Borough of Lansdowne
Borough
Motto: Discover Lansdowne
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Delaware
Elevation	108 ft (32.9 m)
Coordinates	39°56′29″N 75°16′31″W / 39.94139°N 75.27528°W / 39.94139; -75.27528
Area	1.2 sq mi (3.1 km2)
- land	1.2 sq mi (3 km2)
- water	0.0 sq mi (0 km2), 0%
Population	10,579 (2010)
Density	8,815.8 / sq mi (3,403.8 / km2)
Timezone	EST (UTC-5)
- summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code	610
Location of Lansdowne in Delaware County
Location of Lansdowne in Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: www.lansdowneborough.com

Lansdowne is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States located 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of downtown Philadelphia. It was named for the Marquess of Lansdowne. The borough grew quickly in the early part of the twentieth century when a railroad stop was established near the intersection of Lansdowne Avenue and Baltimore Pike. The borough is primarily residential with a commercial center near the original railroad stop. The borough also contained some light industrial buildings which have been in decline in recent decades.

The borough is sometimes erroneously spelled "Landsdowne" or confused with Lansdale, in nearby Montgomery County.

Geography [edit]

Lansdowne is located at 39°56′29″N 75°16′31″W / 39.94139°N 75.27528°W / 39.94139; -75.27528 (39.941345, -75.275343)^[1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all land.

Demographics [edit]

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 10,579 people, 4,724 households, and 2,749 families residing in the borough. The population density was 9,382.0 people per square mile (3,613.7/km²). There were 4,999 housing units at an average density of 4,246.7 per square mile (1,635.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 47.1% White, 44.6% African American, 0.16% Native American, 3.6% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.73% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.

There were 4,724 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $40,013, and the median income for a family was $50,649. Males had a median income of $33,986 versus $63,257 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $70,177. About 0.6% of families and 0.4% of the population are below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education [edit]

Primary and secondary schools [edit]

Public schools [edit]

William Penn School District serves Lansdowne.

• Ardmore Avenue Elementary School (K-6)
• Penn Wood Middle School (7-8) (Darby)
• Penn Wood High School, Cypress Street Campus, (9-10) (Yeadon)
• Penn Wood High School, Green Avenue Campus, (11-12)

Private schools [edit]

Lansdowne Friends School is a Quaker elementary school. Saint Philomena School operated for over 100 years before closing in 2011.

Features [edit]

The Albertson subdivision, built between 1890 and 1940, is a historic district recognized by the National Register of Historic Places

Lansdowne was once a vacation resort for residents of Philadelphia. People traveled by rail and horse to relax in the borough's Victorian homes. Many of the homes have since been turned into multiple dwelling apartments. It is home to numerous arts organizations, including the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, Celebration Theater, the Lansdowne Folk Club, and the Lansdowne Arts Festival. The Farmers Market runs, rain or shine, on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. The market which takes place from Memorial Day to Halloween is a great source of Buy Fresh, Buy Local produce and food. [1]. The fire department was incorporated December 4, 1894 and provides a career ambulance service alongside a volunteer fire service. The borough's fire service is supplemented by the Yeadon, Clifton Heights, East Lansdowne, and Garrettford-Drexel Hill Fire Companies.

The borough has several historic buildings, including a movie theater and clubhouse, and two areas that are on the National Register of Historic Places. They are the Lansdowne Theatre, Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne, Henry Albertson Subdivision Historic District, and Lansdowne Park Historic District.^[3] There has recently been a movement to re-open the theater. The marquee was ceremoniously re-lit on October 5, 2012^[4] after much reconstruction, indicating that the movement is healthy.

A community of Scottish weavers lived and worked on Scottdale Road by the Darby Creek in the 19th Century. Some of their houses are still in existence. A Quaker community and a Friends' Meeting House are located on Lansdowne Avenue.

Notable residents [edit]

• Kurt Vile, Indie Rock musician.
• Leroy Burrell, former World Champion, World Record Holder, Olympic Silver Medalist in the 100 meters, and current track coach at the University of Houston, was raised in Lansdowne.
• Bruce Harlan, Olympic Gold Medalist in diving, was raised in Lansdowne.
• Pat Croce, former President of the Philadelphia 76ers and Founder of Novacare was raised in Lansdowne.
• Joan Jett, of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, lived in Lansdowne as a child.
• Larry Mendte, former anchorman for CBS3 in Philadelphia, was born and raised in Lansdowne.
• Winant Sidle, U.S. Army Major General, was raised in Lansdowne.
• Joe Lunardi, ESPN college basketball analyst and creator of "Bracketology", was a longtime resident of Lansdowne.
• Andrea Lee, New Yorker short story writer, lived in Lansdowne as a child and attended Lansdowne Friends School.
• Jessica Dragonette, singer and movie actress, went to Lansdowne High.

References [edit]

1. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
2. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09. 
4. ^ Tustin, Kevin. "Lansdowne Theater lit again after 25 years". Retrieved December 5, 2012. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lansdowne, Pennsylvania

• Borough of Lansdowne
• Historic Lansdowne Theater
• Gladstone Manor
• Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation

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