Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania




Home Rule Municipality, First Class Township in Pennsylvania, United States




















































































Cheltenham Township
Home Rule Municipality
First Class Township

Wall House in Elkins Park, the second oldest house in Pennsylvania

Wall House in Elkins Park, the second oldest house in Pennsylvania


Official seal of Cheltenham Township
Seal
Nickname(s): Cheltenhood
Motto(s): "Salubritas et Eruditio"
(Health and Education)


Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States

Coordinates: 40°04′00″N 75°06′59″W / 40.06667°N 75.11639°W / 40.06667; -75.11639Coordinates: 40°04′00″N 75°06′59″W / 40.06667°N 75.11639°W / 40.06667; -75.11639
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County


  • Philadelphia (1682–1784)


  • Montgomery (1784–present)

Founded
First Class Township
Home Rule Municipality

  • March 22, 1682

  • 1900

  • 1976

Area[1]
 • Total 9.03 sq mi (23.39 km2)
 • Land 9.03 sq mi (23.38 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
157 ft (48 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 36,793
 • Estimate (2016)[2]
37,103
 • Density 4,109.77/sq mi (1,586.78/km2)
Time zone
UTC-5 (Eastern Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST)
UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Area code(s) 215
FIPS code 42-091-12968
Sister city
Cheltenham, United Kingdom
Commissioners

  • Morton J. Simon, Jr.

  • Daniel B. Norris

  • Irv Brockington

  • Baron B. Holland

  • Brad M. Pransky

  • Ann L. Rappoport

  • J. Andrew Sharkey

Website www.cheltenhamtownship.org

Cheltenham Township is a home rule township bordering North Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cheltenham's population density ranges from over 10,000 per square mile in rowhouses and high-rise apartments along Cheltenham Avenue to historic neighborhoods in Wyncote and Elkins Park. It is the most densely populated township in Montgomery County.[3] The population was 36,793 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the third most populous township in Montgomery County and the 27th most populous municipality in Pennsylvania. It was originally part of Philadelphia County, and it became part of Montgomery County upon that county's creation in 1784.


Cheltenham is located 5 miles from Center City Philadelphia and surrounded by the North and Northeast sections of Philadelphia, Abington, Jenkintown, and Springfield. The SEPTA Main Line passes through Cheltenham via 5 regional rail stations, some of which are the busiest in the SEPTA system. Cheltenham is served by the SEPTA City Division and is adjacent to Fern Rock Transportation Center and the Broad Street Line subway which terminates at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex and also the Frankford Transportation Center and the El, which terminates at 69th Street in Upper Darby Township. The northern terminus of Broad Street is in Cheltenham, at its intersection with Cheltenham Avenue (PA 309).




Contents






  • 1 History


    • 1.1 Early history


    • 1.2 Estate development


    • 1.3 Present


    • 1.4 Township seal




  • 2 Geography


    • 2.1 Communities in Cheltenham




  • 3 Demographics


  • 4 Weather


  • 5 Politics and government


    • 5.1 Commissioners




  • 6 Education


  • 7 Infrastructure


    • 7.1 Transportation


      • 7.1.1 Regional Rail


      • 7.1.2 Buses


      • 7.1.3 Roads




    • 7.2 Fire services


    • 7.3 Police


    • 7.4 Libraries




  • 8 Notable people


    • 8.1 Fictional residents




  • 9 Miscellaneous


  • 10 Other Cheltenhams


  • 11 Points of interest


    • 11.1 Pennsylvania Historic Site


    • 11.2 Other points of interest




  • 12 See also


  • 13 References


  • 14 External links





History





Tookany Creek played an important role in the founding of Cheltenham




Soldiers at Camp William Penn



Early history


Cheltenham was established in 1682 as part of Philadelphia County by 15 Quakers from Cheltenham, England, including Richard Wall and Tobias Leech, who purchased 4,070 acres (16.5 km2) of land from William Penn.[4][5] Upon creation of Montgomery County in 1784, Cheltenham became the smallest township in the new county.


