The worker’s comp lawyers in Woodlyn, PA, at Schuster Law, hope you enjoy the following article on the neighborhood and its history.
Woodlyn
The census-designated place is located within the southern section of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The community takes up 1,088 acres and is just 6.7 miles away from the Philadelphia International Airport. Crum Creek runs along the western region of the town along with Ridley Creek. The main roads are the Delaware Expressway, Mid County Expressway, MacDade Boulevard, and Fairview Road.
Early History
Thomas Leiper was a local politician and merchant that was born in Scotland in 1745. He served in the American Revolutionary War and cofounded the Philadelphia City Troop, one of the oldest and most decorated units in the U.S. Army and is still an active force.
In 1870, Leiper bought the quarries near the Delaware County mills he built for the production of tobacco and snuff. His granite and stones were widely used in the construction of buildings and even bridges. The Leiper Presbyterian Church, named after him, included some of his granite as did:
- buildings on the Swarthmore College campus
- homes in the area
- curbstones and doorsteps
The church was built originally in 1819 and again in 1850 following a fire. during the 19th century, some prominent politicians worshipped there, including:
- Andrew Jackson
- William Henry Harrison
- James Buchanan
Ukrainian Influence
From 1880 to 1914, an influx of Ukrainian immigrants swept over the area. They came searching for work that they found in the mills along the Crum and Ridley Creeks. Today the state is home to more than 122,291 residents of Ukrainian descent.
When the Very Reverand John Ciurpita heard the historic Leiper Presbyterian Church was having financial struggles in 2012, he teamed up with the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and purchased the site for $525,000. The Ukrainian Catholic parishes were looking for a more centralized location that could accommodate the neighboring families that were part of the congregation. The purchase was made on May 8, 2014, and after some renovations, the dedication was held in April of 2015 creating the Holy Myrrh-Bearers (Ukrainian) Eastern Catholic Church. The church will serve not only the local Ukrainian Catholics but two neighboring counties and as many as three states.
Neighborhood
The average annual income per household was $42,639 in 2010. As many as 25.36% have a bachelor’s degree or a higher form of a college degree. The occupations commonly held by the communities citizens are broken down as such:
- 15.26% office and administrative support
- 12.64% management and executive occupations
- 9.53% service and sales roles
The top public schools that the children attend include the following:
- Lakeview Elementary
- Edgewood Elementary
- Ridley High School
- Grace Park Elementary
- Woodlyn Elementary
Some private or charter schools that serve the area include:
- Notre Dame De Lourdes School
- Buxmont Academy
- Woodlyn Christian School
Demographics
In 2010 the population was 9,485 which was a decrease from the 2000 count of 10,036 that consisted of 3,960 households and 2,637 families. The communities racial makeup was the following:
- 87.88% white
- 9.15% African American
- 1.38% Hispanic or Latino
- 1.18% Asian
- 0.15% Native American
- 0.07% Pacific Islander
- 0.34% other races
- 1.24% two or more races
While English is the prominent language spoken in the neighborhood, Spanish and Slavic can be heard too. Some ancestries that the residents identify with include the following:
- Irish
- Italian
- German
- English
- Polish
Keep reading: History of the West Ridley Park, PA Neighborhood
Our Local Office
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury while on the job, call our experienced Woodlyn, PA, worker’s comp lawyers at Schuster today for a free consultation.
Schuster Law
405 Avenue of the States
Chester, PA 19013
(610) 872-4930
