EXPLORE NARBERTH

Narberth is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,282 at the 2010 census. Narberth is located on a parcel of land originally deeded to Edward Rees (which later became “Prees” and eventually “Price”), who arrived from Wales in 1682. A portion of this original tract became the 100-acre (0.40 km2) farm of Edward R. Price, who founded Elm as a “Quaker-friendly” town in 1881. The town named changed to Narberth in 1893, and Narberth was incorporated in 1895. In 1995, the borough celebrated its 100th birthday with a year-long celebration. The Narbrook Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Geography

Narberth is located at 40°0′27″N 75°15′44″W (40.007462, -75.262169).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), all of it land.

Narberth is an enclave surrounded by Lower Merion Township, close to the western edge of the city of Philadelphia. It is part of the “Main Line”, a string of leafy, picturesque suburbs with quaint Welsh names extending west from Philadelphia along the old Pennsylvania Railroad’s “main line” from Merion through Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Devon and Wayne among other towns and municipalities. Narberth is unique among those locations in that it is fairly enclosed; no major thoroughfares run through the town, but Montgomery Avenue runs northwest/southeast along the borough’s northern border.

Because of its small size, Narberth is a walking town, with virtually all of its shopping and recreational facilities within walking distance of residents’ houses. SEPTA’s “Main Line” railroad tracks separate North Side from South Side. Narberth is mostly a residential community, with a central business district along Haverford, Narberth, Forest, and Essex Avenues.

Recreation

The Borough of Narberth maintains two recreational facilities: The Narberth Playground and the Sabine Avenue Playground. The Narberth Playground has two basketball courts, three tennis courts, a field area, a junior basketball court (once volleyball), and a playground for younger children. The Sabine Avenue Tot Lot, on the grounds of the former Narberth Elementary School, is the smaller of the two and was recently renovated with new playground equipment. In addition, the borough sponsors a Fall soccer program, a Spring baseball program, a Summer basketball program, and many other sports and recreation activities.

Politics and Government

Narberth has a city manager form of government with a mayor and a seven-member borough council. The mayor is Tom Grady, a Democrat. The members of borough council, all of whom are Democrats, are Michael (Sam) Quinn (president), Aaron Muderick (vice president), Michael Alexander, Heidi Boise, Andrea Deutsch, Bob Wegbreit and Bob Weisbord. The Borough Manager is Bill Martin.

The borough is part of the Sixth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Jim Gerlach until the elections of 2012 when it will become part of the Second Congressional District), the 148th State House District (represented by Rep. Mike Gerber) and the 17th State Senate District (represented by Sen. Daylin Leach).

Hospitals

Nearby Wynnewood is also home to one the principal three teaching hospitals that serve Philadelphia’s Main Line. Along with the eponymous Bryn Mawr and Paoli Memorial hospitals, Lankenau Hospital, on Lancaster Pike (Route 30) in Wynnewood near the Overbrook border, has traditionally been affiliated with either Jefferson or Hahnemann (now Drexel) colleges of medicine and is always (with Bryn Mawr and Paoli) on the list of the nation’s top community hospitals. Saunders House, a rehabilitation facility, can be found on Lankenau’s premises, as is a large and busy medical office building that is home to many of the private practices of the hospital’s attending physicians.

Press

Local events are covered by The Main Line Times and the newer Main Line Life print newspapers.

Famous Residents

• Philadelphia Eagles founder and National Football League commissioner Bert Bell spent his final years in Narberth, and there is a plaque in his honor in downtown Narberth outside the location of the restaurant where he usually conducted NFL business.
• World War II fighter ace Pug Southerland was born in Narberth.
• Metropolitan Opera star Margaret Harshaw grew up in Narberth.
• Internet Star James Rolfe alias the Angry Video Game Nerd lives in Narberth.
• Colorado governor John Hickenlooper was born and raised in Narberth.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Monthly Market Update for Narberth