The following is the list of the 15 original founders of Cheltenham Township[6]
























































































Name Land Size Date given
John West 200 acres June 29, 1682
Nehemiah Mitchell 210 acres July 1, 1682
John Day 210 acres August 5, 1682
William Brown 500 acres September 10, 1683
Everard Bolton 100 acres September 10, 1683
John Ashmead 250 acres September 10, 1683
Tobias Leech 150 acres
200 acres
September 10, 1683
September 10, 1683
Richard Wall Sr. 100 acres
200 acres
May 2, 1683
September 10, 1683
Richard Wall Jr. 100 acres September 10, 1683
Patrick Robinson 200 acres November 5, 1683
John Russell 300 acres November 5, 1683
William Frampton 500 acres January 13, 1683
Mary Jefferson 300 acres January 13, 1683
Thomas Phillips 300 acres June 13, 1683
Humphrey Morrey 250 acres May 23, 1683
Total acreage 4070 acres

From early in its history, Cheltenham was fueled by the development of various mills along Tookany Creek. Communities and villages grew around these mills and formed what is now modern Cheltenham neighborhoods. The first gristmill was built by Richard Dungworth in 1690. After changing ownership several times, the Rowland family eventually made the mill the second largest producer of shovels in the United States. The site was demolished in 1929.[7]


The USCT (United States Colored Troops) 3rd Regiment were the first to be trained at Camp William Penn. It is tradition that soldiers have a grand parade before leaving for war, but Philadelphia was partially a racist community at that time and the government believed that a parade might cause a riot, so it was cancelled. The leader of the Camp (Colonel Louis Wagner) was furious and made sure the next regiment to come through would have a parade.[citation needed]



Estate development





Lynnewood Hall, the home of Peter A.B. Widener, designed by Horace Trumbauer


From the late 19th to early 20th century, Cheltenham established itself as one of the most prominent communities in the Philadelphia area. Railroad tycoon Jay Cooke was one of the first to build his mansion in Cheltenham. His 200-acre estate was eventually converted to a school in 1883 and was later demolished. John Wanamaker built his mansion Lindenhurst, which was destroyed by a fire in 1907. His second Lindenhurst was destroyed by another fire in 1944. Henry Breyer, Jr. eventually bought the land from Wanamaker. Other famous mansions built include Abraham Barker's "Lyndon," Cyrus H.K. Curtis's "Curtis Hall," George Horace Lorimer's "Belgrame," and John B. Stetson's "Idro." Perhaps the most famous mansions that still stand to this day are the prominent Widener family mansion Lynnewood Hall, the Elkins Estate which was home to William Elkins, and Grey Towers Castle which was home to William Welsh Harrison. The latter is a National Historic Landmark and was designed by famed architect Horace Trumbauer, who designed many buildings and homes in Cheltenham.[8]



Present


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Cheltenham's housing stock is very diverse with rowhouses and townhouses along Cheltenham Avenue and old historic neighborhoods as well.





H-Mart on Cheltenham Avenue. Cheltenham, along with Upper Darby Township and West Philadelphia, are the areas around Philadelphia that have significant Korean populations.


As the Gilded Age ended and the depression hit the country, many of the estates and mansions were destroyed and made way for the building of houses in their place. Many of the communities that were formed in the early stages of Cheltenham remained, and still exist to this day. As the 20th century progressed, many people moved out of the city and into the first community over the city line, Cheltenham. One of the major groups to come to Cheltenham was Koreans. The original Koreatown was located in the Olney section of Philadelphia, but eventually was moved north to Logan. Large pockets of Koreans were eventually established in Cheltenham, and also in Upper Darby Township and West Philadelphia.[9] Many other races and ethnicities migrated to Cheltenham to make it one of the most diverse municipalities in the Delaware Valley. By the 2000 Census, Cheltenham was one of only two (the other being Norristown) municipalities in Montgomery County that was considered "diverse" (20–60% of the population is non-white).[10] With the population increase, the township's identity changed from being a community of prominent Philadelphians and their mansions to several distinct communities consisting of densely populated rowhouses, apartments, and townhouses that overflowed from neighboring North Philadelphia (especially in La Mott and parts of Cheltenham Village), but also maintaining some of the historic neighborhoods of the past in Wyncote, Elkins Park, and Melrose Park.


Cheltenham, along with the other earliest communities in the Philadelphia area such as Upper Darby Township, Haverford, Lower Merion, and Jenkintown have retained their distinct identities while being surrounded by suburbia over the middle to late part of the twentieth century. Cheltenham and Lower Merion are of the few townships in Montgomery County who had a large population prior to the postwar population boom and thus whose majority of houses, communities, and streets have remained virtually unchanged since the early 20th century. Cheltenham has 13 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, the most of any municipality in Montgomery County.
Cheltenham became a township of the first class in 1900. In 1976, it passed a home rule charter that took effect in 1977.


There are many books about Cheltenham Township's history.




  • A History of Cheltenham Township by Elaine Rothschild


  • Images of America Cheltenham Township by Old York Road Historical Society


  • Remembering Cheltenham Township by Donald Scott Sr.


