Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Elkins Park is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is split between Cheltenham and Abington Townships in the northern suburbs outside of Philadelphia, which it borders along Cheltenham Avenue roughly 7 miles (11 km) from Center City. The community is four station stops from Center City on Septa Regional Rail. It was listed as a census-designated place prior to the 2020 census.
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Ogontz Shoemakertown | |
|---|---|
Clockwise from top, Wall House, Cheltenham Twinning Fingerpost, Cheltenham EMS Building, Cheltenham Township Municipal Building, Township Police Headquarters sign on Old York Road, Beth Shalom Synagogue | |
| Nickname: EP | |
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania Location of Elkins Park in Pennsylvania Elkins Park, Pennsylvania Elkins Park, Pennsylvania (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 40°04′37″N 75°07′37″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Montgomery |
| Townships | Abington, Cheltenham |
| Commissioners | Ann L. Rappoport (West) Mitchell Zygmund-Felt (Central) Brad M. Pransky (West) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.74 sq mi (4.51 km2) |
| • Land | 1.74 sq mi (4.51 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 157 ft (48 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 6,901 |
| • Density | 3,963.81/sq mi (1,530.18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Time) |
| ZIP Code | 19027 |
| Area codes | 215, 267 and 445 |
| FIPS code | 42-23128 |
Historically, Elkins Park was home to Philadelphia's early 20th century business elite, among them John B. Stetson, John Wanamaker, Henry W. Breyer, Jay Cooke, William Lukens Elkins and Peter A.B. Widener. In the later 20th century, it was home to Ralph J. Roberts, co-founder of Comcast, as well as to the Gimbels family, founders of the department store chain.
Today, it remains home to many gilded age mansions such as Lynnewood Hall, a 110-room, neoclassical estate, the Elkins Estate presently being restored as a hotel-spa, distillery and events center and the Henry West Breyer Sr. House, the former residence of the ice cream magnate which now serves as the Cheltenham Township Municipal building.
In 2018, New York Magazine described Elkins Park as "an old, elegant neighborhood of close-clustered homes". It is notable for its varied architectural styles (among them: Modern, American colonial and Dutch colonial, Queen Anne, English Cottage and Tudor) its wealth of homes designed by renowned 19th and 20th century architects such as Horace Trumbauer, Louis Kahn and Robert A.M. Stern and its diversity of religious institutions. With six synagogues it also makes up the foundation of the "Old York Road Corridor" of the Philadelphia area Jewish community, supported by the approximately 25,000 Jews in the Cheltenham-Jenkintown-Abington region. Seasonally Elkins Park hosts a variety of religious and cultural festivals such as the "Taste of Greece" food festival, the Romanian food festival, the Serbian food festival, various Jewish festivals such as a multi-congregation Purim celebration, and arts festivals like "Arts in the Park".
Though distinct communities, the neighborhoods of Melrose Park and historic La Mott share a postal code with Elkins Park.