Call Number:

01

Repository:

Lower Merion Historical Society

Extent:

16.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1949-1990 (inclusive)

Creator:

Main Line Board of Realtors.

Abstract:

The Main Line Board of Realtors listings, 1949-1990, consists of real estate listing cards organized alphabetically by street name. The listing cards in this collection were maintained by James T. Shilcock (1919-2011), owner of Shilcock Realty Company. The township of Lower Merion in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania was first settled by Welsh Quakers in 1682. It is part of the "Main Line," a collection of affluent Philadelphia suburbs located alongside the Pennsylvania Railroad line that was built between Philadelphia and Harrisburg in the mid-19th century.

In August of 1682, Welsh Quakers from the County of Merionethshire landed in Pennsylvania. These "Merioneth Adventurers" were bound for the "Welsh Tract," granted to them by William Penn. Today, the area is Lower Merion township and Narberth borough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

In the mid-19th century, the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was constructed, running from Philadelphia to Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. The route passed through Lower Merion, and like other "Main Line" towns, the area developed into an affluent community due to its convenient location.

Lower Merion township has become known for two industrial giants, the Pencoyd Iron Works and the Autocar Company. The Pencoyd Ironworks was started by the Roberts family in 1852. The company became a major bridge and structural steel supplier. The Autocar company moved to Ardmore from Pittsburgh in 1900. Autocar was a manufacturer of commercial vehicles. The company moved to Exton, Pennsylvania in 1953.

Bibliography:

Lower Merion Historical Society. "Business and Industry." Accessed November 7, 2011. http://www.lowermerionhistory.org/texts/first200/business_5.html.

Francis, Gerald A. "Celebrating William Penn's Vision and the First Welsh Settlement in Lower Merion and Narberth: 1682-2007." The Lower Merion Historical Society, 2007.

This collection contains real estate listing cards which are organized alphabetically by street name, with some annotations. The listings cover Lower Merion Township and Narberth Borough. The listing cards in this collection were maintained by James T. Shilcock (1919-2011), owner of Shilcock Realty Company.