Cheltenham TownshipBeginning in the 1700s, water from the Tookany Creek powered mills throughout what became Cheltenham Township. Following the coming of the railroad in 1855 and the end of the Civil War, many of the wealthy in Philadelphia moved to the area to establish summer homes and, later, permanent residences. Home to early abolitionist Lucretia Mott and Camp William Penn, the nation's largest training ground for black Union troops, Cheltenham Township today remains a diverse community with a rich history. Cheltenham Township is the first comprehensive photographic history of this Philadelphia suburb. From the early days of mill towns along the Tookany Creek to the vast estates built by the fabulously wealthy at the end of the nineteenth century, Cheltenham Township captures all the towns and villages that comprise the township. The histories of Wyncote, Cheltenham Village, Elkins Park, Glenside, Melrose Park, and LaMott are brought into focus with many rare and unpublished photographs. Pictured are the early homes of Richard Wall and Toby Leech and the later mansions of the Widener, Elkins, Stetson, and Cooke families, as well as the fire companies, businesses, schools, people, and institutions that define the history of Cheltenham Township. |
Contents
Preface | 6 |
Melrose Park and LaMott | 29 |
Chelten Hills | 43 |
Elkins Park | 57 |
Wyncote and Cedarbrook | 81 |
Glenside Edge Hill and Laverock | 105 |
Acknowledgments | 128 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abington acres architect Ashbourne Road became Beecher bought the property building was demolished Camp William Penn Central Avenue Chelten Hills Cheltenham Avenue Cheltenham Military Academy Cheltenham Township Church Road congregation corner of Easton corner of Old Curtis designed by Horace early east side Easton Road Edge Hill Elkins Park farm Fire Company firehouse Fitz Eugene Dixon Glenside Avenue Greenwood Avenue Heacock High School Horace Trumbauer house was built house was demolished intersection Isaac Jay Cooke Jenkintown John LaMott land later Leech Limekiln Pike located Lynnewood Hall mansion Mather Melrose Montgomery moved Myers northeast corner Oak Lane Ogontz Old Soldiers Road Old York Road original building Peter A.B. Widener Philadelphia photograph dates PRIMEX railroad razed residence Rices Mill Road Road Historical Society Robert Ryers Avenue Schmidheiser Shoemaker sold southeast station Stetson Street Tookany Creek trolley Washington Lane Widener Willow Grove Avenue Wyncote York Road Historical