Upper Darby

Upper Darby, one of the earliest settlements west of Philadelphia, began with the Lenni Lenape Indians and early Swedish settlers of the 1650s. Mills and farming were fueled by several creeks forming a fall line before dropping off to the Piedmont through Upper Darby. From the beginning, influential families left their mark. The descendants of Samuel Sellers were inventors whose skills benefited the nation. Dr. George Smith authored the bill for Pennsylvania public education, and famous financiers A.J. Drexel and his son A.J. Drexel Jr. created beautiful estates with landscaped vistas where residents enjoyed leisure activities. By the early 1800s, most farms had turned to dairying and became part of “the Butter Belt.” The Sixty-Ninth Street Terminal, built in 1907, was the transportation hub for those going farther west and brought rapid development to the community. Upper Darby chronicles the people and the changing demographics of this thriving area.