Delco Growth 100 years ago along with 667 Farms!! Upcoming events!!

Even in the 1920's Media was trying to keep it's farm appeal alive. A unknown farm in the Media area. A postcard from the 1920's. Look below for a great State St. Media picture.

 

Note: One hundred years ago Delaware Co. was growing by leaps and bounds. Railroads and trolley lines were opening up areas that had been farms for hundreds of years. Towns were springing up everywhere. BUT at the same time there was still 667 farms in Delco. Working Farms!!! Please read both articles and look at all the pictures. Keith

 

 

In the 1920's Upper Darby Twp. still had plenty of open ground, look in the background of this picture. I do not know where this greenhouse was in Secane, looking for some help. Thanks Keith

 

 

FARM ACREAGE IN MUCH DEMAND

Home Development Along Sixty-Ninth Street to Media Increases

          Gradually the farm acreage lying along the Media Short Line from Sixty-Ninth Street to Media is being bought up for home development.  Even now there is very little acreage left in this area which is not held either by spectators or suburban home operators with a keen eye to the future.  If the trend of real estate development holds its present in-country direction and transformation in a decade more the stretch from Media into Sixty-Ninth Street will become an unbroken line of suburban dwelling.  Already the Sixty-Ninth Street construction development is linking up with that of Bywood, and Bywood is stretching out its neighborly hand to welcome across Naylor’s run to Drexel Hill, and Drexel Hill is spreading onward to the Springfields, and the Springfields are destined to link up with Media, perfecting the annealing process in this interurban chain.

          Within the territory lying between Baltimore Pike and the Media Short Line right of way to Media very little acreage remains under actual farm cultivation.  There is acreage a-plenty, of course, but in the real estate man’s parlance, it is mostly tied up and salted away by developers and speculators awaiting its turn to be placed upon the market in small allotments of home sites.  The latest sale of this farming land was made public Friday of last week when the Jacob Schoch farm of sixty-three acres changed its ownership.  Frank Lawyer, Bywood, and Mr. O’Rourke, Newtown Square, associated with a Philadelphia syndicate, purchased this acreage.  The consideration is not given, but the purpose of the purchasers is given as speculative.  The Jacob Schoch farm lies on both sides of Bishop Avenue, in the Addingham district, south of the Aronimink Golf Club holdings, and is accessible from the Baltimore Pike or State Road.

 

State St at South Ave. looking East about 1926. If you look close at the sidewalks, you can still see places to tie up your horses for visiting farmers

 

 

 

 

LIST 667 FARMS IN THIS COUNTY

Total Farm Population Is 3269, and Acreage Is computed at 42,125

The second triennial farm census recently completed in Delaware County, shows 667 farms, 565 of which are operated by owners, eighty-six by tenants, and sixteen by managers, according to L. H. Wible, director, Bureau of Statistics, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

The county has a total farm population of 3269, according to the census, and a total acreage in farms of 42,125, of which 14,249 is used for the principal field crops.  The acreage devoted to these crops is as follows:  Corn for grain, 3282; for silage and fodder, 963; wheat, 1661; Oats, 1,144; rye, 62; potatoes, 601; alfalfa hay, 1,612; all other tame hay, 4,924.

The extent of fruit growing is indicated by 23,729 apple trees of bearing age and 13,954 of non-bearing age, 21,416 peach trees of all ages, and 6532 pear trees of all ages.

The livestock industry is represented by 1,409 horses including colts, 100 mules including mule colts, 3,760 milk cows and heifers, two years old and over, 551 heifers, one to two years old, 723 other cattle and calves, 580 sows and gilts for breeding, 2,681 other swine, and 917 sheep and lambs.

The count shows 43,041 hens and pullets of laying age, 19,277 other chickens, and 178 hives of bees.

Modern equipment and conveniences on farms are as follows:  396 farm homes have running water in kitchen and 346 have furnace heating systems.  The farms have 11 milking machines in use, 671 automobiles, 321 trucks, 127 tractors, 254 gas engines, 342 telephones, 320 radios, and 119 silos, 27 of the farms have their own electric plants, and 301 receive electricity from a power station.

 

 The Sports Legends of Delaware County (SLDC) Museum will hold a series of Delaware County library presentations for their recently published book, “Tales From the Museum.”

The purpose of the book is to recognize the athletic excellence of Delaware County athletes, and to preserve its sports heritage.

Below is a list of dates and locations for these events.

• Saturday February 1 Crozer Chester Library 1 pm
• Wednesday February 5 Radnor Library 7 pm
• Thursday February 6 Prospect Park Library 7 pm
• Thursday February 13 Folcroft Library 6 pm
• Wednesday February 19 Ridley Township Library 6:30 pm
• Sunday February 23 Upper Darby Sellers Library 3 pm
• Wednesday February 26 Haverford Library 7 pm
• Tuesday March 3 Darby Free Library 7 pm
• Wednesday March 4 Norwood Library 6:30 pm
• Thursday March 5 Marple Library 7 pm
• Monday March 9 Middletown Library 7 pm

 

If you have questions, contact

Jim Vankoski, President of the SLDC Museum

610-909-4919

What do Cadbury Chocolate, The Jersey Devil, and the 18th century transgender preacher known as the Public Universal Friend have in common? 

They were all born Quakers!  This lecture will review the lives of some famous Quakers like Lucretia Mott and Bayard Rustin, as well as less well-known Friends and some  "Friendly" almost-Quakers.

To learn about this and much more, join Aston Township Historical Society in welcoming local historian Celia Caust-Ellenbogen of the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College on Thursday, February 13th, 2020, at 7 PM.  Doors open at 6:30 PM so you can enjoy the new displays featuring the many interesting Women of Aston and the patriotic Veterans from Aston at the Aston Township Community Center located at 3270 Concord Road, Aston, PA 19064.

This event is free and open to the public.  However donations are always welcomed.  Ask about their volunteer opportunities, too!  In case of a snow storm, the event will be rescheduled.