  • Making Marathon: A History of Early Wyncote by Thomas J. Wieckowski


Cheltenham was the former home of Cradle of Liberty Council Breyer Training Area. Henry W. Breyer, Jr. used property formerly owned by Cheltenham resident John Wanamaker. It closed in 1990 and is now the home of Salus University.


Cheltenham has been honored with many distinctions over its long history. It was named a Preserve America community, a US Government program established to preserve historic communities throughout the United States.[11] It is also a Tree City USA member, a program dedicated to forestry management. Most recently in 2013, Cheltenham was named a "Classic Town of Greater Philadelphia," for being "one of the most diverse, unique, and livable communities in our region" and "truly at the center of it all."[12]



Township seal


The seal of Cheltenham was adopted from the seal of the namesake and sister city, Cheltenham, England. It appears on all formal documents, resolutions, proclamations, and all legal records or documents. The pigeon on top of a blue sphere represents the founding of the fountain spa which made Cheltenham famous. They are placed above a wreath of Oak leaves. The two books represent Education, in particular, the Pates Grammar School and the Cheltenham College. The silver cross in the middle represents religion. The two pigeons represent the flock that would gather at the spas. Finally, the Oak tree represents the many Oak trees that line the streets of Cheltenham and promenades.[13]



Geography




The Cheltenham Township Municipal Building on Old York Road.


Cheltenham is a residential township in the most southeastern part of Montgomery County, which is in Southeastern Pennsylvania (locally known as the Delaware Valley). It is one of six municipalities in Montgomery County that borders Philadelphia and is 5 miles northeast of the Center City. It also borders Abington Township and Jenkintown on the north side and Springfield Township on the west side.


According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 9.0 square miles (23 km2). The area consists of rolling hills and also has a few streams running through it, most notably the Tookany Creek. The highest elevation is 411 feet, at the intersection of Sunset and Lindley Roads. The lowest elevation is 63 feet, in the southeastern most part of the township where Tookany Creek flows into Philadelphia. It includes the census-designated places of Arcadia University, Glenside, and Wyncote. Other communities include Cheltenham, Elkins Park, Melrose Park, La Mott and Laverock, Edge Hill, and Cedarbrook. All of the communities form a border with Philadelphia along Cheltenham Avenue.



Communities in Cheltenham



































































Place Type Area Population Density Zip Code
Arcadia University CDP 0.057 sq. mi. 595 10,438.6 19038
Cheltenham Unincorporated community 0.43 sq. mi. 4,810 5,705 19012
Elkins Park Unincorporated community 2.1 sq. mi. 9,260 4,630 19027
Glenside CDP 1.3 sq. mi. 8,384 6,449.2 19038
La Mott Unincorporated community .261 sq. mi. 3554 13,616.7 19027
Melrose Park Unincorporated community 0.660 sq. mi. 3,006 4,554.5 19027
Wyncote CDP 0.8 sq. mi. 3,044 3,805 19095

Edge Hill, Laverock, and Cedarbrook's exact populations and land area are uncertain.




The home of Cyrus H.K. Curtis, longtime Cheltenham resident



Demographics


As of the 2010 census, Cheltenham Township was 56.6% White, 32.8% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.7% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 3.9% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. The median income for a family in Cheltenham in the 2010 Census was $72,584, which is a little below the Montgomery County average of $76,380. Cheltenham ranked 37 out of 62 municipalities in terms of highest median income in Montgomery County.[14]


30.4% of the townships households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% are headed by married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.05. The age distribution was 22.8% under 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.


The median income for a household in the township was $61,713, and the median income for a family was $76,792. Males had a median income of $50,564 versus $36,439 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,424. About 3.0% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.











Weather


Cheltenham is located on the borderline of the Humid subtropical climate and Humid continental climate zones. As with most Northeast townships, Cheltenham has four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and have occasional heat waves. Autumn is cool and comfortable. Winters are cold, most days hovering around the freezing mark with nights dipping to the teens. Spring is pleasant with often not too much precipitation.


The largest snowstorm as of late was in 2010, when the first storm came on February 5–6 and nearly 30 inches of snow fell. Just two days later, a second storm came and dropped another 20 inches.







































































Climate data for Cheltenham Township
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high °F (°C)
38
(3)
42
(6)
50
(10)
62
(17)
72
(22)
81
(27)
85
(29)
84
(29)
77
(25)
65
(18)
54
(12)
43
(6)
63
(17)
Average low °F (°C)
21
(−6)
24
(−4)
32
(0)
41
(5)
51
(11)
62
(17)
67
(19)
65
(18)
56
(13)
43
(6)
34
(1)
23
(−5)
43
(6)
Average precipitation inches (mm)
3.44
(87.4)
3.01
(76.5)
4.32
(109.7)
4.12
(104.6)
4.37
(111)
4.60
(116.8)
5.05
(128.3)
3.98
(101.1)
4.58
(116.3)
3.82
(97)
3.92
(99.6)
4.23
(107.4)
49.44
(1,255.7)
Source: The Weather Channel[17]




