Getting to Know the History of Ridley Park, PA

The following is a brief history of the neighborhood, presented by the personal injury lawyers in Ridley Park, PA, at Schuster Law.

Ridley Park

The borough of Ridley Park is situated in the southern region of Delaware County in the state of Pennslyvania. The community takes up 691.2 acres, of which 6.4 acres are water, such as the Ridley Lake and Little Crum Creek. The main roadways are Chester Pike, Interstate 95, North Swarthmore Avenue, and Ridley Avenue.

History

The town was originally home to the Okehocking Native American Tribe of the Lenni Lenape Nation. The Native Americans had established villages along the river. Their original paths helped to form the roads throughout the area, such as Chester Pike.

In 1871, Isaac Hinckley founded Ridley Park. Hinckley was the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad president. Just as the Pennsylvania Railroad had purchased farmland was expanding through the area, Hinckley desired to do the same with his railway. Unfortunately, he was met with opposition from the farmers north of the area and was unsuccessful at buying any more than just one farm. Not to be swayed, he moved further south into the current area of Ridley Park. With the help of a newly established association, including Boston land architect Robert Morris Copeland, he developed the suburban community.

Hinckley's purchases included farms from the families that the streets became known for, including:

• Burk
• Dutton
• Free
• Henderson
• Stewart
• Ward

On October 19, 1872, the first passenger cars began to stop in the neighborhood. This began the major growth spurt for the community with the inclusion of a hotel and a dam on Crum Creek that formed a 20-acre lake. The area became home to many Victorian-style homes and brought the wealthy Philadelphians during the summer months.

Neighborhood

The area is home to the CH-47 Chinook helicopter division of The Boeing Company. The twin-engined tandem rotor helicopter was first designed in 1957 by Vertol. It is commonly used by the United States Department of the Army.

The area is also home to several highly rated schools, including the following:

• Lakeview Elementary School
• Ridley Middle School
• Leedom Elementary School
• St. James Regional Catholic School

Demographics

The community's population was 7,002 in 2010. This was a decrease of 2.7% from 2000. The population has been in a steady decrease since 1970. The ethnic makeup of the townspeople was the following:

• 95.3% white
• 2.0% African American
• 1.4% Hispanic or Latino
• 1.2% Asian
• 0.3% other races
• 1.1% two or more races

The average income per household per the 2010 census was $50,065 and $62,378 for a family. The median income for women was $31,824, while men average $43,201. The occupational breakdown of the employed residents was the following:

• 14.73% office and administrative support positions
• 8.93% healthcare industry jobs
• 8.21% educational and teaching professions

For more interesting details on the nearby communities: The Township of Ridley, PA History

Our Local Office

If you have personal injuries caused by an accident, our experienced Ridley Park, PA, personal injury lawyers can help. Contact our legal team to schedule your free consultation today.

Schuster Law
405 Avenue of the States,
Chester, PA 19013, USA
(610) 872-4930