Drexel Park

Readers will be drawn to the quaint feel of suburban Pennsylvania that author Michele Murray has captured within these pages.

Drexel Park, founded in 1924, is a result of the city of Philadelphia bursting at its seams as it experienced an industrial boom fueled by advances in manufacturing, transportation, and technology. Having maintained dominance as the largest port in North America for nearly 150 years, rapid industrial growth led to mass overcrowding, which forced the expansion of urban neighborhoods and the creation of new suburban neighborhoods. The founder of Drexel Park, Thomas Conway Jr., was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and was a professor of finance at the Wharton School. He originally established himself as an interurban railroad innovator by transforming failing railroad lines into profitable businesses. Conway revolutionized suburban planning by leveraging existing railroad connections to develop a rural community near Philadelphia. He donated land for a local public hospital and used cutting-edge marketing techniques to attract clients, shaping his vision of an "ideal community."

The Drexel Park Homeowners Association celebrated Drexel Park's centennial in 2024. Committee chairperson Michele Murray, working with the history committee, researched Drexel Park's unique history and compiled its origins and development, drawing on photographs and anecdotes from residents, local historical societies, and museums.