Politics and government















































Presidential elections results[18]
Year

Republican

Democratic

2016
13.9% 2,928

82.8% 17,501

2012
18.1% 3,783

80.9% 16,873

2008
19.3% 4,043

80.0% 16,728

2004
22.7% 4,690

77.0% 15,866

2000
22.0% 4,106

76.0% 14,169

1996
23.2% 4,040

70.1% 12,190

1992
24.3% 4,723

65.0% 12,624

Cheltenham Township does not have a mayor. Rather it is governed by a Board of Commissioners, who are elected one from each of the township's seven wards for a four-year term. A President of the Board is elected by these commissioners for a one-year term to serve as the head of the government. Morton J. Simon. Jr., is the current Board President. A school board is in charge of the school district.


The township is in the Thirteenth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Brendan Boyle), and Pennsylvania's 154th Representative District (represented by Rep. Steve McCarter). Prior to the 2010 census, it was in the 2nd congressional district with most of West Philadelphia. It is also in Pennsylvania's 4th Senatorial District.


Cheltenham is currently a very Democratic heavy community, winning by large margins in each of the past six presidential elections. This is mostly attributed to the more urban setting and similarities to that of neighboring Philadelphia. The only municipality in Montgomery County in the 2012 election that had a higher Democratic voting percentage was Norristown's 82.99%, compared to Cheltenham's 80.85%.[19]


Cheltenham is one of only seven Townships in Pennsylvania, and of 29 municipalities in the entire state, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity by executive order.[20]



Commissioners


The following is a table of the current commissioners of Cheltenham Township along with their Wards and the areas of the Township they serve.











































Name Ward Area Served
J. Andrew Sharkey 1
Glenside and Edgehill
Baron B. Holland 2
Laverock, Cedarbrook, west Wyncote and Curtis Hills
Brad M. Pransky 3
La Mott, west Elkins Park and Wyncote
Ann L. Rappoport 4 Lynnewood Gardens, north Wyncote, west Elkins Park and east Glenside
Daniel B. Norris 5
Melrose Park
Morton J. Simon, Jr. 6
Elkins Park
Irv Brockington 7
Cheltenham Village, Rowland Park and Oak Lane Manor


Education





Cheltenham High School, established in 1884.


The Cheltenham Township School District serves the township. There are seven public schools and a number of private schools. Public schools include Cheltenham Elementary School (k-4), Myers Elementary School (k-4), Glenside Elementary School (k-4), Wyncote Elementary School (k-4), Elkins Park School (5–6), Cedarbrook Middle School (7–8), and Cheltenham High School (9–12).[1]


The largest private high school in Cheltenham Township is Bishop McDevitt High School (9–12) which is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.


The section of Elkins Park in Cheltenham is the former home of Tyler School of Art, a conceptual fine-arts school that is part of Temple University. Cheltenham is also home to Arcadia University (formerly known as Beaver College), Salus University (formerly known as The Pennsylvania College of Optometry), Westminster Theological Seminary, Gratz College and Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, the only seminary affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism. Cheltenham was also the former home of the Oak Lane Day School for 44 years until it moved to its current home in Blue Bell.



Infrastructure



Transportation




Glenside Station




Melrose Park Station




Jenkintown-Wyncote Station





SEPTA Buses waiting on the docks at the Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop




Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop waiting area




The Northern terminus of Broad Street is in Cheltenham




Elkins Park Fire Company Engine 3 in 1997



Regional Rail


Cheltenham is a major thoroughfare for SEPTA Regional Rail. All trains going north of Center City (with the exception of the Trenton Line) pass through Cheltenham. This includes the Airport Line, Lansdale/Doylestown Line, West Trenton Line, Warminster Line and the Fox Chase Line. Following Cheltenham, many of the lines split to their respective destinations, which makes Cheltenham stations some of the busiest in Montgomery County. The stations carry the names of the neighborhoods in which they are located: Elkins Park, Glenside, and Melrose Park. Jenkintown-Wyncote and Cheltenham straddle the township's border.













































