2,397 741.1%
1870 1,045 −56.4%
1880 1,919 83.6%
1890 2,736 42.6%
1900 3,075 12.4%
1910 3,562 15.8%
1920 4,109 15.4%
1930 5,372 30.7%
1940 5,351 −0.4%
1950 5,726 7.0%
1960 5,803 1.3%
1970 6,444 11.0%
1980 6,119 −5.0%
1990 5,957 −2.6%
2000 5,533 −7.1%
2010 5,327 −3.7%
Est. 2014 5,344 [22] 0.3%
Sources:[23][24][25]

As of the census[24] of 2000, there were 5,533 people, 2,782 households, and 1,112 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,399.0 people per square mile (2,848.4/km²). There were 2,966 housing units at an average density of 3,966.3 per square mile (1,526.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 81.02% White, 14.22% African American, 0.14% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.

There were 2,782 households, out of which 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.0% were non-families. 49.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 13.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $42,703, and the median income for a family was $58,065. Males had a median income of $42,121 versus $31,904 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,188. About 6.1% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

The population in 1900 consisted of 3,075 people, whose numbers grew to 3,562 in 1910, and to 5,351 in 1940.

Government

The borough of Media is run by a mayor and an elected borough council. Their main responsibility is to ensure the safety and livelihood of the residents of Media. Mayor Bob McMahon was first elected in 1992; Brian C. Hall serves as President and Paul Robinson is Media's Vice-President.[26]

Current Borough Council members are as follows: Kevin Boyer, Kent Davidson, Sayre Dixon, Amy Johnson and Lisa Johnson.[26]

Religion

The former Friends Select School on Gayley Street, was also home to the Congregation Beth Israel

Media is home to many churches, including Cambell A.M.E, Christ Church (Episcopalian), First Baptist, First United Methodist, Media Presbyterian, Nativity B.V.M. (Roman Catholic), St. George (Greek Orthodox), the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, and two Quaker meetinghouses, Media Friends Meeting and Providence Friends Meeting.[27] Congregation Beth Israel, a Reconstructionist synagogue formed in 1925, is west of town in Middletown Township and is the oldest Reconstructionist congregation in the Delaware Valley.[28]

Transportation

The Route 101 trolley near Veteran's Square

Media is connected to Upper Darby Township by the 101 trolley. The trolley terminates just after the Delaware County Courthouse, at a station known as Orange Street. Media also has a stop on the Media/Elwyn Regional Rail Line at the corner of Orange Street and Station Road.

U.S. 1 formerly ran through the borough until the "Media bypass" was completed in 1960.[29] The bypass has an unusual "volleyball" or three-level diamond interchange with Interstate 476. The former Route 1 through the center of Media is known by its older name, Baltimore Avenue, changing to "Baltimore Pike" outside the borough limits.[30]

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), the 11th busiest airport in the world in 2007, is 11 miles (18 km) driving distance (about 15 minutes) from downtown Media, following Baltimore Pike east, then Interstate 476 south and Interstate 95 northeast.[31][32]

Media train station

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Elwyn train station

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Williamson School train station

Williamson School
Former train station
Williamson School Station.jpg
The former Williamson School station in January 2013
Location Station Drive
Media, Pennsylvania
Owned by SEPTA
Line(s) Pennsylvania Railroad, SEPTA R3 West Chester Line
Platforms 1 side platform
Tracks 1
History
Opened 1888
Closed 1986
Electrified 1928
Services
No services
  Former services  
Preceding station   SEPTA.svg SEPTA   Following station
(closed)
toward West Chester
Media/Elwyn Line
Pennsylvania Railroad
toward West Chester
West Chester Branch

The Williamson School train station is an abandoned train station located on Station Drive near New Middletown Road in Middletown Township west of Media. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester.

The station, and all of those west of Elwyn, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. Service was "temporarily suspended" at that time, with substitute bus service provided. Williamson School station still appears in publicly posted tariffs.

The original station is located on the grounds of the Williamson Free School. When the line was open, the station mainly served students and faculty of the facility.

Notable people

Broomall
Jaison House
McKinley

References

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  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. First Free Trade Town
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Media: A Walking Tour, published by the Borough of Media, 1990
  7. History of Delaware County
  8. Nether Providence Through the Years (Delaware County Historical Society)
  9. The City of Philadelphia Two Miles in Length and One in Breadth (Lower Merion Historical Society)
  10. Minshall House
  11. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. Loretta Rodgers, "The Trackless Train: Tracking Delco's Role in the Underground Railroad" (Feb. 27, 1989), Delaware County Daily Times
  13. Tyler Arboretum History
  14. The Media Theatre for the Performing Arts - History
  15. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. Pennsylvania Veteran's Museum accessed October 28, 2009
  17. 17.0 17.1 Media History accessed May 10, 2007
  18. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. Hipcode.com 19063
  20. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  24. 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. 26.0 26.1 Media Borough Council Members
  27. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. History, Synagogue website. Accessed July 23, 2008.
  29. US Expressway 1 South of Philadelphia - Historic Overview
  30. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. Statistics: Top 30 World Airports
  32. Google Map directions
  33. I Got a Name: The Jim Croce Story. Da Capo Press, 2012
  34. Bio: Carpenter Paul Dimeo of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
  35. "Dave Anderson, "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Tug McGraw Changes Lanes", The New York Times, Feb 19, 1985."

External links

Providence Road (center of map) from Thomas Holme's 1687 map of Pennsylvania. Present day Media is located within the plots marked "P.Taylor" and "W.Taylor."