The West Chester Trolley

History Spotlight Written by Doug Humes

Photos courtesy of Marple Historical Society

West Chester Pike has been a witness to the history of transportation in Delaware County. From its first creation in the 1790’s, the road saw foot traffic, horse and wagons, a “plank road” turnpike, regular stagecoach service and finally in 1895, a horse-drawn and later motorized trolley line that eventually connected the 69th Street Terminal with West Chester.

Above: Early “steam dummy” stopped in front of Drove Tavern, circa 1905.

The Philadelphia and West Chester Traction Company built the trolley line to Newtown Square in 1895 – running nine miles from 63rd and Baltimore Avenue in Philadelphia to Newtown Square. The fare was 10 cents. The line was assured of initial financial success in 1896, when the US Post Office hired it to carry the mail to towns along the way: Manoa, Adele, Broomall and Newtown Square. More income would come in 1899 when the Castle Rock amusement park opened.

A June 28, 1898 ad announcing the opening of “Broomall Grove Park” in Broomall, offering live music and dancing.

Years of legal wrangling delayed the extension of the line the 11 additional miles to West Chester, but on New Year’s Eve of 1898, the first trolley left 63rd and Market Streets at 1:00pm and arrived at West Chester at 2:20pm, after a run of 20 miles. The first cars carried company President John N.M. Shimer along with other company officials and stockholders. They were greeted on their arrival by local officials, at which time they all made their way to the Green Tree Hotel for speeches and libations.

Trolley headed east at intersection of West Chester Pike and Sproul Road, circa 1953.

In the mid 1930s, the line was consolidated with other lines that were part of the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, all converging on the beautiful new 69th Street Terminal building in Upper Darby, which opened on October 26, 1936. However, the postwar suburban boom and the rise of the private automobile led to the widening of West Chester Pike, leaving no room for the trolley tracks. The trolley line was abandoned in June of 1954, to be replaced by the next technology – the bus, which is still running today as Route 104!

The sign that marked the stops along the line when it was operated as a Red Arrow line.

For more on the history of Marple, visit the Marple Historical Society website and Facebook page, and join the Society to keep up to date on coming events: www.MarpleHistoricalSociety.org. Check on Facebook or at the website for more details.