Station Lines Zone Bus Connections Weekday Boardings (2013)
Cheltenham

  Fox Chase Line
2 70, 18, 24 368
Elkins Park

  Airport Line


  Lansdale/​Doylestown Line


  Warminster Line


  West Trenton Line

2 28 587
Jenkintown-Wyncote

  Airport Line


  Lansdale/​Doylestown Line


  Warminster Line


  West Trenton Line

3 77 1655
Melrose Park

  Airport Line


  Lansdale/​Doylestown Line


  Warminster Line


  West Trenton Line

2 28 505
Glenside

  Airport Line


  Lansdale/​Doylestown Line


  Warminster Line

3 22, 77 1230


Buses


Cheltenham is served by many SEPTA City Division buses. Many of the buses originate at the Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop, which is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Ogontz Avenue (PA 309) and Cheltenham Avenue. The loop is across the street from the Cheltenham Square Mall, which attracts many shoppers from North Philadelphia. Several other buses run throughout other major streets in the township, as well as residential streets. The following routes are in Cheltenham:




  • 6 – connects Cheltenham-Ogontz with Olney Transportation Center via Broad Street.


  • 16 – connects Cheltenham-Ogontz with Center City at 15th and Market (Suburban Station) via Broad Street.


  • 18 – third busiest bus route in the SEPTA system,[21] connects Cedarbrook Shopping Center with Fox Chase via Olney.


  • 22 – connects Willow Grove and Warminster to Olney Transportation Center via Easton Road.


  • 24 – connects Rockledge and Southampton with Frankford Transportation Center via Huntingdon Pike.


  • 28 – connects Fern Rock Transportation Center with Torresdale-Cottman via Rhawn Street.


  • 55 – connects Willow Grove and Doylestown with Olney Transportation Center via Easton and Old York Road.


  • 57 – connects Whitman Plaza with Rising Sun/Olney or Fern Rock via 3rd & 4th Street.


  • 70 – connects Fern Rock with Frankford-Gregg via Cottman Avenue


  • 77 – connects Chestnut Hill with Roosevelt Boulevard via Township Line Road


  • 80 – express connect between Horsham and Olney Transportation Center via Limekiln Pike.


  • H – connects Cheltenham-Ogontz with Broad-Erie via West Mount Airy


  • XH – connects Cheltenham-Ogontz with Broad-Erie via Germantown.


Cheltenham ranked in the top 3 municipalities in Montgomery County for percentage of population that uses Bus/Trolley and Regional Rail.[22]


In addition, Cheltenham Township partners with the Montgomery County-sponsored Suburban Transit Network, Inc. (TransNet) to subsidize free transportation for residents ages 65 and older anywhere in the Township on Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 3:30 pm.


As of 2016[update] Taiwanese airline EVA Air provides a private bus service to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in the Philadelphia area. It stops in Cheltenham.[23]



Roads


There are several major roads in Cheltenham Township. Cheltenham Avenue is a major roadway and is an easy access point to many of the other roadways like Pennsylvania Route 611 and Pennsylvania Route 309. It is also the border between Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Cheltenham Avenue ends on the westside at Paper Mill Road in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania which is part of Springfield Township. Pennsylvania Route 73 is one of the major roadways in Cheltenham Township, known as 'Church Road' and 'Township Line Road' because it is the border line between Cheltenham and Abington Townships. Pennsylvania Route 309 starts in Cheltenham Township and serves as a major highway. It goes through many townships and ends up in PA 29 in Noxen Township. Pennsylvania Route 152 starts in Cheltenham Township and is known as 'Limekiln Pike.' It ends on the north end of Pennsylvania Route 309 in Telford, PA. Pennsylvania Route 611 starts in Philadelphia and runs through Cheltenham Township as Old York Road. It is the main access road to Willow Grove in Abington and Upper Moreland Townships.


Many of the roads in Philadelphia continue into Cheltenham such as Old York Road, Willow Grove Avenue, Limekiln Pike, Ogontz Avenue, Washington Avenue, 12th Street, Oak Lane, Oak Lane Road, 2nd Street, Hasbrook Avenue, Cottman Avenue, Central Avenue, Ryers Avenue and Church Road.


Cheltenham was one of several communities in Pennsylvania to make the United States Main Street Program. Locations receiving this honor were:




  • Glenside – Easton Road from Arcadia University north to Mt. Carmel Avenue, and Glenside Avenue between Limekiln Pike and Keswick Avenue, and Rices Mill Road and Glenside Avenue.


  • Cheltenham Village – Central and Ryers Avenues between Cottman Avenue and Old Soldiers Road, and Cottman Avenue between Hasbrook Avenue and the Church Road vicinity.

  • East Cheltenham Avenue – East Cheltenham Avenue from the SEPTA train tracks to Bell Mawr Road.


  • Elkins Park East – High School Road and Montgomery Avenue area.

  • Elkins Park West – Old York Road between Township Line Road and Chelten Hills Drive, and Church Road between Brookside Road and the train tracks.



Fire services


The Cheltenham Township Fire Department consists of 5 all volunteer fire companies.



  • Glenside Fire Company

  • La Mott Fire Company

  • Elkins Park Fire Company

  • Cheltenham Hook & Ladder Company

  • Ogontz Fire Company



Police


The Cheltenham Police Department was founded in 1903. In 2008, the department responded to over 25,000 calls. With 73 full-time sworn officers in 2016, the department is the third largest in Montgomery County.[24]


In 2016, a member of canine unit, Odie, was the top-ranked explosives detection dog in the United States.[25]



Libraries


Cheltenham Township has four libraries which are the East Cheltenham Free Library, Elkins Park Free Library, La Mott Free Library, and the Glenside Free library.



Notable people





Reggie Jackson, born and raised in Cheltenham





Benjamin Netanyahu, raised in Cheltenham





Cyrus Curtis





Michael Brecker, 15-time Grammy Award winner





Mark Levin





Lil Dicky, born and raised in Cheltenham.





John Wanamaker, lived in Cheltenham





Wallace Triplett





Lucretia Mott, lived in Cheltenham





William Lukens Elkins, lived in Cheltenham




Glenside Fire Company




Glenside Free Library




The Cheltenham Twinning Fingerpost at the Township building points to all other Cheltenhams throughout the World.




  • Jay Ansill composer and folk musician


  • Eddie Applegate Actor


  • Samuel Arbuckle California politician, served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors


  • Abraham Barker American Soldier during the Civil War, U.S. House of Representatives member


  • Chris Bartlett activist and Executive Director of the William Way Community Center


  • Michael M. Baylson Senior Federal Judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania


  • Brandon Bing Professional Football Player for the New York Giants


  • Robert Hood Bowers American composer and conductor


  • Michael Brecker (saxophonist)


  • Randy Brecker (jazz, rock, and R&B trumpeter)


  • Justin Brown NFL wide receiver


  • Michael Stuart Brown (American physician, geneticist, and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine)


  • David Burd (Rapper and comedian known under the alias 'Lil Dicky')


  • Jim Callahan, Football player, writer, and member of the Temple University Hall of Fame


  • Ibraheim Campbell Cleveland Browns safety, Northwestern football alumni


  • George Castle Son of J.R. Castle, professional lacrosse player for the Philadelphia Wings


  • J.R. Castle Former lacrosse player


  • Laurie Colwin Author and columnist


  • Chris Conlin (All-American football player at Penn State)


  • Jay Cooke (financier – had his 'country estate' in Chelten Hills)


  • Bill Cosby (comedian)


  • Rebecca Creskoff (American actress)


  • Cyrus H.K. Curtis (founder of the Curtis Publishing Company, which published The Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Journal)


  • Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr. – son of banker Fitz Eugene Dixon Sr. and Eleanor Widener (member of the Widener family.)


  • Tony Donatelli soccer player for VSI Tampa Bay FC


  • William Lukens Elkins – prominent role in history of the Pennsylvania Railroad, SEPTA and several other railroads.


  • Josh Fattal, American hiker detained in Iran from 2009–2011


  • Tom Feeney Member of Congress, R-FL


  • Douglas Feith former Under-Secretary of Defense


  • Stuart F. Feldman Co-founder of Vietnam Veterans of America.[26]


  • Marian Filar Polish-born American-based concert pianist and virtuoso


  • Glenn A. Fine Inspector General, United States Department of Justice


  • Wilmot E. Fleming State Senator


  • Jim Foster Hall of Fame Women's Basketball coach at St. Joseph's, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, and Chattanooga.


  • Jon D. Fox U.S. Congressman


  • Benjamin Hallowell First President of the Maryland Agricultural College


  • Laura Harper Professional Basketball Player


  • Marvin Harrison NFL wide receiver


  • Alfred Hunt first president of the Bethlehem Iron Company, later to become Bethlehem Steel


  • Trina Schart Hyman Artist & Illustrator


  • Bill Hyndman Amateur golfer


  • Clifford C. Ireland U.S. Representative


  • Reggie Jackson (Hall of Fame baseball player, Actor – grew up in township)


  • Charles Wellford Leavitt Urban planner, architect, and engineer. Designed Forbes Field and much of Columbia University.


  • Mark Levin Conservative Talk Radio Host & Attorney


  • Richard Levinson Emmy Award-Winning Writer & Producer


  • Chad Levitt (b. 1975) American NFL football player


  • Franz Lidz Journalist whose memoir, Unstrung Heroes, became a 1995 feature film directed by Diane Keaton


  • Lil Dicky (David Burd) rapper and comedian


  • William Link Emmy Award-Winning Writer & Producer


  • Craig Littlepage College Administrator & Educator


  • John Luther Long American Lawyer and writer, best known for short story "Madame Butterfly"


  • Jeff Lorber Musician


  • George Horace Lorimer (longtime editor of The Saturday Evening Post)


  • Bernie Lowe founder of Cameo Records


  • Joel Keith Mann PA House Representative, PA State Senator, U.S. House of Representatives


  • Mary Ellen Mark (photographer)


  • John Charles Martin Newspaper publisher


  • Edgar Lee Masters (Lawyer and author of the Spoon River Anthology – spent final years and died in Elkins Park.)


  • Steve McCarter Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 154th legislative district


  • Pat Meehan US Politician representing Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district


  • Humphrey Morrey founder of Cheltenham, first Mayor of Philadelphia


  • Lucretia Coffin Mott (prominent feminist, abolitionist, and Quaker)


  • Robert J. Myers Co-creator of United States Social Security program


  • Benjamin Netanyahu (Currently serving his second term as Israeli prime minister – lived in township during high school)


  • Yonatan Netanyahu (Israeli war hero who died saving Jewish hostages in Operation Entebbe)


  • Ron Perelman businessman, 26th richest American[27]


  • Bob Perkins radio host at WRTI


  • Ezra Pound (poet – grew up in township)


  • Jesse Purnell Professional baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies


  • Brad Raider Actor


  • Ralph J. Roberts Co-Founder of Comcast, father of current Comcast CEO, Brian L. Roberts


  • David Saxon Physicist, Educator & Administrator


  • Ronald M. Shapiro, Notable Sports Agent, Corporate Attorney, New York Times Best Selling Author


  • Robert C. Solomon PhD, Author & Educator


  • Jeffrey Solow American virtuoso cellist


  • Jeffrey Sonnenfeld Senior Associate Dean for Executive Programs and Lester Crown Professor in the Practice of Management at Yale


  • Wallace Triplett Professional Football Player


  • David Uosikkinen (drummer for rock band The Hooters)


  • Kate Vrijmoet Artist


  • John Wanamaker (businessman sometimes called the father of the department store – had a second home in the township)


  • Richard Ward Actor


  • Paul Westhead (NBA championship-winning coach, taught English at Cheltenham High School in the 1960s)


  • Thomas Wharton, Jr. first Governor of Pennsylvania


  • George Dunton Widener a Philadelphia businessman who died in the sinking of the Titanic


  • George Dunton Widener Jr. Businessman, thoroughbred horse racer


  • Gertrude Widener Thoroughbred racehorse owner, and breeder


  • Harry Elkins Widener Businessman who died on RMS Titanic, Harvard University's Widener Memorial Library built in his honor


  • Joseph E. Widener Businessman, founding benefactor of National Gallery of Art


  • Peter A.B. Widener head of the prominent Widener family


  • Chris Williams Professional Soccer Player for Miami FC


  • George Wilson Hall of Fame collegiate football player


  • Stan Yerkes professional baseball player



Fictional residents



  • Betty Draper, Mad Men character who was raised in the "tiny Philadelphia suburb of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania."


Miscellaneous



  • Cheltenham has its own Public-access television cable TV channel, Channel 42 (Cheltenham School District/Township) on Comcast Cablevision and Channel 1960 on Verizon FiOS.

  • The Fox sitcom "'Til Death" is set in Cheltenham.[28]

  • The movie "The in Crowd" was filmed partly at Cheltenham High School.[29]



Other Cheltenhams


Cheltenham is officially twinned with their namesake, Cheltenham, England. There are also five other places in the world named "Cheltenham."[30][31][32][33]




  • Cheltenham, England (Official Twin and Namesake)


  • Cheltenham, St. Louis, Missouri, United States


  • Cheltenham, Ontario, Canada


  • Cheltenham, Auckland, New Zealand


  • Cheltenham, New South Wales, Australia


  • Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia



Points of interest





























































































































Site name

Image

Location

Year Built

Comment

1

Curtis Hall Arboretum

Curtis Hall I.JPG
1250 West Church Road
1937
Former home of Cyrus Curtis

2

Camptown Historic District

Camptown Historic District, Cheltenham PA 03.JPG
La Mott
1860's
Major Stop on Underground Railroad, Housed Camp William Penn

3

Grey Towers Castle

Grey Towers Castle, Southern Side 01.JPG
Glenside
1893
Now part of Arcadia University

4

Milmoral

Milmoral.JPG
1150 Church Road
1905
Adjacent to Curtis Hall Arboretum

5

Wall House

Wall House.jpg
Wall Park Drive, Elkins Park
1682
Oldest House in Pennsylvania, 2nd Oldest Building in Pennsylvania

6

Beth Sholom Synagogue

Beth Sholom.jpg
8231 Old York Road
1954
Only Synagogue ever designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright

7

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

St Pauls Elkins Park PA.jpg
Old York Road
1861
Conceived and designed by Cheltenham resident Jay Cooke with later additions by Horace Trumbauer

8

Rowland House

Rowland House, Cheltenham PA 04.JPG
300 Ashbourne Road
1774
Also known as the Shovel Shop

9

Glenside Memorial Hall

Glenside Memorial Hall Montco PA.jpg
185 South Keswick Avenue
1926
Built to Honor World War I Veterans, now honors all Veterans

10

Elkins Railroad Station

ElkinsParkStation.JPG
7879 Spring Avenue
1898
Originally Built by the Reading Railroad

11

George K. Heller School

Cheltenham Center for the Arts 01.JPG
439 Ashbourne Road
1883
Now the Cheltenham Arts Center

12

Henry West Breyer Sr. House

Breyer Old York Montco PA.jpg
8230 Old York Road
1915
Now the Cheltenham Township Building

13

Wyncote Historic District

Wycote homes.JPG
Wyncote
1896
Many homes designed by famed local architect, Frank Furness. The district contains 178 contributing properties.

14

Jenkintown-Wyncote Station

Jtown station.jpg
Wyncote
1872
Originally built by the North Pennsylvania Railroad, part of the Wyncote Historic District



Grave of Hall of Fame Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack.



Pennsylvania Historic Site


  • Camp William Penn


Other points of interest



  • Lynnewood Hall

  • Elkins Estate

  • Holy Sepulchre Cemetery



See also




  • Koreatown, Philadelphia

  • U.S. cities with large African-American populations



References





  1. ^ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 14, 2017..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ ab "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.


  3. ^ [zl Montgomery County Map


  4. ^ Jones, Arthur Hosking. Cheltenham Township. A Sociological Analysis of a Residential Suburb. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 1940. 173 pages.


  5. ^ Anonymous. "A Brief History of Cheltenham Township". Accessed January 7, 2006.


  6. ^ "Founders of Cheltenham". Historic-lamott-pa.com. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  7. ^ Early history


  8. ^ Estate development


  9. ^ Dynamics of Ethnic Identity: Three Asian American Communities in Philadelphia


  10. ^ Delaware Valley diversity


  11. ^ "Preserve America". Preserveamerica.gov. 2009-03-16. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  12. ^ "Classic Towns". Classic Towns. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  13. ^ "History of Township Seal". Cheltenhamtownship.org. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  14. ^ 2010 Montco Census Information


  15. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/4209112968


  16. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics 2010, Table DP-1, 2010 Demographic Profile Data. American FactFinder Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved 2014-06-30.


  17. ^ "Average Weather for Elkins Park, PA – Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  18. ^ "Montgomery County Election Results". Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 16, 2017.


  19. ^ 2012 Election Results


  20. ^ "Cheltenham Township Ordinance No. 2237-12". Cheltenham Township. February 15, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2012.


  21. ^ SEPTA rapid transit report


  22. ^ Montco Transportation


  23. ^ "Service to Connect PA & NJ." EVA Air. Retrieved on February 29, 2016.


  24. ^ "About Us". Cheltenham Township. Retrieved November 3, 2016.


  25. ^ "USPCA 2016 National Detector Dog Trials - Philadelphia" (PDF). United States Police Canine Association. Retrieved November 3, 2016.


  26. ^ Naedele, Walter F. "Stuart F. Feldman, prime Constitution Center supporter"The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 17, 2010. Accessed July 22, 2010.


  27. ^ "Ron Perelman". Philly.com. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  28. ^ 'Til Death, January 1, 2000, retrieved 2016-01-15


  29. ^ The In Crowd filming locations


  30. ^ "Cheltenham Twinning Association". Cheltenhamtwinning.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  31. ^ "Cheltenham Town Council: Other Cheltenhams". Cheltenham.gov.uk. November 20, 2008. Retrieved 2013-12-05.


  32. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2012-11-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)


  33. ^ "Cheltenham Township Twinning". Cheltenhamtownship.org. Retrieved 2013-12-05.




External links







  • Cheltenham Township

  • School District of Cheltenham Township

  • Art: Xanthus Russell Smith (1839–1929) Mather's Cottage, at Cheltenham (Montgomery County), 1880

  • Cheltenham Township Fire Department






Preceded by
Springfield Township

Bordering communities
of Philadelphia

Succeeded by
Abington














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